Are the level densities for r- and rp -process nuclei different from nearby nuclei in the valley of stability?

Nuclei reached in r- and rp -process reactions in nuclear astrophysics are considerably more neutron or proton rich than most nuclei for which level densities have been studied. Two models which predict somewhat different behavior for nuclei away from the valley of stability are examined. It is found that one of the two provides a better description of the available data. A term which lowered the level density parameter as isospin increased at fixed A did not produce as much improvement as one which reduced the level density parameter based on the distance from the valley of stability. As a by-product of this study, a formulation of level density systematics near the valley of stability is also tested.