John Lettieri, President and CEO of Economic Innovation Group | Official Website
John Lettieri, President and CEO of Economic Innovation Group | Official Website
In total, residents in Richland County received $1.6 billion in government transfers, which accounted for 28.6% of total county income.
Comparatively, across all counties in Ohio, government transfer payments totaled $137.3 billion, making up 20.2% of the state residents’ total income, with an average of $11,680 per resident.
Government transfer payments are non-repayable funds provided by federal, state, or local governments to support individuals in need. These payments aim to stabilize economic conditions and provide financial support during hardships. Key programs include Social Security transfers (retirement benefits), Medicare transfers (healthcare for seniors), Medicaid transfers (healthcare for low-income individuals), and income maintenance transfers (financial assistance for basic needs).
Breaking down the contributions in Richland County at the time, Social Security transfers totaled $534.5 million, amounting to $4,265 per capita, or 33.2% of total government transfers. Medicare transfers accounted for $450.6 million ($3,596 per capita), representing 28% of the total. Medicaid contributed $329.8 million ($2,632 per capita), making up 20.5% of total transfers. Income maintenance programs, including assistance such as SNAP or TANF, added another $171.4 million ($1,368 per capita), or 10.6% of the total.
With 20.1% of the population aged 65 and older, Richland County has a significant demand for programs like Social Security and Medicare. Total per capita income excluding government transfers in Richland County was $32,148, far below the county’s total income of $44,998, emphasizing the role of government transfers in overall income.
When comparing 2022 to the previous year, Richland County saw a decrease of 17.8% in per capita government transfers, from $15,628 to $12,851 per capita.
Government transfers have long been a modest financial safety net, historically comprising only a small fraction of Americans' income. However, since the 1970s—sometimes dubbed the “Great Transfer-mation”—dependency has surged from 8.21% (or $2,022 per capita in inflation-adjusted 2022 dollars) in 1970 to 17.63% (or $11,542 per capita) in 2022. In Richland County, reliance on government transfers has similarly increased from 6.51% (or $1,519 per capita) in 1970 to 28.6% (or $12,851 per capita) in 2022, reflecting broader national trends.
According to the Economic Innovation Group’s analysis, these trends are not merely short-term responses to economic pressures but rather reflect a profound, long-term transformation in how government support is integrated into American life. The study illustrates that structural shifts—from rising healthcare expenses and demographic changes to stagnant wages—have significantly increased dependency on government transfers.
| County | State Rank (Per Capita Transfers) | Per Capita Transfers ($) | Dependency on Transfers (%) | % Population 65+ | Social Security Transfers ($) | Medicare Transfers ($) | Medicaid Transfers ($) | Income Maintenance Transfers ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gallia County | 1 | $17,187 | 37.3% | 20% | $120,574,000 | $110,339,000 | $168,830,000 | $54,916,000 |
| Scioto County | 2 | $16,952 | 36.6% | 18.95% | $258,638,000 | $311,493,000 | $376,917,000 | $158,759,000 |
| Lawrence County | 3 | $16,256 | 34.26% | 19.51% | $247,358,000 | $214,150,000 | $253,500,000 | $106,823,000 |
| Pike County | 4 | $16,025 | 34.58% | 18.55% | $107,830,000 | $90,482,000 | $142,974,000 | $55,007,000 |
| Jefferson County | 5 | $15,766 | 34.66% | 22.54% | $318,665,000 | $268,521,000 | $202,049,000 | $100,621,000 |
| Adams County | 6 | $15,634 | 36% | 18.73% | $102,412,000 | $117,709,000 | $124,219,000 | $52,938,000 |
| Guernsey County | 7 | $15,049 | 31.56% | 20.39% | $161,533,000 | $148,085,000 | $156,025,000 | $53,777,000 |
| Ashtabula County | 8 | $15,021 | 32.43% | 20.16% | $419,924,000 | $374,381,000 | $385,344,000 | $151,718,000 |
| Monroe County | 9 | $14,906 | 35.34% | 23.74% | $69,225,000 | $56,824,000 | $37,127,000 | $15,469,000 |
| Ottawa County | 10 | $14,894 | 23.84% | 27.33% | $233,350,000 | $172,914,000 | $102,558,000 | $32,632,000 |
| Harrison County | 11 | $14,860 | 32.19% | 22.49% | $66,833,000 | $62,072,000 | $49,155,000 | $18,901,000 |
| Mahoning County | 12 | $14,659 | 28.32% | 22.53% | $1,054,516,000 | $854,947,000 | $775,585,000 | $379,139,000 |
| Vinton County | 13 | $14,610 | 36% | 19% | $44,864,000 | $38,660,000 | $55,171,000 | $26,799,000 |
| Meigs County | 14 | $14,543 | 34.57% | 21% | $92,767,000 | $76,945,000 | $80,632,000 | $41,283,000 |
| Crawford County | 15 | $14,189 | 30.47% | 21.45% | $195,265,000 | $174,911,000 | $119,823,000 | $56,497,000 |
| Jackson County | 16 | $14,176 | 34.51% | 17.93% | $125,495,000 | $109,475,000 | $126,897,000 | $56,460,000 |
| Hocking County | 17 | $14,061 | 30.92% | 20.23% | $113,383,000 | $94,890,000 | $99,602,000 | $49,576,000 |
| Muskingum County | 18 | $14,024 | 28.51% | 18.64% | $359,651,000 | $347,188,000 | $259,527,000 | $143,973,000 |
| Columbiana County | 19 | $13,984 | 30.95% | 21.96% | $465,979,000 | $382,303,000 | $310,996,000 | $134,615,000 |
| Trumbull County | 20 | $13,980 | 30.68% | 22.35% | $991,416,000 | $768,954,000 | $562,880,000 | $274,758,000 |
| Washington County | 21 | $13,835 | 27.12% | 22.44% | $279,863,000 | $232,580,000 | $152,615,000 | $67,916,000 |
| Coshocton County | 22 | $13,720 | 32.48% | 20.14% | $153,499,000 | $146,916,000 | $113,877,000 | $49,845,000 |
| Fayette County | 23 | $13,709 | 29.16% | 18.16% | $109,850,000 | $95,964,000 | $115,522,000 | $43,753,000 |
| Clark County | 24 | $13,682 | 29% | 20.23% | $558,077,000 | $470,204,000 | $456,188,000 | $205,588,000 |
| Morgan County | 25 | $13,673 | 31.72% | 22% | $56,257,000 | $44,157,000 | $46,842,000 | $20,039,000 |
| Perry County | 26 | $13,557 | 29.51% | 18.31% | $138,364,000 | $129,400,000 | $120,522,000 | $54,543,000 |
| Seneca County | 27 | $13,528 | 28.44% | 19.27% | $229,444,000 | $201,703,000 | $185,130,000 | $62,661,000 |
| Belmont County | 28 | $13,518 | 28.97% | 21.94% | $295,880,000 | $228,526,000 | $205,813,000 | $76,189,000 |
| Erie County | 29 | $13,503 | 22.94% | 23.66% | $364,535,000 | $297,230,000 | $167,771,000 | $89,866,000 |
| Ross County | 30 | $13,374 | 29.91% | 18% | $288,417,000 | $263,886,000 | $244,917,000 | $124,307,000 |
| Brown County | 31 | $13,203 | 28.8% | 19.26% | $181,393,000 | $159,756,000 | $134,869,000 | $56,740,000 |
| Highland County | 32 | $13,134 | 29.83% | 19.32% | $166,801,000 | $146,250,000 | $140,873,000 | $63,342,000 |
| Allen County | 33 | $13,103 | 26.11% | 18.96% | $417,594,000 | $389,761,000 | $276,551,000 | $135,081,000 |
| Lucas County | 34 | $13,095 | 24.51% | 17.55% | $1,606,394,000 | $1,305,541,000 | $1,556,423,000 | $738,182,000 |
| Marion County | 35 | $13,005 | 30.68% | 18.69% | $260,102,000 | $219,019,000 | $197,257,000 | $96,487,000 |
| Cuyahoga County | 36 | $12,861 | 20.27% | 19.51% | $4,705,006,000 | $3,854,625,000 | $4,215,478,000 | $2,068,519,000 |
| Richland County | 37 | $12,851 | 28.56% | 20.1% | $534,510,000 | $450,586,000 | $329,793,000 | $171,405,000 |
| Sandusky County | 38 | $12,812 | 26.38% | 20.3% | $264,479,000 | $213,607,000 | $156,262,000 | $60,182,000 |
| Montgomery County | 39 | $12,604 | 22.87% | 18.57% | $2,064,823,000 | $1,714,828,000 | $1,507,089,000 | $793,150,000 |
| Stark County | 40 | $12,543 | 23.41% | 20.47% | $1,638,613,000 | $1,222,982,000 | $968,320,000 | $476,175,000 |
| Knox County | 41 | $12,537 | 24.53% | 19.32% | $245,411,000 | $209,590,000 | $211,015,000 | $61,834,000 |
| Clinton County | 42 | $12,363 | 24.73% | 18.78% | $165,004,000 | $144,442,000 | $104,390,000 | $54,189,000 |
| Preble County | 43 | $12,257 | 25.2% | 20.23% | $175,356,000 | $141,864,000 | $102,233,000 | $40,626,000 |
| Defiance County | 44 | $12,245 | 25.88% | 20% | $177,934,000 | $132,518,000 | $80,710,000 | $38,714,000 |
| Carroll County | 45 | $12,226 | 25.8% | 22.53% | $125,236,000 | $72,811,000 | $76,841,000 | $27,255,000 |
| Huron County | 46 | $12,188 | 25.59% | 18.49% | $238,755,000 | $187,165,000 | $126,577,000 | $71,993,000 |
| Henry County | 47 | $12,136 | 23.17% | 19.68% | $122,421,000 | $94,786,000 | $70,868,000 | $21,527,000 |
| Williams County | 48 | $12,116 | 24.73% | 20.25% | $163,132,000 | $120,655,000 | $82,238,000 | $39,498,000 |
| Logan County | 49 | $12,106 | 24.91% | 19.43% | $199,046,000 | $168,160,000 | $95,260,000 | $49,339,000 |
| Paulding County | 50 | $11,871 | 24.41% | 19.79% | $82,998,000 | $64,342,000 | $38,341,000 | $19,390,000 |
| Summit County | 51 | $11,799 | 18.97% | 19.48% | $2,182,272,000 | $1,621,595,000 | $1,365,251,000 | $699,141,000 |
| Tuscarawas County | 52 | $11,729 | 22.61% | 20.19% | $378,159,000 | $272,018,000 | $229,474,000 | $98,932,000 |
| Lorain County | 53 | $11,662 | 21% | 19.86% | $1,351,537,000 | $1,025,690,000 | $653,652,000 | $367,443,000 |
| Lake County | 54 | $11,659 | 19.51% | 21.68% | $1,092,290,000 | $778,858,000 | $420,137,000 | $185,543,000 |
| Athens County | 55 | $11,651 | 27.83% | 15.3% | $155,310,000 | $174,890,000 | $166,486,000 | $90,781,000 |
| Wyandot County | 56 | $11,633 | 20.97% | 20.87% | $93,747,000 | $76,731,000 | $43,406,000 | $17,923,000 |
| Ashland County | 57 | $11,630 | 24.68% | 20.49% | $219,713,000 | $164,343,000 | $107,859,000 | $46,183,000 |
| Darke County | 58 | $11,569 | 21.96% | 20.48% | $222,340,000 | $181,257,000 | $101,610,000 | $46,980,000 |
| Champaign County | 59 | $11,419 | 23.36% | 19.38% | $157,058,000 | $118,794,000 | $90,462,000 | $39,818,000 |
| Fulton County | 60 | $11,327 | 21.45% | 19.64% | $184,816,000 | $140,560,000 | $76,685,000 | $35,326,000 |
| Hardin County | 61 | $11,260 | 28.19% | 16.22% | $113,606,000 | $100,909,000 | $62,365,000 | $32,432,000 |
| Van Wert County | 62 | $11,259 | 22.72% | 20.19% | $124,070,000 | $84,574,000 | $63,185,000 | $27,741,000 |
| Hamilton County | 63 | $11,258 | 15.69% | 16.62% | $2,816,008,000 | $2,278,719,000 | $2,357,682,000 | $1,152,328,000 |
| Clermont County | 64 | $11,256 | 18% | 18.37% | $858,841,000 | $720,590,000 | $416,641,000 | $182,107,000 |
| Auglaize County | 65 | $10,909 | 19.53% | 19.55% | $189,278,000 | $153,159,000 | $82,304,000 | $35,188,000 |
| Miami County | 66 | $10,869 | 19.38% | 19.43% | $457,599,000 | $336,363,000 | $196,203,000 | $91,521,000 |
| Morrow County | 67 | $10,783 | 22.61% | 19% | $137,867,000 | $88,601,000 | $84,766,000 | $35,101,000 |
| Greene County | 68 | $10,767 | 17.65% | 18.59% | $603,364,000 | $497,313,000 | $266,800,000 | $135,594,000 |
| Portage County | 69 | $10,695 | 20% | 18.17% | $625,480,000 | $468,890,000 | $313,124,000 | $135,465,000 |
| Madison County | 70 | $10,548 | 20.17% | 16.62% | $148,492,000 | $149,701,000 | $82,834,000 | $39,916,000 |
| Shelby County | 71 | $10,474 | 20.16% | 17.99% | $189,376,000 | $138,433,000 | $89,233,000 | $43,990,000 |
| Pickaway County | 72 | $10,388 | 20.41% | 16.31% | $206,101,000 | $172,774,000 | $115,654,000 | $62,173,000 |
| Licking County | 73 | $10,378 | 18.64% | 17.42% | $668,175,000 | $477,976,000 | $370,651,000 | $179,112,000 |
| Butler County | 74 | $10,368 | 18.55% | 15.94% | $1,371,880,000 | $1,058,025,000 | $833,804,000 | $424,006,000 |
| Hancock County | 75 | $10,277 | 18.11% | 18.44% | $301,744,000 | $202,750,000 | $139,635,000 | $63,591,000 |
| Putnam County | 76 | $10,275 | 17.27% | 18.73% | $137,545,000 | $110,524,000 | $54,762,000 | $22,456,000 |
| Wayne County | 77 | $10,169 | 19.12% | 19% | $440,974,000 | $320,001,000 | $224,526,000 | $106,839,000 |
| Mercer County | 78 | $10,108 | 16.35% | 19.32% | $169,070,000 | $131,835,000 | $60,649,000 | $31,504,000 |
| Medina County | 79 | $10,011 | 15.24% | 19.73% | $791,215,000 | $546,539,000 | $235,313,000 | $101,956,000 |
| Fairfield County | 80 | $9,911 | 18% | 16.58% | $554,779,000 | $440,374,000 | $295,928,000 | $160,753,000 |
| Geauga County | 81 | $9,846 | 11.83% | 22.26% | $440,379,000 | $276,035,000 | $105,361,000 | $41,757,000 |
| Franklin County | 82 | $9,516 | 16% | 13% | $3,320,443,000 | $2,743,880,000 | $3,489,313,000 | $1,851,563,000 |
| Wood County | 83 | $9,288 | 16.58% | 16.61% | $467,691,000 | $332,512,000 | $192,054,000 | $85,218,000 |
| Noble County | 84 | $9,243 | 29.7% | 29.69% | $47,121,000 | $31,529,000 | $27,761,000 | $11,868,000 |
| Warren County | 85 | $8,287 | 11.26% | 15.72% | $847,040,000 | $559,553,000 | $325,662,000 | $123,171,000 |
| Delaware County | 86 | $7,065 | 7.95% | 15% | $694,778,000 | $462,706,000 | $175,215,000 | $85,243,000 |
| Union County | 87 | $6,954 | 10% | 13.45% | $184,593,000 | $120,082,000 | $71,789,000 | $35,305,000 |
| Holmes County | 88 | $6,422 | 11.44% | 14.48% | $87,584,000 | $63,737,000 | $78,859,000 | $27,671,000 |
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