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 Mecklenburg County received $519.9 million in government transfers, which accounted for 37.4% of total county income.
Comparatively, across all counties in Virginia, government transfer payments totaled $104.9 billion, making up 14.4% of the state residents’ total income, with an average of $10,484 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 Mecklenburg County at the time, Social Security transfers totaled $180.6 million, amounting to $5,921 per capita, or 34.7% of total government transfers. Medicare transfers accounted for $127.3 million ($4,173 per capita), representing 24.5% of the total. Medicaid contributed $119.4 million ($3,915 per capita), making up 23% of total transfers. Income maintenance programs, including assistance such as SNAP or TANF, added another $50.9 million ($1,667 per capita), or 9.8% of the total.
With 27.1% of the population aged 65 and older, Mecklenburg County has a significant demand for programs like Social Security and Medicare. Total per capita income excluding government transfers in Mecklenburg County was $28,485, far below the county’s total income of $45,526, emphasizing the role of government transfers in overall income.
When comparing 2022 to the previous year, Mecklenburg County saw a decrease of 9.7% in per capita government transfers, from $19,003 to $17,040 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 Mecklenburg County, reliance on government transfers has similarly increased from 8.57% (or $1,313 per capita) in 1970 to 37.4% (or $17,040 per capita) in 2022, reflecting broader national trends.
According to the Economic Innovation Group’s analysis, these trends are not merely short-term responses to economic pressures but rather reflect a profound, long-term transformation in how government support is integrated into American life. The study illustrates that structural shifts—from rising healthcare expenses and demographic changes to stagnant wages—have significantly increased dependency on government transfers.
| County | State Rank (Per Capita Transfers) | Per Capita Transfers ($) | Dependency on Transfers (%) | % Population 65+ | Social Security Transfers ($) | Medicare Transfers ($) | Medicaid Transfers ($) | Income Maintenance Transfers ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buchanan County | 1 | $20,234 | 44.68% | 24.25% | $139,551,000 | $81,404,000 | $97,705,000 | $47,008,000 |
| Dickenson County | 2 | $19,994 | 48.72% | 24.55% | $92,287,000 | $66,569,000 | $67,919,000 | $28,119,000 |
| Northampton County | 3 | $19,870 | 30.94% | 29.9% | $73,437,000 | $49,913,000 | $72,356,000 | $23,876,000 |
| Northumberland County | 4 | $18,848 | 30.69% | 37.22% | $97,025,000 | $71,577,000 | $31,556,000 | $15,474,000 |
| Wise + Norton County | 5 | $18,549 | 45.13% | 19.97% | $230,227,000 | $155,646,000 | $181,435,000 | $83,991,000 |
| Lancaster County | 6 | $18,546 | 25.57% | 38.57% | $91,512,000 | $48,085,000 | $30,309,000 | $14,740,000 |
| Henry + Martinsville County | 7 | $18,234 | 38.42% | 24.78% | $357,251,000 | $261,710,000 | $329,898,000 | $128,137,000 |
| Lee County | 8 | $18,105 | 46.96% | 23.18% | $116,343,000 | $75,407,000 | $122,918,000 | $53,093,000 |
| Carroll + Galax County | 9 | $17,957 | 40.11% | 26.4% | $191,146,000 | $146,157,000 | $200,685,000 | $59,324,000 |
| Middlesex County | 10 | $17,882 | 29.66% | 33% | $78,334,000 | $50,665,000 | $34,830,000 | $14,303,000 |
| Alleghany + Covington County | 11 | $17,584 | 38% | 26.18% | $117,513,000 | $88,337,000 | $82,024,000 | $33,407,000 |
| Nelson County | 12 | $17,399 | 26.9% | 29.5% | $100,102,000 | $68,182,000 | $47,516,000 | $18,559,000 |
| Dinwiddie County | 13 | $17,388 | 37.91% | 19.2% | $336,874,000 | $320,255,000 | $395,880,000 | $167,956,000 |
| Tazewell County | 14 | $17,291 | 39.31% | 23.56% | $235,358,000 | $156,802,000 | $142,205,000 | $75,267,000 |
| Russell County | 15 | $17,290 | 42.99% | 23.71% | $150,959,000 | $102,916,000 | $102,997,000 | $49,287,000 |
| Mathews County | 16 | $17,198 | 25.34% | 32.57% | $58,903,000 | $38,559,000 | $26,349,000 | $8,684,000 |
| Bath County | 17 | $17,143 | 22.94% | 29.72% | $25,397,000 | $21,555,000 | $11,703,000 | $4,717,000 |
| Mecklenburg County | 18 | $17,040 | 37.43% | 27% | $180,638,000 | $127,297,000 | $119,426,000 | $50,858,000 |
| Charlotte County | 19 | $16,976 | 37.5% | 22.68% | $60,885,000 | $51,632,000 | $44,674,000 | $20,936,000 |
| Pittsylvania + Danville County | 20 | $16,975 | 37.73% | 24.74% | $528,353,000 | $363,023,000 | $506,351,000 | $199,815,000 |
| Brunswick County | 21 | $16,903 | 41.14% | 22.31% | $75,675,000 | $57,042,000 | $83,297,000 | $30,016,000 |
| Halifax County | 22 | $16,787 | 37.72% | 25.8% | $182,962,000 | $120,806,000 | $155,337,000 | $61,253,000 |
| Nottoway County | 23 | $16,770 | 37.34% | 18.51% | $64,698,000 | $52,359,000 | $93,472,000 | $26,611,000 |
| Scott County | 24 | $16,552 | 41.79% | 25.35% | $121,857,000 | $87,416,000 | $84,281,000 | $36,866,000 |
| Essex County | 25 | $16,528 | 31.97% | 24.33% | $60,627,000 | $45,490,000 | $38,240,000 | $18,389,000 |
| Smyth County | 26 | $16,428 | 36.95% | 22.86% | $159,559,000 | $111,876,000 | $122,268,000 | $55,969,000 |
| Patrick County | 27 | $15,903 | 39.49% | 27.34% | $97,812,000 | $66,629,000 | $63,092,000 | $27,646,000 |
| Accomack County | 28 | $15,776 | 29.13% | 25.99% | $179,271,000 | $121,666,000 | $124,222,000 | $58,049,000 |
| Southampton + Franklin County | 29 | $15,739 | 31.31% | 22.12% | $123,862,000 | $87,642,000 | $121,129,000 | $46,883,000 |
| Giles County | 30 | $15,487 | 31.27% | 22.26% | $87,687,000 | $63,795,000 | $58,960,000 | $22,727,000 |
| Roanoke (Independent City) County | 31 | $15,349 | 30.21% | 17.88% | $376,841,000 | $293,030,000 | $459,710,000 | $196,971,000 |
| Greensville + Emporia County | 32 | $15,317 | 39% | 16.52% | $69,006,000 | $51,407,000 | $85,846,000 | $33,206,000 |
| Wythe County | 33 | $15,223 | 34.16% | 22.29% | $147,451,000 | $107,021,000 | $92,679,000 | $42,250,000 |
| Bland County | 34 | $15,123 | 35.48% | 25.53% | $35,857,000 | $22,822,000 | $17,938,000 | $6,228,000 |
| Washington + Bristol County | 35 | $14,979 | 32% | 24.7% | $392,542,000 | $253,444,000 | $211,834,000 | $108,434,000 |
| Grayson County | 36 | $14,843 | 38.12% | 25.87% | $85,102,000 | $46,253,000 | $56,991,000 | $22,252,000 |
| Surry County | 37 | $14,837 | 28.3% | 25.69% | $36,262,000 | $21,195,000 | $20,704,000 | $9,199,000 |
| Westmoreland County | 38 | $14,822 | 29.28% | 27.53% | $100,656,000 | $73,293,000 | $51,374,000 | $28,119,000 |
| Campbell + Lynchburg County | 39 | $14,798 | 32.58% | 21.47% | $557,404,000 | $390,337,000 | $586,323,000 | $195,470,000 |
| Highland County | 40 | $14,651 | 29% | 38.24% | $15,910,000 | $7,935,000 | $4,721,000 | $1,921,000 |
| Pulaski County | 41 | $14,611 | 30.37% | 23.38% | $180,429,000 | $110,350,000 | $115,662,000 | $47,917,000 |
| Charles City County | 42 | $14,560 | 25.48% | 26.98% | $40,004,000 | $19,774,000 | $20,916,000 | $8,145,000 |
| Amherst County | 43 | $14,496 | 32.41% | 22.16% | $161,221,000 | $109,939,000 | $107,949,000 | $42,530,000 |
| King and Queen County | 44 | $14,439 | 26.11% | 24.2% | $37,125,000 | $21,933,000 | $20,551,000 | $9,507,000 |
| Sussex County | 45 | $14,413 | 38.17% | 19.46% | $46,144,000 | $35,369,000 | $43,604,000 | $17,922,000 |
| Portsmouth (Independent City) County | 46 | $14,382 | 31.25% | 15.35% | $319,131,000 | $254,759,000 | $437,216,000 | $206,867,000 |
| Appomattox County | 47 | $14,139 | 30.77% | 21% | $78,777,000 | $54,103,000 | $58,780,000 | $25,469,000 |
| Floyd County | 48 | $14,012 | 28.65% | 24.66% | $81,902,000 | $49,670,000 | $48,139,000 | $18,106,000 |
| Prince Edward County | 49 | $13,925 | 35.23% | 16.85% | $89,236,000 | $74,458,000 | $77,009,000 | $33,160,000 |
| Lunenburg County | 50 | $13,916 | 35.7% | 23.57% | $55,447,000 | $32,424,000 | $44,279,000 | $20,384,000 |
| Franklin County | 51 | $13,880 | 26.4% | 24.82% | $296,871,000 | $165,546,000 | $151,686,000 | $67,283,000 |
| Franklin County | 52 | $13,880 | 26.4% | 24.82% | $296,871,000 | $165,546,000 | $151,686,000 | $67,283,000 |
| Page County | 53 | $13,840 | 28.2% | 22.43% | $121,229,000 | $81,403,000 | $67,536,000 | $30,369,000 |
| Buckingham County | 54 | $13,823 | 36.49% | 20.51% | $68,502,000 | $67,103,000 | $58,593,000 | $25,347,000 |
| Amelia County | 55 | $13,668 | 25.8% | 21.15% | $66,176,000 | $43,752,000 | $40,561,000 | $16,687,000 |
| Craig County | 56 | $13,628 | 28.76% | 25% | $26,444,000 | $14,017,000 | $12,352,000 | $5,897,000 |
| Orange County | 57 | $13,473 | 22.86% | 20.48% | $189,866,000 | $138,406,000 | $77,008,000 | $39,783,000 |
| Cumberland County | 58 | $13,408 | 28.87% | 23.58% | $44,556,000 | $20,167,000 | $40,851,000 | $16,475,000 |
| Hampton (Independent City) County | 59 | $13,406 | 27.63% | 16.57% | $500,617,000 | $334,677,000 | $434,044,000 | $225,133,000 |
| James City + Williamsburg County | 60 | $13,205 | 17.4% | 26.69% | $542,552,000 | $347,340,000 | $102,896,000 | $71,763,000 |
| Bedford County | 61 | $12,940 | 23.6% | 23.21% | $429,161,000 | $245,150,000 | $173,874,000 | $74,870,000 |
| Bedford County | 62 | $12,940 | 23.6% | 23.21% | $429,161,000 | $245,150,000 | $173,874,000 | $74,870,000 |
| Rockbridge County | 63 | $12,931 | 26.74% | 27.49% | $183,394,000 | $111,727,000 | $89,245,000 | $40,512,000 |
| Suffolk (Independent City) County | 64 | $12,831 | 21.11% | 15.26% | $343,236,000 | $243,310,000 | $298,816,000 | $131,207,000 |
| Botetourt County | 65 | $12,819 | 21.54% | 24.11% | $179,469,000 | $104,172,000 | $66,019,000 | $27,443,000 |
| Richmond County | 66 | $12,814 | 30% | 21.72% | $40,656,000 | $27,176,000 | $27,422,000 | $12,425,000 |
| Richmond County | 67 | $12,814 | 30% | 21.72% | $40,656,000 | $27,176,000 | $27,422,000 | $12,425,000 |
| Gloucester County | 68 | $12,743 | 22.16% | 21% | $183,542,000 | $116,274,000 | $85,271,000 | $41,981,000 |
| Shenandoah County | 69 | $12,657 | 22.31% | 22.15% | $217,503,000 | $141,364,000 | $110,525,000 | $51,169,000 |
| Roanoke + Salem County | 70 | $12,598 | 21.31% | 22.11% | $616,111,000 | $411,027,000 | $239,832,000 | $104,375,000 |
| Isle of Wight County | 71 | $12,467 | 19.53% | 20% | $183,985,000 | $111,224,000 | $83,686,000 | $39,310,000 |
| Richmond (Independent City) County | 72 | $12,417 | 17.45% | 14.1% | $654,416,000 | $506,441,000 | $1,087,605,000 | $378,597,000 |
| Augusta County | 73 | $12,368 | 23.38% | 22.57% | $619,213,000 | $376,826,000 | $297,577,000 | $140,680,000 |
| Norfolk (Independent City) County | 74 | $12,186 | 25.44% | 13% | $617,847,000 | $468,304,000 | $900,277,000 | $394,050,000 |
| Newport News (Independent City) County | 75 | $11,968 | 25.53% | 14% | $566,990,000 | $402,550,000 | $554,071,000 | $328,664,000 |
| Louisa County | 76 | $11,963 | 23.58% | 21% | $187,590,000 | $112,467,000 | $94,001,000 | $42,577,000 |
| Rappahannock County | 77 | $11,764 | 14.81% | 28.89% | $43,438,000 | $20,510,000 | $10,091,000 | $6,025,000 |
| Caroline County | 78 | $11,660 | 22.64% | 17.14% | $123,948,000 | $89,934,000 | $76,283,000 | $40,372,000 |
| Madison County | 79 | $11,540 | 20.41% | 23.19% | $63,137,000 | $35,914,000 | $34,499,000 | $13,900,000 |
| Clarke County | 80 | $11,532 | 14.79% | 23% | $76,513,000 | $46,709,000 | $23,865,000 | $9,861,000 |
| Goochland County | 81 | $11,441 | 9.84% | 24.54% | $151,229,000 | $68,557,000 | $30,959,000 | $15,890,000 |
| Prince George + Hopewell County | 82 | $11,315 | 28.48% | 13.24% | $220,247,000 | $146,682,000 | $169,850,000 | $99,933,000 |
| King William County | 83 | $11,196 | 20.5% | 17% | $79,244,000 | $52,175,000 | $37,769,000 | $17,766,000 |
| Warren County | 84 | $11,183 | 19.92% | 17.27% | $161,369,000 | $114,437,000 | $97,245,000 | $44,049,000 |
| New Kent County | 85 | $11,160 | 10.85% | 18.44% | $114,486,000 | $76,892,000 | $29,045,000 | $17,274,000 |
| Culpeper County | 86 | $10,828 | 19.35% | 16.76% | $209,714,000 | $137,925,000 | $124,176,000 | $55,488,000 |
| Fluvanna County | 87 | $10,816 | 20.28% | 21.45% | $135,084,000 | $72,896,000 | $42,540,000 | $22,853,000 |
| Virginia Beach (Independent City) County | 88 | $10,750 | 16.29% | 15.91% | $1,569,477,000 | $962,868,000 | $789,998,000 | $426,679,000 |
| Chesapeake (Independent City) County | 89 | $10,688 | 18.28% | 14.47% | $813,544,000 | $526,422,000 | $473,006,000 | $262,752,000 |
| Greene County | 90 | $10,623 | 20.58% | 19% | $84,437,000 | $49,907,000 | $42,628,000 | $21,713,000 |
| Henrico County | 91 | $10,380 | 13.48% | 17% | $1,290,253,000 | $798,455,000 | $718,685,000 | $372,891,000 |
| Spotsylvania + Fredericksburg County | 92 | $10,267 | 16.4% | 15.23% | $563,311,000 | $393,291,000 | $345,789,000 | $182,410,000 |
| Hanover County | 93 | $10,262 | 14.19% | 19.24% | $511,421,000 | $315,486,000 | $149,857,000 | $72,535,000 |
| Frederick + Winchester County | 94 | $10,260 | 16.48% | 18.75% | $490,440,000 | $290,578,000 | $237,802,000 | $115,171,000 |
| Chesterfield County | 95 | $10,184 | 15.9% | 16% | $1,449,837,000 | $876,408,000 | $691,022,000 | $354,285,000 |
| Powhatan County | 96 | $9,860 | 14.52% | 19.97% | $147,549,000 | $77,019,000 | $35,249,000 | $18,704,000 |
| York + Poquoson County | 97 | $9,728 | 14.32% | 17.7% | $321,431,000 | $161,793,000 | $79,223,000 | $57,372,000 |
| Albemarle + Charlottesville County | 98 | $9,527 | 10.45% | 20.54% | $624,220,000 | $345,174,000 | $276,044,000 | $125,968,000 |
| Rockingham + Harrisonburg County | 99 | $9,496 | 18.45% | 20.15% | $477,090,000 | $319,284,000 | $241,491,000 | $131,584,000 |
| Fauquier County | 100 | $9,494 | 11.46% | 17.41% | $288,589,000 | $170,758,000 | $115,827,000 | $48,033,000 |
| King George County | 101 | $9,471 | 14.79% | 14.38% | $81,409,000 | $62,021,000 | $43,056,000 | $24,127,000 |
| Stafford County | 102 | $9,052 | 13.88% | 11.43% | $398,891,000 | $267,026,000 | $210,605,000 | $132,782,000 |
| Montgomery + Radford County | 103 | $8,323 | 18.34% | 14% | $336,234,000 | $218,370,000 | $184,871,000 | $92,086,000 |
| Alexandria (Independent City) County | 104 | $7,739 | 7.35% | 13% | $370,505,000 | $241,710,000 | $242,623,000 | $133,426,000 |
| Fairfax County | 105 | $7,726 | 7.62% | 15% | $3,266,435,000 | $1,960,060,000 | $1,383,099,000 | $744,773,000 |
| Fairfax County | 106 | $7,726 | 7.62% | 15% | $3,266,435,000 | $1,960,060,000 | $1,383,099,000 | $744,773,000 |
| Prince William County | 107 | $7,645 | 12% | 11.28% | $1,208,055,000 | $752,463,000 | $792,945,000 | $490,885,000 |
| Arlington County | 108 | $6,090 | 5.42% | 12% | $484,215,000 | $306,040,000 | $254,513,000 | $126,585,000 |
| Loudoun County | 109 | $5,534 | 5.71% | 10.8% | $884,065,000 | $538,142,000 | $311,900,000 | $212,783,000 |
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