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 Madison County received $305.14 million, equivalent to $14,018 per capita.
For comparison, the average across North Carolina was $1.23 billion, or $11,542 per capita.
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 Madison County at the time, Social Security transfers made up $105.35 million, a 34.5% share of the total. Medicare transfers accounted for $76.33 million (25%), while Medicaid contributed $49.11 million (16.1%). Income maintenance programs, including assistance such as SNAP or TANF, added another $30.01 million, or 9.8% of the total.
With 23.1% of the population aged 65 and older, Madison County has a significant demand for programs like Social Security and Medicare. Despite this aid, the total per capita income in Madison County, excluding government transfers was $30,479, which is far below the county's total income of $44,497, emphasizing the role of government transfers in overall income.
When comparing 2022 to the previous year, Madison County saw an increase in its government transfer dependency by 12.2%, reflecting both rising transfer amounts and stagnant or insufficient other sources of income.
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 8.2% (or $2,022 per capita in inflation-adjusted 2022 dollars) in 1970 to 17.6% (or $11,542 per capita) in 2022 nationwide. In Madison County, reliance on government transfers has similarly increased from virtually none in 1970 to 31.5% (or $14,018 per capita) in 2022, reflecting broader national trends.
According to the Economic Innovation Group’s analysis, these trends are not merely short-term responses to economic pressures but rather reflect a profound, long-term transformation in how government support is integrated into American life. The study illustrates that structural shifts—from rising healthcare expenses and demographic changes to stagnant wages—have significantly increased dependency on government transfers.
| County | State Rank | Dependency on Transfers (%) | % Population 65+ | Social Security Transfers (%) | Medicare Transfers (%) | Medicaid Transfers (%) | Income Maintenance Transfers (%) | Per Capita Transfers ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cherokee County | 1 | 42.5% | 31.7% | 16.7% | 10.9% | 5.7% | 3.3% | $17,000 |
| Washington County | 2 | 41.9% | 28% | 13.3% | 10.9% | 7.5% | 5.6% | $19,018 |
| Martin County | 3 | 40.9% | 25.8% | 12.7% | 11.6% | 6.8% | 5% | $17,387 |
| Robeson County | 4 | 40.8% | 16.1% | 9.3% | 9.1% | 9.5% | 7.5% | $16,746 |
| Halifax County | 5 | 39.3% | 22% | 11.8% | 10.1% | 7.4% | 6.1% | $17,613 |
| Clay County | 6 | 39.3% | 33.5% | 16.3% | 10.1% | 4.7% | 3% | $17,203 |
| Northampton County | 7 | 38.9% | 29.7% | 12.6% | 10.8% | 6.5% | 5.4% | $18,538 |
| Scotland County | 8 | 38.6% | 18.3% | 11.2% | 8.5% | 8.4% | 6.6% | $15,853 |
| Vance County | 9 | 38.6% | 19.5% | 10.8% | 9.4% | 8.8% | 6.5% | $16,730 |
| Columbus County | 10 | 37.5% | 20.8% | 11.3% | 9.5% | 7.1% | 5.4% | $16,523 |
| Hertford County | 11 | 37.3% | 22.5% | 11.2% | 9.4% | 7.2% | 5.5% | $15,494 |
| Edgecombe County | 12 | 37.1% | 21.2% | 10.5% | 7.6% | 8.5% | 6.7% | $16,139 |
| Graham County | 13 | 36.8% | 24.8% | 11.9% | 8.5% | 8.4% | 3.9% | $15,201 |
| Richmond County | 14 | 36.7% | 18.2% | 9.7% | 8.9% | 7.5% | 5.6% | $16,866 |
| Warren County | 15 | 36.2% | 27.3% | 12.1% | 8.2% | 6.9% | 5.7% | $13,624 |
| Bertie County | 16 | 36.2% | 25.4% | 11.3% | 10% | 6.9% | 5% | $17,898 |
| Yancey County | 17 | 35.9% | 26.5% | 13.3% | 9.5% | 5.4% | 3.2% | $15,092 |
| Alleghany County | 18 | 35.6% | 28.3% | 13% | 9.9% | 4.8% | 3.2% | $15,839 |
| Swain County | 19 | 35.4% | 19.9% | 9.9% | 9.6% | 9.2% | 3.1% | $18,236 |
| Bladen County | 20 | 35.2% | 23.7% | 10.5% | 9.3% | 6.6% | 4.9% | $17,034 |
| Rutherford County | 21 | 34.6% | 22.3% | 11.9% | 8.5% | 5.9% | 4.2% | $14,732 |
| McDowell County | 22 | 34.3% | 21.6% | 11.5% | 8.6% | 6.2% | 3.8% | $15,084 |
| Mitchell County | 23 | 33.7% | 25.4% | 12.4% | 8.4% | 5.3% | 3% | $14,804 |
| Ashe County | 24 | 33% | 27.4% | 12.4% | 8.7% | 4.7% | 3% | $14,667 |
| Jones County | 25 | 32.8% | 24.4% | 10.1% | 6% | 4.9% | 3.8% | $15,912 |
| Tyrrell County | 26 | 32.7% | 24.2% | 9.8% | 8.9% | 4.7% | 4.6% | $14,737 |
| Caswell County | 27 | 32.3% | 23.5% | 12.4% | 7.8% | 5.3% | 4.1% | $13,292 |
| Rockingham County | 28 | 32% | 21.3% | 11.2% | 8.8% | 5.3% | 3.6% | $14,506 |
| Macon County | 29 | 31.9% | 28.7% | 12.6% | 8.5% | 3.9% | 2.5% | $15,420 |
| Cleveland County | 30 | 31.9% | 19% | 10.5% | 7.7% | 6.3% | 4.3% | $14,377 |
| Anson County | 31 | 31.8% | 20.1% | 9.2% | 8.1% | 6.9% | 4.7% | $15,957 |
| Lenoir County | 32 | 31.5% | 21.5% | 9.3% | 7.8% | 6.1% | 4.4% | $16,077 |
| Madison County | 32 | 31.5% | 23.1% | 10.9% | 7.9% | 5.1% | 3.1% | $14,018 |
| Pamlico County | 34 | 31.5% | 31.8% | 12.8% | 8.2% | 3.6% | 2.4% | $16,459 |
| Caldwell County | 35 | 31.5% | 21.1% | 10.5% | 8.1% | 5.4% | 3.4% | $14,076 |
| Beaufort County | 36 | 31.2% | 25.7% | 11.3% | 7.8% | 4.8% | 3.4% | $17,004 |
| Cumberland County | 37 | 31% | 13% | 6.8% | 4.9% | 5.1% | 4.3% | $14,252 |
| Wilkes County | 38 | 31% | 23% | 10.9% | 8.3% | 5.1% | 3.7% | $14,698 |
| Chowan County | 39 | 30.9% | 26% | 11% | 8.2% | 4.7% | 3.5% | $15,782 |
| Wilson County | 40 | 30.6% | 19.2% | 10% | 7.9% | 5.4% | 4.1% | $14,934 |
| Haywood County | 41 | 30.5% | 25.5% | 11.5% | 8% | 4.3% | 2.6% | $15,500 |
| Hoke County | 42 | 30.2% | 11.6% | 6.4% | 4% | 4.9% | 4.5% | $12,453 |
| Person County | 43 | 30% | 21% | 10.8% | 8.4% | 4.7% | 3.4% | $13,601 |
| Perquimans County | 44 | 29.9% | 28.1% | 10.9% | 8.2% | 3.8% | 2.8% | $15,975 |
| Sampson County | 45 | 29.8% | 18.2% | 8.9% | 7.3% | 5.6% | 4.3% | $13,970 |
| Burke County | 46 | 29.7% | 21.6% | 10.5% | 7.1% | 5.2% | 3.3% | $13,244 |
| Brunswick County | 47 | 29.3% | 33.7% | 13.4% | 8.2% | 2.4% | 1.6% | $17,083 |
| Stokes County | 48 | 29.3% | 23% | 11.6% | 8.1% | 4.1% | 2.6% | $13,579 |
| Surry County | 49 | 28.8% | 21.1% | 9.6% | 8.1% | 4.7% | 3.2% | $14,023 |
| Pasquotank County | 50 | 28.3% | 18.6% | 8.4% | 6.9% | 4.2% | 3.6% | $13,383 |
| Wayne County | 51 | 27.7% | 17.3% | 7.8% | 6.4% | 4.8% | 3.9% | $13,690 |
| Greene County | 52 | 27.7% | 17.6% | 8.8% | 5.4% | 5.6% | 4.6% | $10,789 |
| Yadkin County | 52 | 27.7% | 21.1% | 10.1% | 8% | 4.1% | 2.7% | $13,141 |
| Avery County | 54 | 27.7% | 23.7% | 10.7% | 6.1% | 4% | 2.6% | $12,622 |
| Transylvania County | 55 | 27.6% | 31.7% | 11.5% | 7% | 3.4% | 2.3% | $15,268 |
| Gates County | 56 | 27.4% | 22.7% | 9.4% | 7.7% | 3.4% | 3% | $13,643 |
| Craven County | 57 | 27.2% | 21.1% | 8.8% | 6.7% | 3.2% | 2.6% | $14,750 |
| Duplin County | 58 | 27% | 20% | 7.7% | 6.9% | 4.9% | 3.8% | $14,246 |
| Montgomery County | 59 | 26.9% | 22.4% | 9.3% | 5.2% | 5.1% | 3.8% | $12,574 |
| Alexander County | 60 | 26.7% | 20.4% | 10% | 6.9% | 3.9% | 2.6% | $12,846 |
| Nash County | 61 | 26.7% | 19.5% | 8.7% | 7% | 4.4% | 3.4% | $13,546 |
| Hyde County | 62 | 26.6% | 24.6% | 8.9% | 6.8% | 3.9% | 3.4% | $12,915 |
| Polk County | 63 | 26.6% | 32.4% | 11.1% | 7.4% | 3.2% | 1.8% | $16,335 |
| Jackson County | 64 | 26.4% | 20.4% | 9% | 6.2% | 4.9% | 2.3% | $11,841 |
| Randolph County | 65 | 26.3% | 18.3% | 9.3% | 7.1% | 4.1% | 3.2% | $12,314 |
| Lee County | 66 | 26.3% | 17% | 7.9% | 6.1% | 3.8% | 3.1% | $13,033 |
| Rowan County | 67 | 26.2% | 17.8% | 9% | 6.4% | 4.5% | 3.1% | $12,331 |
| Stanly County | 68 | 26.1% | 19.1% | 9.3% | 7.1% | 4.1% | 2.8% | $12,575 |
| Henderson County | 69 | 25.8% | 26.4% | 10.8% | 7.2% | 2.9% | 1.8% | $14,228 |
| Harnett County | 70 | 25.2% | 13.7% | 6.7% | 6.3% | 3.9% | 3.3% | $11,114 |
| Pender County | 71 | 24.7% | 18.2% | 8.5% | 5.9% | 3.4% | 2.4% | $12,319 |
| Carteret County | 72 | 24.3% | 27% | 9% | 6.7% | 2.4% | 1.6% | $15,421 |
| Davidson County | 73 | 24.2% | 19% | 9.1% | 5.7% | 3.9% | 2.9% | $11,732 |
| Gaston County | 74 | 23.9% | 16.6% | 8% | 6.2% | 4.3% | 3% | $11,893 |
| Catawba County | 75 | 23% | 18.7% | 8.4% | 5.8% | 3.4% | 2.4% | $12,724 |
| Alamance County | 76 | 23% | 17.1% | 8.1% | 6.1% | 3.8% | 2.7% | $11,282 |
| Pitt County | 77 | 22.6% | 14.7% | 6.4% | 5.2% | 4.2% | 3.2% | $12,108 |
| Granville County | 78 | 22.3% | 17.9% | 8.3% | 5.4% | 3.6% | 2.7% | $10,463 |
| Moore County | 79 | 22.2% | 23.8% | 8.6% | 5.4% | 2.1% | 1.5% | $13,932 |
| Franklin County | 80 | 22.1% | 17.3% | 7.8% | 5.3% | 3.6% | 2.8% | $10,218 |
| Davie County | 81 | 21.4% | 22.2% | 8.5% | 6.2% | 2.5% | 2.1% | $12,958 |
| Onslow County | 82 | 21.2% | 10.2% | 4.9% | 3.3% | 2.7% | 2.4% | $10,936 |
| Forsyth County | 83 | 20.2% | 17% | 6.9% | 5.3% | 3.2% | 2.4% | $11,653 |
| Camden County | 84 | 20% | 17% | 6.6% | 5.2% | 1.8% | 1.5% | $11,398 |
| Guilford County | 85 | 20% | 15.9% | 6.7% | 4.6% | 3.3% | 2.8% | $10,982 |
| Watauga County | 86 | 19.7% | 17% | 7.3% | 5.7% | 1.7% | 1.3% | $9,556 |
| Buncombe County | 87 | 19.7% | 21.3% | 7.4% | 4.8% | 2.9% | 1.8% | $12,130 |
| New Hanover County | 88 | 19.6% | 19.1% | 7.3% | 5% | 2.5% | 1.7% | $11,942 |
| Lincoln County | 89 | 19.1% | 19.2% | 7.2% | 5.3% | 2.6% | 1.8% | $11,090 |
| Johnston County | 90 | 18.2% | 13.8% | 6.3% | 4.1% | 3.1% | 2.4% | $9,060 |
| Currituck County | 91 | 17.9% | 17.3% | 6.4% | 4.3% | 1.5% | 1.3% | $10,619 |
| Dare County | 92 | 16.6% | 24.6% | 7.2% | 3.9% | 1.4% | 1.1% | $12,655 |
| Cabarrus County | 93 | 16.5% | 13.6% | 5.7% | 4.2% | 2.6% | 1.9% | $9,017 |
| Iredell County | 94 | 16.2% | 16.7% | 6% | 4.2% | 2.2% | 1.5% | $10,417 |
| Durham County | 95 | 15.3% | 14.6% | 5.3% | 3.5% | 2.8% | 2% | $9,022 |
| Chatham County | 96 | 14.8% | 25.5% | 7.1% | 4.1% | 1.4% | 1% | $11,821 |
| Union County | 97 | 12.3% | 13.6% | 4.5% | 3.1% | 1.7% | 1.3% | $8,303 |
| Mecklenburg County | 98 | 10.9% | 12% | 3.4% | 2.4% | 2% | 1.6% | $8,339 |
| Orange County | 99 | 10.5% | 16.1% | 4.5% | 2.5% | 1.3% | 0.9% | $8,141 |
| Wake County | 100 | 10% | 12.9% | 3.7% | 2.5% | 1.3% | 1% | $7,657 |
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