John Lettieri, President and CEO of Economic Innovation Group | Official Website
John Lettieri, President and CEO of Economic Innovation Group | Official Website
On a per capita basis, this translates to $12,604 per resident in 2022, up from $9,305 in 2012 and $2,158 in 1970, ranking Adams County as the 53rd fastest-growing in per capita government transfers among Illinois counties over the past 10 years.
Meanwhile, Adams County had the 40th smallest share of income derived from government transfers, making it one of the smallest dependent counties in the state.
Among Illinois's counties, Alexander County saw the largest increase in transfer dependency over the past 10 years, surging 8.2% from 42.3% in 2012 to 50.5% in 2022, and up 26.3 percentage points from just 24.2% in 1970. In dollar terms, government transfers per capita in Alexander County jumped from $13,685 in 2012 to $24,592 in 2022, contrasting to the $3,814 recorded in 1970.
For comparison, the statewide average was 16.0% in 2022, showing a lower dependency than the national average of 17.6%. On a per capita level, this translates to $10,848 per resident, compared to $11,542 nationwide.
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).
In Adams County, reliance on government transfers was just 9.6% (or $2,158 per capita in inflation-adjusted 2022 dollars) in 1970. This has since increased to a total of 12.8% since 1970. This shift is largely influenced by increased healthcare costs, and economic transformations that have reshaped income sources across the U.S.
In 2022, the primary government transfer programs in Adams County included:
- Social Security: $4,308 per capita (34.2% of total transfers)
- Medicare: $3,425 per capita (27.2% of total transfers)
- Medicaid: $1,962 per capita (15.6% of total transfers)
- Income Maintenance Programs: $1,630 per capita (12.9% of total transfers)
With 20.8% of the population aged 65 and older, Adams County has a significant demand for Social Security and Medicare. However, counties with higher poverty rates also show elevated Medicaid and income maintenance participation.
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.
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 | Dependency on Transfers (%) | Change Since 2012 | Change Since 1970 | Per Capita Amount (2022) | Per Capita Since 2012 | Per Capita Since 1970 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alexander County | 50.5% | +8.2% | +26.3% | $24,592 | $10,907 | $20,778 |
| Pulaski County | 42.8% | +4.8% | +18.5% | $19,657 | $5,099 | $16,001 |
| Hardin County | 41.2% | +7.7% | +22.8% | $18,945 | $5,643 | $15,942 |
| Pope County | 39.5% | +10.1% | +15.7% | $14,432 | $4,790 | $11,458 |
| Saline County | 36.6% | +7.9% | +20.7% | $17,090 | $4,880 | $14,024 |
| Lawrence County | 36.1% | +10.8% | +23.2% | $14,211 | $4,333 | $11,643 |
| Massac County | 35.2% | +6.9% | +21.5% | $15,812 | $4,442 | $13,338 |
| Marion County | 34.2% | +5.2% | +20.2% | $17,107 | $4,703 | $14,248 |
| Franklin County | 34% | +5.7% | +16.8% | $15,398 | $3,856 | $12,216 |
| Union County | 33.9% | +6.1% | +21.1% | $16,320 | $4,342 | $13,781 |
| Gallatin County | 31.9% | +4.7% | +19.3% | $17,397 | $5,417 | $14,981 |
| Knox County | 31.8% | +5.8% | +23.2% | $14,923 | $3,606 | $12,913 |
| Clay County | 31.6% | +4.3% | +18.3% | $15,563 | $4,022 | $13,079 |
| Montgomery County | 30.7% | +4.7% | +19.4% | $13,336 | $3,505 | $10,998 |
| Jefferson County | 29.5% | +5.3% | +16.1% | $13,930 | $3,790 | $11,299 |
| Perry County | 29.4% | +4.9% | +18.1% | $12,597 | $3,139 | $10,260 |
| Vermilion County | 29.2% | +4.4% | +19.8% | $14,318 | $4,002 | $12,188 |
| Johnson County | 28.6% | +3.5% | +14.2% | $11,238 | $2,299 | $8,761 |
| Fulton County | 28.3% | +3.6% | +18.4% | $13,558 | $3,609 | $11,424 |
| Randolph County | 28% | +4.3% | +17.8% | $12,984 | $3,899 | $11,027 |
| White County | 27.5% | +4.6% | +15% | $15,608 | $4,191 | $12,994 |
| Fayette County | 27.4% | +2.2% | +14.2% | $12,226 | $2,992 | $10,051 |
| Bond County | 27.2% | +3.9% | +15.3% | $12,338 | $3,614 | $9,926 |
| Morgan County | 26.8% | +4.4% | +18.5% | $13,419 | $3,681 | $11,524 |
| Christian County | 26.7% | +3.9% | +17.3% | $13,111 | $3,134 | $10,938 |
| Hamilton County | 26.7% | +1.2% | +10.1% | $14,269 | $3,341 | $11,508 |
| Richland County | 26.4% | +2.6% | +15.7% | $13,718 | $3,244 | $11,713 |
| Wayne County | 26.4% | +4% | +15.4% | $12,992 | $2,893 | $10,811 |
| Greene County | 26.3% | +0.9% | +14.2% | $14,050 | $4,011 | $11,771 |
| Mason County | 26.3% | +1.4% | +17.6% | $14,794 | $3,432 | $12,649 |
| Edgar County | 26.2% | +0.4% | +16.3% | $14,731 | $4,101 | $12,490 |
| Pike County | 26.2% | +2.9% | +15.5% | $14,458 | $4,643 | $12,070 |
| Jackson County | 26.1% | +5.2% | +16% | $12,095 | $3,800 | $10,418 |
| Macoupin County | 26.1% | +3% | +15% | $13,295 | $3,688 | $10,898 |
| Clark County | 26% | +3.6% | +14.7% | $13,295 | $3,719 | $10,870 |
| Whiteside County | 26% | +3.7% | +19.3% | $13,588 | $3,321 | $11,989 |
| Wabash County | 25.8% | +4.8% | +16.1% | $13,470 | $3,555 | $11,391 |
| Stephenson County | 25.6% | +3.3% | +18.3% | $13,544 | $3,651 | $11,750 |
| Carroll County | 25.5% | +2% | +17.8% | $13,184 | $2,607 | $11,275 |
| Kankakee County | 25% | +2.3% | +17.2% | $12,783 | $3,197 | $11,023 |
| Jersey County | 24.9% | +2.9% | +17.2% | $13,060 | $3,790 | $11,537 |
| Logan County | 24.6% | +1.7% | +16.6% | $11,890 | $3,115 | $10,177 |
| Calhoun County | 24.4% | +1.1% | +12.3% | $13,500 | $3,399 | $10,977 |
| St. Clair County | 24.4% | +4.1% | +13.4% | $13,353 | $3,940 | $10,932 |
| Williamson County | 24.4% | +4% | +12% | $12,651 | $2,975 | $10,168 |
| Crawford County | 24.2% | +6.3% | +11.8% | $12,626 | $3,746 | $10,161 |
| Iroquois County | 24.1% | +2% | +15.3% | $13,810 | $3,621 | $11,784 |
| McDonough County | 24.1% | +4.5% | +15.6% | $11,598 | $3,472 | $10,119 |
| Shelby County | 24.1% | +1.5% | +14% | $12,657 | $3,393 | $10,577 |
| Winnebago County | 24.1% | +3.2% | +17.5% | $12,038 | $2,924 | $10,389 |
| Hancock County | 24% | +3.1% | +12.6% | $13,443 | $3,806 | $11,191 |
| Macon County | 24% | +3.8% | +16.3% | $13,606 | $3,384 | $11,668 |
| Coles County | 23.8% | +3.3% | +14.6% | $12,430 | $3,751 | $10,552 |
| Rock Island County | 23.7% | +5.5% | +16.6% | $11,541 | $2,790 | $9,762 |
| Lee County | 23.5% | +2.4% | +15.4% | $12,225 | $3,049 | $10,591 |
| Cass County | 23.3% | +2.5% | +13.1% | $11,658 | $3,144 | $9,265 |
| Marshall County | 23.3% | +2.1% | +15.4% | $13,256 | $3,334 | $11,397 |
| Edwards County | 23.1% | +3.2% | +13.2% | $11,482 | $2,917 | $9,376 |
| Henderson County | 23% | +1.5% | +14.6% | $13,204 | $3,601 | $11,460 |
| Jasper County | 23% | +4.1% | +12% | $12,986 | $3,966 | $11,002 |
| Schuyler County | 22.9% | +4.1% | +12.1% | $12,216 | $3,593 | $10,059 |
| Bureau County | 22.5% | +2.8% | +14.1% | $11,610 | $2,547 | $9,661 |
| Adams County | 22.4% | +2.9% | +12.8% | $12,604 | $3,299 | $10,446 |
| LaSalle County | 21.9% | +1.8% | +13.6% | $11,653 | $2,572 | $9,682 |
| Jo Daviess County | 21.7% | +2.7% | +13.4% | $12,579 | $3,443 | $10,864 |
| Madison County | 21.6% | +2.3% | +13.9% | $12,071 | $2,999 | $10,214 |
| De Witt County | 21.5% | +3.9% | +11.9% | $12,327 | $3,260 | $10,190 |
| Mercer County | 21.3% | +2.7% | +13.2% | $12,576 | $3,292 | $10,758 |
| Stark County | 21.1% | +1.4% | +12.3% | $13,238 | $4,167 | $11,181 |
| Warren County | 21% | +0.9% | +12.8% | $11,619 | $3,031 | $9,598 |
| Scott County | 20.9% | +1.4% | +11% | $11,631 | $3,407 | $9,600 |
| Menard County | 20.7% | +3.2% | +12.8% | $11,855 | $3,691 | $9,720 |
| Peoria County | 20.3% | +5.2% | +12.9% | $11,651 | $2,935 | $9,699 |
| Sangamon County | 20.3% | +3.5% | +13.4% | $11,592 | $3,251 | $9,725 |
| Washington County | 20.2% | +3.1% | +8.8% | $12,246 | $3,417 | $10,033 |
| Livingston County | 19.9% | +1.5% | +12.5% | $11,269 | $2,883 | $9,569 |
| Tazewell County | 19.9% | +3.8% | +14.3% | $11,262 | $2,973 | $9,887 |
| Ogle County | 19.7% | +1.8% | +13.8% | $10,783 | $2,448 | $9,322 |
| Henry County | 19.5% | +2% | +11.7% | $10,939 | $2,515 | $9,064 |
| Ford County | 19.3% | +1.7% | +12% | $12,408 | $2,987 | $10,513 |
| Clinton County | 19% | +1.6% | +11.2% | $11,193 | $2,914 | $9,662 |
| Brown County | 18.7% | +0.2% | +6% | $8,751 | $2,459 | $6,312 |
| Effingham County | 18.6% | +2.5% | +8.4% | $11,579 | $3,458 | $9,532 |
| DeKalb County | 18.3% | +2.5% | +13.4% | $9,349 | $2,717 | $8,276 |
| Putnam County | 17.2% | +2.5% | +9.6% | $11,530 | $2,695 | $9,605 |
| Boone County | 17.1% | +2.2% | +12.4% | $9,468 | $2,327 | $8,231 |
| Douglas County | 16.7% | +0.2% | +9.8% | $10,542 | $2,423 | $8,869 |
| Piatt County | 16.4% | +2.1% | +9.8% | $10,973 | $2,940 | $9,088 |
| Cook County | 15.6% | +0.5% | +8.7% | $11,388 | $2,452 | $9,329 |
| Moultrie County | 15.5% | +2.6% | +5.7% | $11,637 | $2,849 | $9,402 |
| Woodford County | 15.4% | +2.7% | +9% | $9,752 | $2,637 | $8,300 |
| Monroe County | 14.6% | +2.2% | +7.1% | $10,035 | $2,803 | $8,339 |
| Champaign County | 14.5% | +2.6% | +9.8% | $7,920 | $2,124 | $6,819 |
| Grundy County | 14.4% | +4.8% | +8.8% | $8,778 | $2,112 | $7,257 |
| McLean County | 14.2% | +2.8% | +7.8% | $8,250 | $2,302 | $6,735 |
| McHenry County | 13.7% | +2.9% | +8.1% | $8,989 | $2,895 | $7,448 |
| Kane County | 13.4% | +1.8% | +8.3% | $8,539 | $2,376 | $7,133 |
| Cumberland County | 13% | -6.7% | +2.1% | $11,661 | $2,932 | $9,691 |
| Will County | 13% | +1.3% | +7.9% | $8,251 | $2,031 | $6,948 |
| Kendall County | 10.2% | +1.1% | +6.9% | $5,985 | $1,348 | $5,024 |
| DuPage County | 10% | +0.9% | +6.9% | $8,865 | $2,330 | $7,874 |
| Lake County | 9.3% | +1.4% | +5.6% | $8,746 | $2,349 | $7,573 |
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