John Lettieri, President and CEO of Economic Innovation Group | Official Website
John Lettieri, President and CEO of Economic Innovation Group | Official Website
These payments—which include Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and income maintenance—accounted for 32% of all personal income in the county, according to information from the Economic Innovation Group.
This marks a significant increase in the county’s reliance on government transfers compared to 2012, when such payments made up 25.2% of total income. Since then, the share has risen by 6.8%.
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 2022, government transfers in Essex County primarily focused on older adults—such as Social Security transfers, which totaled $60.6 million (34.5% of all transfer income), and Medicare, which accounted for $45.5 million (25.9%)—played a significant role in the county's overall income.
On a per capita basis, Social Security payments rose from $4,318 in 2012 and $1,052 in 1970 to $5,703 in 2022, reflecting a 32.1% increase over the past decade and a 442.1% shift since 1970.
Similarly, Medicare transfers climbed from $2,830 in 2012 and $165 in 1970 to $4,279, marking 51.2% and 2,493.3% increases, respectively.
These increases in per capita payments align with shifts in the county’s age distribution. In 2022, residents aged 65 and older made up 24.3% of the total population, compared to 19% in 2012 and 11.3% in 1970. While the senior share of the population has increased, the rise in per capita Social Security and Medicare transfers suggests that these assistance programs for older adults now require a larger share of government funding—either due to growing needs, expanded eligibility, higher benefit levels, or increased enrollment.
According to the Economic Innovation Group, total income in Essex County excluding public assistance amounted to $35,163 per capita in 2022, compared to $51,690 when government transfers were included.
Breaking down the other contributions in the county, Medicaid transfers made up $38.2 million, a 21.8% share of total income, while income maintenance programs, including assistance such as SNAP or TANF, added another $18.4 million, or 10.5% of the total.
Compared to the previous year, Essex County's reliance on government transfers decreased by 2.2%.
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 $2,016 per capita in inflation-adjusted 2022 dollars) in 1970 to 17.6% (or $11,529 per capita) in 2022 nationwide.
According to the Economic Innovation Group’s analysis, these trends are not merely short-term responses to economic pressures but rather reflect a profound, long-term transformation in how government support is integrated into American life. The study illustrates that structural shifts—from rising healthcare expenses and demographic changes to stagnant wages—have significantly increased dependency on government transfers.
| County | State Rank (Per Capita Transfers) | Dependency on Transfers (%) | % Population 65+ | Social Security Transfers (%) | Medicare Transfers (%) | Medicaid Transfers (%) | Income Maintenance Transfers (%) | Per Capita Transfers ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buchanan County | 1 | 44.68% | 24.25% | 35.6% | 20.8% | 25% | 12% | $20,234 |
| Dickenson County | 2 | 48.72% | 24.55% | 33.6% | 24.3% | 24.8% | 10.2% | $19,994 |
| Northampton County | 3 | 30.94% | 29.9% | 31.1% | 21.1% | 30.6% | 10.1% | $19,870 |
| Northumberland County | 4 | 30.69% | 37.22% | 41.8% | 30.9% | 13.6% | 6.7% | $18,848 |
| Wise + Norton County | 5 | 45.13% | 19.97% | 31.8% | 21.5% | 25.1% | 11.6% | $18,549 |
| Lancaster County | 6 | 25.57% | 38.57% | 45.9% | 24.1% | 15.2% | 7.4% | $18,546 |
| Henry + Martinsville County | 7 | 38.42% | 24.78% | 30.8% | 22.6% | 28.4% | 11% | $18,234 |
| Lee County | 8 | 46.96% | 23.18% | 29.2% | 18.9% | 30.9% | 13.3% | $18,105 |
| Carroll + Galax County | 9 | 40.11% | 26.4% | 29.7% | 22.7% | 31.2% | 9.2% | $17,957 |
| Middlesex County | 10 | 29.66% | 33% | 40% | 25.9% | 17.8% | 7.3% | $17,882 |
| Alleghany + Covington County | 11 | 38% | 26.18% | 32.6% | 24.5% | 22.7% | 9.3% | $17,584 |
| Nelson County | 12 | 26.9% | 29.5% | 39.3% | 26.7% | 18.6% | 7.3% | $17,399 |
| Dinwiddie County | 13 | 37.91% | 19.2% | 24.3% | 23.1% | 28.5% | 12.1% | $17,388 |
| Tazewell County | 14 | 39.31% | 23.56% | 34.2% | 22.8% | 20.7% | 10.9% | $17,291 |
| Russell County | 15 | 42.99% | 23.71% | 34.3% | 23.4% | 23.4% | 11.2% | $17,290 |
| Mathews County | 16 | 25.34% | 32.57% | 40.3% | 26.4% | 18% | 5.9% | $17,198 |
| Bath County | 17 | 22.94% | 29.72% | 36.6% | 31.1% | 16.9% | 6.8% | $17,143 |
| Mecklenburg County | 18 | 37.43% | 27% | 34.7% | 24.5% | 23% | 9.8% | $17,040 |
| Charlotte County | 19 | 37.5% | 22.68% | 31.3% | 26.5% | 22.9% | 10.7% | $16,976 |
| Pittsylvania + Danville County | 20 | 37.73% | 24.74% | 30.5% | 20.9% | 29.2% | 11.5% | $16,975 |
| Brunswick County | 21 | 41.14% | 22.31% | 28.1% | 21.2% | 31% | 11.2% | $16,903 |
| Halifax County | 22 | 37.72% | 25.8% | 32.4% | 21.4% | 27.5% | 10.8% | $16,787 |
| Nottoway County | 23 | 37.34% | 18.51% | 24.8% | 20.1% | 35.8% | 10.2% | $16,770 |
| Scott County | 24 | 41.79% | 25.35% | 34.3% | 24.6% | 23.7% | 10.4% | $16,552 |
| Essex County | 25 | 31.97% | 24.33% | 34.5% | 25.9% | 21.8% | 10.5% | $16,528 |
| Smyth County | 26 | 36.95% | 22.86% | 33% | 23.1% | 25.3% | 11.6% | $16,428 |
| Patrick County | 27 | 39.49% | 27.34% | 34.9% | 23.7% | 22.5% | 9.9% | $15,903 |
| Accomack County | 28 | 29.13% | 25.99% | 34.2% | 23.2% | 23.7% | 11.1% | $15,776 |
| Southampton + Franklin County | 29 | 31.31% | 22.12% | 30.1% | 21.3% | 29.4% | 11.4% | $15,739 |
| Giles County | 30 | 31.27% | 22.26% | 34.4% | 25% | 23.1% | 8.9% | $15,487 |
| Roanoke (Independent City) County | 31 | 30.21% | 17.88% | 25.1% | 19.5% | 30.6% | 13.1% | $15,349 |
| Greensville + Emporia County | 32 | 39% | 16.52% | 27% | 20.1% | 33.5% | 13% | $15,317 |
| Wythe County | 33 | 34.16% | 22.29% | 34.5% | 25% | 21.7% | 9.9% | $15,223 |
| Bland County | 34 | 35.48% | 25.53% | 38.6% | 24.5% | 19.3% | 6.7% | $15,123 |
| Washington + Bristol County | 35 | 32% | 24.7% | 36.9% | 23.9% | 19.9% | 10.2% | $14,979 |
| Grayson County | 36 | 38.12% | 25.87% | 37.4% | 20.3% | 25% | 9.8% | $14,843 |
| Surry County | 37 | 28.3% | 25.69% | 37.4% | 21.9% | 21.4% | 9.5% | $14,837 |
| Westmoreland County | 38 | 29.28% | 27.53% | 36.3% | 26.4% | 18.5% | 10.1% | $14,822 |
| Campbell + Lynchburg County | 39 | 32.58% | 21.47% | 28% | 19.6% | 29.5% | 9.8% | $14,798 |
| Highland County | 40 | 29% | 38.24% | 47.2% | 23.5% | 14% | 5.7% | $14,651 |
| Pulaski County | 41 | 30.37% | 23.38% | 36.6% | 22.4% | 23.5% | 9.7% | $14,611 |
| Charles City County | 42 | 25.48% | 26.98% | 41.6% | 20.6% | 21.7% | 8.5% | $14,560 |
| Amherst County | 43 | 32.41% | 22.16% | 35.2% | 24% | 23.6% | 9.3% | $14,496 |
| King and Queen County | 44 | 26.11% | 24.2% | 38.3% | 22.6% | 21.2% | 9.8% | $14,439 |
| Sussex County | 45 | 38.17% | 19.46% | 30% | 23% | 28.3% | 11.6% | $14,413 |
| Portsmouth (Independent City) County | 46 | 31.25% | 15.35% | 22.9% | 18.3% | 31.3% | 14.8% | $14,382 |
| Appomattox County | 47 | 30.77% | 21% | 33.3% | 22.8% | 24.8% | 10.8% | $14,139 |
| Floyd County | 48 | 28.65% | 24.66% | 37.4% | 22.7% | 22% | 8.3% | $14,012 |
| Prince Edward County | 49 | 35.23% | 16.85% | 29.2% | 24.4% | 25.2% | 10.9% | $13,925 |
| Lunenburg County | 50 | 35.7% | 23.57% | 33.1% | 19.4% | 26.4% | 12.2% | $13,916 |
| Franklin County | 51 | 26.4% | 24.82% | 38.8% | 21.7% | 19.8% | 8.8% | $13,880 |
| Franklin County | 52 | 26.4% | 24.82% | 38.8% | 21.7% | 19.8% | 8.8% | $13,880 |
| Page County | 53 | 28.2% | 22.43% | 36.9% | 24.8% | 20.5% | 9.2% | $13,840 |
| Buckingham County | 54 | 36.49% | 20.51% | 29.2% | 28.6% | 25% | 10.8% | $13,823 |
| Amelia County | 55 | 25.8% | 21.15% | 36% | 23.8% | 22.1% | 9.1% | $13,668 |
| Craig County | 56 | 28.76% | 25% | 40% | 21.2% | 18.7% | 8.9% | $13,628 |
| Orange County | 57 | 22.86% | 20.48% | 37.1% | 27% | 15% | 7.8% | $13,473 |
| Cumberland County | 58 | 28.87% | 23.58% | 34.1% | 15.4% | 31.3% | 12.6% | $13,408 |
| Hampton (Independent City) County | 59 | 27.63% | 16.57% | 27.1% | 18.1% | 23.5% | 12.2% | $13,406 |
| James City + Williamsburg County | 60 | 17.4% | 26.69% | 42.3% | 27.1% | 8% | 5.6% | $13,205 |
| Bedford County | 61 | 23.6% | 23.21% | 41% | 23.4% | 16.6% | 7.2% | $12,940 |
| Bedford County | 62 | 23.6% | 23.21% | 41% | 23.4% | 16.6% | 7.2% | $12,940 |
| Rockbridge County | 63 | 26.74% | 27.49% | 38.7% | 23.6% | 18.8% | 8.6% | $12,931 |
| Suffolk (Independent City) County | 64 | 21.11% | 15.26% | 27.1% | 19.2% | 23.6% | 10.4% | $12,831 |
| Botetourt County | 65 | 21.54% | 24.11% | 41% | 23.8% | 15.1% | 6.3% | $12,819 |
| Richmond County | 66 | 30% | 21.72% | 34.9% | 23.4% | 23.6% | 10.7% | $12,814 |
| Richmond County | 67 | 30% | 21.72% | 34.9% | 23.4% | 23.6% | 10.7% | $12,814 |
| Gloucester County | 68 | 22.16% | 21% | 36.5% | 23.1% | 16.9% | 8.3% | $12,743 |
| Shenandoah County | 69 | 22.31% | 22.15% | 38.2% | 24.8% | 19.4% | 9% | $12,657 |
| Roanoke + Salem County | 70 | 21.31% | 22.11% | 39.9% | 26.6% | 15.5% | 6.8% | $12,598 |
| Isle of Wight County | 71 | 19.53% | 20% | 36.8% | 22.2% | 16.7% | 7.9% | $12,467 |
| Richmond (Independent City) County | 72 | 17.45% | 14.1% | 23% | 17.8% | 38.2% | 13.3% | $12,417 |
| Augusta County | 73 | 23.38% | 22.57% | 39.5% | 24% | 19% | 9% | $12,368 |
| Norfolk (Independent City) County | 74 | 25.44% | 13% | 21.8% | 16.5% | 31.7% | 13.9% | $12,186 |
| Newport News (Independent City) County | 75 | 25.53% | 14% | 25.7% | 18.3% | 25.1% | 14.9% | $11,968 |
| Louisa County | 76 | 23.58% | 21% | 39.1% | 23.4% | 19.6% | 8.9% | $11,963 |
| Rappahannock County | 77 | 14.81% | 28.89% | 49.2% | 23.2% | 11.4% | 6.8% | $11,764 |
| Caroline County | 78 | 22.64% | 17.14% | 33.3% | 24.1% | 20.5% | 10.8% | $11,660 |
| Madison County | 79 | 20.41% | 23.19% | 39.1% | 22.2% | 21.4% | 8.6% | $11,540 |
| Clarke County | 80 | 14.79% | 23% | 43.5% | 26.5% | 13.6% | 5.6% | $11,532 |
| Goochland County | 81 | 9.84% | 24.54% | 50.6% | 23% | 10.4% | 5.3% | $11,441 |
| Prince George + Hopewell County | 82 | 28.48% | 13.24% | 29.4% | 19.6% | 22.7% | 13.4% | $11,315 |
| King William County | 83 | 20.5% | 17% | 38.3% | 25.2% | 18.2% | 8.6% | $11,196 |
| Warren County | 84 | 19.92% | 17.27% | 34.8% | 24.7% | 21% | 9.5% | $11,183 |
| New Kent County | 85 | 10.85% | 18.44% | 41.1% | 27.6% | 10.4% | 6.2% | $11,160 |
| Culpeper County | 86 | 19.35% | 16.76% | 35.6% | 23.4% | 21.1% | 9.4% | $10,828 |
| Fluvanna County | 87 | 20.28% | 21.45% | 44.4% | 23.9% | 14% | 7.5% | $10,816 |
| Virginia Beach (Independent City) County | 88 | 16.29% | 15.91% | 32% | 19.7% | 16.1% | 8.7% | $10,750 |
| Chesapeake (Independent City) County | 89 | 18.28% | 14.47% | 30.1% | 19.5% | 17.5% | 9.7% | $10,688 |
| Greene County | 90 | 20.58% | 19% | 37.7% | 22.3% | 19% | 9.7% | $10,623 |
| Henrico County | 91 | 13.48% | 17% | 37.2% | 23% | 20.7% | 10.8% | $10,380 |
| Spotsylvania + Fredericksburg County | 92 | 16.4% | 15.23% | 31.3% | 21.8% | 19.2% | 10.1% | $10,267 |
| Hanover County | 93 | 14.19% | 19.24% | 44.1% | 27.2% | 12.9% | 6.3% | $10,262 |
| Frederick + Winchester County | 94 | 16.48% | 18.75% | 38.9% | 23% | 18.8% | 9.1% | $10,260 |
| Chesterfield County | 95 | 15.9% | 16% | 37.6% | 22.7% | 17.9% | 9.2% | $10,184 |
| Powhatan County | 96 | 14.52% | 19.97% | 47.5% | 24.8% | 11.4% | 6% | $9,860 |
| York + Poquoson County | 97 | 14.32% | 17.7% | 39.4% | 19.8% | 9.7% | 7% | $9,728 |
| Albemarle + Charlottesville County | 98 | 10.45% | 20.54% | 41% | 22.7% | 18.1% | 8.3% | $9,527 |
| Rockingham + Harrisonburg County | 99 | 18.45% | 20.15% | 36.8% | 24.6% | 18.6% | 10.1% | $9,496 |
| Fauquier County | 100 | 11.46% | 17.41% | 40.7% | 24.1% | 16.3% | 6.8% | $9,494 |
| King George County | 101 | 14.79% | 14.38% | 30.9% | 23.5% | 16.3% | 9.1% | $9,471 |
| Stafford County | 102 | 13.88% | 11.43% | 27% | 18.1% | 14.2% | 9% | $9,052 |
| Montgomery + Radford County | 103 | 18.34% | 14% | 34.9% | 22.7% | 19.2% | 9.6% | $8,323 |
| Alexandria (Independent City) County | 104 | 7.35% | 13% | 30.8% | 20.1% | 20.2% | 11.1% | $7,739 |
| Fairfax County | 105 | 7.62% | 15% | 35.9% | 21.5% | 15.2% | 8.2% | $7,726 |
| Fairfax County | 106 | 7.62% | 15% | 35.9% | 21.5% | 15.2% | 8.2% | $7,726 |
| Prince William County | 107 | 12% | 11.28% | 28.9% | 18% | 19% | 11.8% | $7,645 |
| Arlington County | 108 | 5.42% | 12% | 34% | 21.5% | 17.9% | 8.9% | $6,090 |
| Loudoun County | 109 | 5.71% | 10.8% | 37% | 22.5% | 13% | 8.9% | $5,534 |
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