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 Rowan County received $1.8 billion in government transfers, which accounted for 26.2% of total county income.
Comparatively, across all counties in North Carolina, government transfer payments totaled $122.9 billion, making up 19.8% of the state residents’ total income, with an average of $11,491 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 Rowan County at the time, Social Security transfers totaled $635.7 million, amounting to $4,248 per capita, or 34.5% of total government transfers. Medicare transfers accounted for $450.2 million ($3,009 per capita), representing 24.4% of the total. Medicaid contributed $319.6 million ($2,136 per capita), making up 17.3% of total transfers. Income maintenance programs, including assistance such as SNAP or TANF, added another $218.3 million ($1,459 per capita), or 11.8% of the total.
With 17.8% of the population aged 65 and older, Rowan County has a significant demand for programs like Social Security and Medicare. Total per capita income excluding government transfers in Rowan County was $34,659, far below the county’s total income of $46,990, emphasizing the role of government transfers in overall income.
When comparing 2022 to the previous year, Rowan County saw a decrease of 17.5% in per capita government transfers, from $15,116 to $12,331 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 Rowan County, reliance on government transfers has similarly increased from 7.47% (or $1,465 per capita) in 1970 to 26.2% (or $12,331 per capita) in 2022, reflecting broader national trends.
According to the Economic Innovation Group’s analysis, these trends are not merely short-term responses to economic pressures but rather reflect a profound, long-term transformation in how government support is integrated into American life. The study illustrates that structural shifts—from rising healthcare expenses and demographic changes to stagnant wages—have significantly increased dependency on government transfers.
| County | State Rank (Per Capita Transfers) | Per Capita Transfers ($) | Dependency on Transfers (%) | % Population 65+ | Social Security Transfers ($) | Medicare Transfers ($) | Medicaid Transfers ($) | Income Maintenance Transfers ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington County | 1 | $19,018 | 41.89% | 27.99% | $65,514,000 | $53,804,000 | $36,836,000 | $27,448,000 |
| Northampton County | 2 | $18,538 | 38.93% | 29.68% | $100,699,000 | $86,355,000 | $51,930,000 | $43,424,000 |
| Swain County | 3 | $18,236 | 35.4% | 19.9% | $71,146,000 | $69,362,000 | $66,178,000 | $22,084,000 |
| Bertie County | 4 | $17,898 | 36.22% | 25.35% | $95,878,000 | $85,548,000 | $58,375,000 | $42,523,000 |
| Halifax County | 5 | $17,613 | 39.34% | 21.99% | $253,594,000 | $216,501,000 | $158,464,000 | $130,357,000 |
| Martin County | 6 | $17,387 | 40.86% | 25.79% | $115,899,000 | $106,623,000 | $62,137,000 | $45,728,000 |
| Clay County | 7 | $17,203 | 39.32% | 33.47% | $82,633,000 | $51,322,000 | $24,010,000 | $15,055,000 |
| Brunswick County | 8 | $17,083 | 29.31% | 33.74% | $1,193,966,000 | $729,060,000 | $212,621,000 | $146,616,000 |
| Bladen County | 9 | $17,034 | 35.18% | 23.7% | $149,819,000 | $132,381,000 | $93,940,000 | $70,271,000 |
| Beaufort County | 10 | $17,004 | 31.17% | 25.67% | $272,877,000 | $187,202,000 | $114,790,000 | $81,340,000 |
| Cherokee County | 11 | $17,000 | 42.48% | 31.74% | $197,155,000 | $128,829,000 | $66,826,000 | $38,429,000 |
| Richmond County | 12 | $16,866 | 36.66% | 18.16% | $191,769,000 | $174,251,000 | $147,293,000 | $110,547,000 |
| Robeson County | 13 | $16,746 | 40.77% | 16% | $444,711,000 | $436,999,000 | $453,735,000 | $361,470,000 |
| Vance County | 14 | $16,730 | 38.59% | 19.46% | $196,566,000 | $172,427,000 | $161,663,000 | $119,345,000 |
| Columbus County | 15 | $16,523 | 37.46% | 20.83% | $247,936,000 | $209,253,000 | $155,359,000 | $118,221,000 |
| Pamlico County | 16 | $16,459 | 31.47% | 31.8% | $82,609,000 | $52,990,000 | $23,007,000 | $15,423,000 |
| Polk County | 17 | $16,335 | 26.56% | 32.44% | $135,984,000 | $91,123,000 | $38,757,000 | $22,243,000 |
| Edgecombe County | 18 | $16,139 | 37% | 21.24% | $220,928,000 | $160,494,000 | $178,318,000 | $140,298,000 |
| Lenoir County | 19 | $16,077 | 31.5% | 21.52% | $260,394,000 | $217,856,000 | $168,892,000 | $121,449,000 |
| Perquimans County | 20 | $15,975 | 29.94% | 28.12% | $77,074,000 | $57,565,000 | $26,621,000 | $20,077,000 |
| Anson County | 21 | $15,957 | 31.8% | 20% | $102,678,000 | $90,191,000 | $77,250,000 | $52,870,000 |
| Jones County | 22 | $15,912 | 32.75% | 24.38% | $45,221,000 | $27,031,000 | $22,181,000 | $17,052,000 |
| Scotland County | 23 | $15,853 | 38.61% | 18.28% | $156,817,000 | $119,299,000 | $117,551,000 | $93,140,000 |
| Alleghany County | 24 | $15,839 | 35.62% | 28.34% | $64,713,000 | $49,403,000 | $23,797,000 | $16,098,000 |
| Chowan County | 25 | $15,782 | 30.94% | 25.99% | $77,935,000 | $58,514,000 | $33,121,000 | $24,866,000 |
| Haywood County | 26 | $15,500 | 30.46% | 25.52% | $367,698,000 | $254,743,000 | $138,248,000 | $84,011,000 |
| Hertford County | 27 | $15,494 | 37.31% | 22.5% | $96,752,000 | $81,837,000 | $62,455,000 | $48,002,000 |
| Carteret County | 28 | $15,421 | 24.27% | 27% | $394,740,000 | $295,595,000 | $103,856,000 | $71,897,000 |
| Macon County | 29 | $15,420 | 31.92% | 28.74% | $231,948,000 | $156,275,000 | $72,184,000 | $45,698,000 |
| Transylvania County | 30 | $15,268 | 27.56% | 31.74% | $212,148,000 | $129,671,000 | $63,052,000 | $41,738,000 |
| Graham County | 31 | $15,201 | 36.77% | 24.79% | $39,146,000 | $28,087,000 | $27,670,000 | $12,919,000 |
| Yancey County | 32 | $15,092 | 35.93% | 26.5% | $105,250,000 | $75,092,000 | $42,925,000 | $25,356,000 |
| McDowell County | 33 | $15,084 | 34.29% | 21.56% | $225,897,000 | $169,799,000 | $122,936,000 | $75,000,000 |
| Wilson County | 34 | $14,934 | 30.62% | 19.22% | $381,459,000 | $303,673,000 | $205,342,000 | $155,127,000 |
| Mitchell County | 35 | $14,804 | 33.65% | 25.35% | $82,363,000 | $55,965,000 | $35,408,000 | $20,097,000 |
| Craven County | 36 | $14,750 | 27.15% | 21% | $484,175,000 | $365,005,000 | $174,429,000 | $144,623,000 |
| Tyrrell County | 37 | $14,737 | 32.69% | 24.19% | $14,906,000 | $13,448,000 | $7,191,000 | $6,998,000 |
| Rutherford County | 38 | $14,732 | 34.64% | 22.29% | $327,457,000 | $235,112,000 | $163,642,000 | $116,263,000 |
| Wilkes County | 39 | $14,698 | 30.95% | 22.99% | $339,472,000 | $260,377,000 | $158,932,000 | $114,862,000 |
| Ashe County | 40 | $14,667 | 33% | 27.39% | $148,995,000 | $104,965,000 | $56,370,000 | $36,229,000 |
| Rockingham County | 41 | $14,506 | 32% | 21.3% | $468,865,000 | $368,526,000 | $220,140,000 | $152,101,000 |
| Cleveland County | 42 | $14,377 | 31.86% | 19% | $478,210,000 | $351,302,000 | $285,531,000 | $195,587,000 |
| Cumberland County | 43 | $14,252 | 30.97% | 12.97% | $1,055,067,000 | $753,682,000 | $789,106,000 | $662,323,000 |
| Duplin County | 44 | $14,246 | 27% | 19.95% | $198,668,000 | $178,833,000 | $125,918,000 | $98,983,000 |
| Henderson County | 45 | $14,228 | 25.76% | 26.43% | $703,246,000 | $471,887,000 | $190,105,000 | $118,428,000 |
| Caldwell County | 46 | $14,076 | 31.45% | 21.13% | $379,579,000 | $293,566,000 | $195,999,000 | $121,149,000 |
| Surry County | 47 | $14,023 | 28.75% | 21% | $332,806,000 | $282,143,000 | $163,128,000 | $111,229,000 |
| Madison County | 48 | $14,018 | 31.5% | 23.13% | $105,348,000 | $76,326,000 | $49,113,000 | $30,008,000 |
| Sampson County | 49 | $13,970 | 29.82% | 18.21% | $245,352,000 | $203,555,000 | $154,143,000 | $119,644,000 |
| Moore County | 50 | $13,932 | 22.15% | 23.75% | $569,232,000 | $355,528,000 | $138,649,000 | $102,242,000 |
| Wayne County | 51 | $13,690 | 27.73% | 17.27% | $453,010,000 | $368,247,000 | $279,351,000 | $227,245,000 |
| Gates County | 52 | $13,643 | 27.37% | 22.68% | $48,505,000 | $40,005,000 | $17,779,000 | $15,470,000 |
| Warren County | 53 | $13,624 | 36.23% | 27.3% | $85,006,000 | $57,360,000 | $48,603,000 | $39,954,000 |
| Person County | 54 | $13,601 | 30% | 20.95% | $192,247,000 | $149,000,000 | $84,217,000 | $61,005,000 |
| Stokes County | 55 | $13,579 | 29.27% | 22.97% | $242,401,000 | $170,020,000 | $86,265,000 | $53,833,000 |
| Nash County | 56 | $13,546 | 26.71% | 19.49% | $423,617,000 | $342,255,000 | $213,868,000 | $163,259,000 |
| Pasquotank County | 57 | $13,383 | 28.33% | 18.57% | $163,347,000 | $133,085,000 | $81,316,000 | $69,303,000 |
| Caswell County | 58 | $13,292 | 32.3% | 23.49% | $115,666,000 | $72,598,000 | $49,605,000 | $37,733,000 |
| Burke County | 59 | $13,244 | 29.67% | 21.6% | $413,139,000 | $279,524,000 | $202,990,000 | $128,515,000 |
| Yadkin County | 60 | $13,141 | 27.69% | 21% | $179,902,000 | $142,788,000 | $72,948,000 | $47,775,000 |
| Lee County | 61 | $13,033 | 26.26% | 17% | $256,901,000 | $197,703,000 | $124,880,000 | $101,433,000 |
| Davie County | 62 | $12,958 | 21.39% | 22.16% | $226,094,000 | $164,489,000 | $66,716,000 | $55,268,000 |
| Hyde County | 63 | $12,915 | 26.58% | 24.61% | $19,824,000 | $15,140,000 | $8,576,000 | $7,473,000 |
| Alexander County | 64 | $12,846 | 26.74% | 20.44% | $174,932,000 | $121,155,000 | $67,944,000 | $45,628,000 |
| Catawba County | 65 | $12,724 | 23% | 18.72% | $759,820,000 | $523,440,000 | $307,074,000 | $221,104,000 |
| Dare County | 66 | $12,655 | 16.63% | 24.57% | $207,007,000 | $113,461,000 | $39,978,000 | $32,131,000 |
| Avery County | 67 | $12,622 | 27.65% | 23.67% | $85,731,000 | $48,903,000 | $32,022,000 | $20,524,000 |
| Stanly County | 68 | $12,575 | 26% | 19% | $287,769,000 | $221,124,000 | $126,808,000 | $86,845,000 |
| Montgomery County | 69 | $12,574 | 26.88% | 22.37% | $112,555,000 | $62,713,000 | $61,684,000 | $45,927,000 |
| Hoke County | 70 | $12,453 | 30.24% | 11.62% | $142,575,000 | $88,826,000 | $108,709,000 | $100,599,000 |
| Rowan County | 71 | $12,331 | 26.24% | 17.84% | $635,741,000 | $450,225,000 | $319,621,000 | $218,341,000 |
| Pender County | 72 | $12,319 | 24.69% | 18.19% | $277,243,000 | $192,478,000 | $111,969,000 | $79,255,000 |
| Randolph County | 73 | $12,314 | 26.34% | 18.29% | $634,720,000 | $482,129,000 | $282,574,000 | $221,446,000 |
| Buncombe County | 74 | $12,130 | 19.71% | 21.31% | $1,238,289,000 | $814,328,000 | $487,079,000 | $302,883,000 |
| Pitt County | 75 | $12,108 | 22.63% | 14.69% | $597,664,000 | $481,743,000 | $385,621,000 | $298,360,000 |
| New Hanover County | 76 | $11,942 | 19.6% | 19% | $1,038,539,000 | $721,848,000 | $357,397,000 | $242,251,000 |
| Gaston County | 77 | $11,893 | 23.94% | 16.56% | $933,177,000 | $723,944,000 | $503,523,000 | $353,504,000 |
| Jackson County | 78 | $11,841 | 26.39% | 20.4% | $173,112,000 | $118,560,000 | $94,588,000 | $44,096,000 |
| Chatham County | 79 | $11,821 | 14.82% | 25.47% | $451,781,000 | $262,954,000 | $90,027,000 | $64,031,000 |
| Davidson County | 80 | $11,732 | 24.18% | 18.99% | $764,332,000 | $479,625,000 | $324,562,000 | $245,043,000 |
| Forsyth County | 81 | $11,653 | 20.17% | 16.95% | $1,556,719,000 | $1,196,356,000 | $721,019,000 | $543,967,000 |
| Camden County | 82 | $11,398 | 20% | 17% | $41,532,000 | $32,968,000 | $11,639,000 | $9,299,000 |
| Alamance County | 83 | $11,282 | 23% | 17.13% | $702,128,000 | $529,790,000 | $325,639,000 | $235,178,000 |
| Harnett County | 84 | $11,114 | 25.15% | 13.71% | $413,324,000 | $383,644,000 | $236,831,000 | $203,028,000 |
| Lincoln County | 85 | $11,090 | 19% | 19.23% | $391,766,000 | $285,226,000 | $142,944,000 | $98,336,000 |
| Guilford County | 86 | $10,982 | 19.97% | 15.92% | $2,016,961,000 | $1,373,896,000 | $1,001,048,000 | $828,244,000 |
| Onslow County | 87 | $10,936 | 21.2% | 10.17% | $528,635,000 | $357,096,000 | $284,314,000 | $251,373,000 |
| Greene County | 88 | $10,789 | 27.69% | 17.58% | $69,597,000 | $42,563,000 | $43,962,000 | $36,170,000 |
| Currituck County | 89 | $10,619 | 17.88% | 17.28% | $117,413,000 | $79,076,000 | $28,284,000 | $24,817,000 |
| Granville County | 90 | $10,463 | 22.31% | 17.9% | $241,922,000 | $155,956,000 | $104,249,000 | $76,958,000 |
| Iredell County | 91 | $10,417 | 16.17% | 16.68% | $754,961,000 | $532,337,000 | $283,932,000 | $183,620,000 |
| Franklin County | 92 | $10,218 | 22% | 17.34% | $269,150,000 | $184,608,000 | $122,730,000 | $95,347,000 |
| Watauga County | 93 | $9,556 | 19.73% | 16.99% | $194,364,000 | $150,851,000 | $46,012,000 | $33,905,000 |
| Johnston County | 94 | $9,060 | 18.24% | 13.75% | $737,301,000 | $472,355,000 | $359,094,000 | $276,571,000 |
| Durham County | 95 | $9,022 | 15.27% | 14.56% | $1,034,001,000 | $688,342,000 | $542,546,000 | $388,823,000 |
| Cabarrus County | 96 | $9,017 | 16.47% | 13.58% | $737,891,000 | $539,949,000 | $336,920,000 | $246,054,000 |
| Mecklenburg County | 97 | $8,339 | 10.91% | 12% | $3,017,471,000 | $2,096,158,000 | $1,758,138,000 | $1,430,659,000 |
| Union County | 98 | $8,303 | 12.28% | 13.55% | $764,850,000 | $521,987,000 | $288,348,000 | $224,592,000 |
| Orange County | 99 | $8,141 | 10.5% | 16% | $519,656,000 | $295,276,000 | $149,450,000 | $107,982,000 |
| Wake County | 100 | $7,657 | 10% | 12.92% | $3,337,402,000 | $2,266,241,000 | $1,202,826,000 | $884,816,000 |
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