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 Washington County received $162.5 million in government transfers, which accounted for 29.8% of total county income.
Comparatively, across all counties in Kentucky, government transfer payments totaled $58.2 billion, making up 24.8% of the state residents’ total income, with an average of $12,890 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 Washington County at the time, Social Security transfers totaled $51.1 million, amounting to $4,239 per capita, or 31.5% of total government transfers. Medicare transfers accounted for $39 million ($3,237 per capita), representing 24% of the total. Medicaid contributed $46.5 million ($3,856 per capita), making up 28.6% of total transfers. Income maintenance programs, including assistance such as SNAP or TANF, added another $14.6 million ($1,209 per capita), or 9% of the total.
With 19.3% of the population aged 65 and older, Washington County has a significant demand for programs like Social Security and Medicare. Total per capita income excluding government transfers in Washington County was $31,718, far below the county’s total income of $45,188, emphasizing the role of government transfers in overall income.
When comparing 2022 to the previous year, Washington County saw a decrease of 18.8% in per capita government transfers, from $16,547 to $13,470 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 Washington County, reliance on government transfers has similarly increased from 10.45% (or $1,449 per capita) in 1970 to 29.8% (or $13,470 per capita) in 2022, reflecting broader national trends.
According to the Economic Innovation Group’s analysis, these trends are not merely short-term responses to economic pressures but rather reflect a profound, long-term transformation in how government support is integrated into American life. The study illustrates that structural shifts—from rising healthcare expenses and demographic changes to stagnant wages—have significantly increased dependency on government transfers.
| County | State Rank (Per Capita Transfers) | Per Capita Transfers ($) | Dependency on Transfers (%) | % Population 65+ | Social Security Transfers ($) | Medicare Transfers ($) | Medicaid Transfers ($) | Income Maintenance Transfers ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Owsley County | 1 | $28,538 | 63.17% | 20.72% | $15,168,000 | $19,592,000 | $56,492,000 | $14,901,000 |
| Cumberland County | 2 | $23,787 | 48% | 22.78% | $29,962,000 | $32,265,000 | $59,436,000 | $11,862,000 |
| Wolfe County | 3 | $23,604 | 53.87% | 19.95% | $30,324,000 | $25,459,000 | $67,284,000 | $20,877,000 |
| Letcher County | 4 | $21,950 | 55.91% | 21% | $120,669,000 | $91,561,000 | $171,198,000 | $47,791,000 |
| Magoffin County | 5 | $21,818 | 52.78% | 19.14% | $55,583,000 | $42,837,000 | $107,063,000 | $31,881,000 |
| Leslie County | 6 | $21,778 | 55.99% | 19.74% | $52,913,000 | $40,636,000 | $92,681,000 | $24,146,000 |
| Harlan County | 7 | $21,605 | 57.29% | 19.58% | $134,054,000 | $103,324,000 | $208,612,000 | $65,297,000 |
| Knott County | 8 | $21,583 | 52.97% | 20.73% | $67,382,000 | $56,563,000 | $125,298,000 | $33,245,000 |
| Breathitt County | 9 | $21,501 | 56.1% | 18.87% | $56,568,000 | $49,904,000 | $130,852,000 | $36,801,000 |
| Bell County | 10 | $21,480 | 54.15% | 19.9% | $110,454,000 | $97,821,000 | $205,899,000 | $63,124,000 |
| Floyd County | 11 | $21,074 | 48.52% | 19.75% | $184,422,000 | $144,356,000 | $271,764,000 | $83,917,000 |
| Perry County | 12 | $21,011 | 48.74% | 18.26% | $125,984,000 | $112,660,000 | $227,427,000 | $66,020,000 |
| Clay County | 13 | $20,315 | 53.47% | 16% | $76,263,000 | $77,708,000 | $174,601,000 | $59,649,000 |
| Clinton County | 14 | $20,000 | 45.86% | 20.59% | $38,132,000 | $36,125,000 | $77,755,000 | $19,921,000 |
| Whitley County | 15 | $19,775 | 46.89% | 16% | $143,834,000 | $173,054,000 | $241,765,000 | $86,089,000 |
| Pike County | 16 | $19,526 | 44.82% | 20.34% | $307,575,000 | $246,685,000 | $348,990,000 | $106,658,000 |
| Martin County | 17 | $19,449 | 60.86% | 17.64% | $54,335,000 | $36,218,000 | $86,275,000 | $26,487,000 |
| McCreary County | 18 | $19,100 | 56% | 16.49% | $58,551,000 | $59,254,000 | $138,440,000 | $42,270,000 |
| Lee County | 19 | $18,993 | 55% | 19.35% | $27,504,000 | $24,908,000 | $59,300,000 | $17,810,000 |
| Pulaski County | 20 | $18,381 | 39.91% | 19.84% | $307,163,000 | $230,821,000 | $465,524,000 | $102,805,000 |
| Fulton County | 21 | $18,121 | 44.16% | 21.55% | $30,486,000 | $31,215,000 | $33,503,000 | $13,002,000 |
| Johnson County | 22 | $18,025 | 45.92% | 19.32% | $108,097,000 | $83,296,000 | $131,694,000 | $44,753,000 |
| Menifee County | 23 | $17,886 | 45% | 21.5% | $29,912,000 | $25,900,000 | $36,484,000 | $12,692,000 |
| Knox County | 24 | $17,645 | 47.44% | 17.77% | $117,439,000 | $85,427,000 | $212,990,000 | $78,741,000 |
| Hickman County | 25 | $17,459 | 30.9% | 26% | $23,138,000 | $16,697,000 | $26,277,000 | $5,913,000 |
| Lawrence County | 26 | $17,406 | 45.86% | 18.98% | $72,634,000 | $54,511,000 | $96,500,000 | $31,589,000 |
| Estill County | 27 | $16,596 | 42.56% | 19.32% | $56,731,000 | $49,601,000 | $75,531,000 | $28,956,000 |
| Monroe County | 28 | $16,535 | 37% | 19.3% | $42,897,000 | $46,764,000 | $67,143,000 | $19,297,000 |
| Green County | 29 | $16,310 | 40% | 21.37% | $47,139,000 | $48,595,000 | $62,527,000 | $16,279,000 |
| Union County | 30 | $16,290 | 33.35% | 20.52% | $65,524,000 | $49,811,000 | $60,464,000 | $17,901,000 |
| Wayne County | 31 | $16,268 | 44.24% | 22.34% | $84,521,000 | $62,851,000 | $112,519,000 | $39,564,000 |
| Rockcastle County | 32 | $16,257 | 41.12% | 19.45% | $68,156,000 | $51,939,000 | $97,879,000 | $28,794,000 |
| Livingston County | 33 | $16,172 | 35.32% | 22.66% | $51,379,000 | $38,568,000 | $32,325,000 | $10,434,000 |
| Lewis County | 34 | $16,131 | 42.24% | 19.67% | $47,674,000 | $49,611,000 | $68,026,000 | $26,356,000 |
| Carter County | 35 | $16,109 | 41.87% | 19.94% | $118,425,000 | $101,009,000 | $123,915,000 | $46,412,000 |
| Casey County | 36 | $15,974 | 40.37% | 20.79% | $63,839,000 | $57,934,000 | $89,006,000 | $26,659,000 |
| Russell County | 37 | $15,947 | 31.37% | 20.98% | $77,711,000 | $61,638,000 | $99,220,000 | $31,485,000 |
| Boyd County | 38 | $15,653 | 34% | 20.3% | $227,319,000 | $178,187,000 | $193,727,000 | $70,371,000 |
| Jackson County | 39 | $15,649 | 42.55% | 18.31% | $49,844,000 | $43,017,000 | $69,749,000 | $28,110,000 |
| Greenup County | 40 | $15,475 | 32.49% | 22.2% | $165,039,000 | $134,994,000 | $123,582,000 | $44,149,000 |
| Metcalfe County | 41 | $15,380 | 42% | 19.81% | $43,434,000 | $36,686,000 | $51,543,000 | $17,126,000 |
| Powell County | 42 | $15,353 | 41% | 16.46% | $55,197,000 | $40,338,000 | $63,054,000 | $27,186,000 |
| Adair County | 43 | $15,220 | 37.54% | 19.69% | $74,605,000 | $61,513,000 | $101,456,000 | $27,984,000 |
| McLean County | 44 | $15,208 | 29.59% | 20.12% | $45,242,000 | $37,330,000 | $33,186,000 | $11,041,000 |
| Graves County | 45 | $15,119 | 30.12% | 18.95% | $160,861,000 | $136,956,000 | $158,263,000 | $49,452,000 |
| Caldwell County | 46 | $15,101 | 33.81% | 21.3% | $58,763,000 | $47,553,000 | $49,191,000 | $16,812,000 |
| Hopkins County | 47 | $14,987 | 32% | 19.23% | $212,476,000 | $158,709,000 | $168,096,000 | $62,552,000 |
| Muhlenberg County | 48 | $14,844 | 36.94% | 20.38% | $143,733,000 | $112,617,000 | $113,629,000 | $41,543,000 |
| Butler County | 49 | $14,753 | 34.23% | 19.13% | $53,250,000 | $36,937,000 | $56,478,000 | $18,317,000 |
| Robertson County | 50 | $14,734 | 37.45% | 23.68% | $8,395,000 | $6,381,000 | $12,824,000 | $3,281,000 |
| Ohio County | 51 | $14,612 | 36.45% | 18.69% | $106,961,000 | $78,805,000 | $93,028,000 | $34,096,000 |
| Crittenden County | 52 | $14,580 | 35% | 21.71% | $43,084,000 | $31,656,000 | $34,676,000 | $9,866,000 |
| Taylor County | 53 | $14,555 | 36.55% | 18.24% | $110,029,000 | $94,864,000 | $107,481,000 | $37,515,000 |
| Lincoln County | 54 | $14,534 | 36.33% | 18.58% | $100,014,000 | $87,884,000 | $92,046,000 | $41,341,000 |
| Trigg County | 55 | $14,503 | 32.62% | 23.17% | $76,077,000 | $55,844,000 | $28,316,000 | $15,632,000 |
| Carlisle County | 56 | $14,471 | 26.92% | 20.19% | $23,600,000 | $15,742,000 | $17,049,000 | $5,877,000 |
| Grayson County | 57 | $14,287 | 34.36% | 18.51% | $113,810,000 | $96,034,000 | $97,033,000 | $39,106,000 |
| Marshall County | 58 | $14,279 | 29.48% | 22.72% | $174,918,000 | $117,104,000 | $86,007,000 | $31,835,000 |
| Bath County | 59 | $14,247 | 38.33% | 17.31% | $48,124,000 | $44,510,000 | $53,321,000 | $23,178,000 |
| Morgan County | 60 | $14,244 | 44.92% | 17.5% | $51,154,000 | $47,038,000 | $69,470,000 | $23,059,000 |
| Webster County | 61 | $14,213 | 28.76% | 18.46% | $62,380,000 | $44,929,000 | $42,426,000 | $16,436,000 |
| Henderson County | 62 | $14,061 | 28.75% | 19.44% | $205,366,000 | $155,180,000 | $149,373,000 | $57,946,000 |
| Elliott County | 63 | $14,055 | 51.29% | 21.32% | $27,404,000 | $16,285,000 | $39,761,000 | $13,661,000 |
| Nicholas County | 64 | $14,020 | 35.64% | 16.48% | $29,973,000 | $22,712,000 | $38,242,000 | $10,861,000 |
| McCracken County | 65 | $14,020 | 24% | 20.63% | $320,422,000 | $219,636,000 | $231,322,000 | $80,487,000 |
| Ballard County | 66 | $13,959 | 28% | 22.18% | $38,694,000 | $21,694,000 | $28,061,000 | $9,039,000 |
| Mason County | 67 | $13,957 | 29% | 19.33% | $76,026,000 | $58,764,000 | $53,276,000 | $26,145,000 |
| Franklin County | 68 | $13,770 | 27.83% | 18.69% | $250,883,000 | $217,111,000 | $125,700,000 | $61,520,000 |
| Lyon County | 69 | $13,685 | 34.46% | 23.69% | $47,799,000 | $34,256,000 | $23,114,000 | $6,456,000 |
| Logan County | 70 | $13,501 | 30.5% | 18.94% | $116,378,000 | $95,339,000 | $97,292,000 | $35,158,000 |
| Washington County | 71 | $13,470 | 29.81% | 19.32% | $51,130,000 | $39,039,000 | $46,503,000 | $14,581,000 |
| Laurel County | 72 | $13,437 | 33.26% | 17.19% | $246,329,000 | $173,764,000 | $253,492,000 | $99,483,000 |
| Breckinridge County | 73 | $13,425 | 32.34% | 20.2% | $91,108,000 | $70,045,000 | $64,929,000 | $27,061,000 |
| Barren County | 74 | $13,406 | 31.34% | 18.25% | $186,418,000 | $144,472,000 | $159,641,000 | $59,819,000 |
| Bracken County | 75 | $13,361 | 30.59% | 18.27% | $37,633,000 | $29,187,000 | $25,034,000 | $12,163,000 |
| Daviess County | 76 | $13,229 | 26.9% | 17.81% | $439,946,000 | $325,138,000 | $355,029,000 | $120,443,000 |
| Henry County | 77 | $13,190 | 26.64% | 18.71% | $69,417,000 | $58,440,000 | $44,925,000 | $18,989,000 |
| Marion County | 78 | $13,172 | 30.24% | 17.43% | $74,168,000 | $58,654,000 | $83,208,000 | $27,162,000 |
| Rowan County | 79 | $13,151 | 35.16% | 14.96% | $85,444,000 | $69,794,000 | $94,780,000 | $34,705,000 |
| Hardin County | 80 | $12,992 | 24.64% | 15.14% | $384,810,000 | $302,960,000 | $272,089,000 | $137,420,000 |
| Fleming County | 81 | $12,935 | 32% | 18.84% | $62,518,000 | $49,317,000 | $50,426,000 | $20,740,000 |
| Trimble County | 82 | $12,933 | 26.76% | 18.42% | $37,757,000 | $27,118,000 | $26,772,000 | $10,586,000 |
| Owen County | 83 | $12,891 | 32.62% | 20.4% | $47,001,000 | $40,388,000 | $35,678,000 | $14,646,000 |
| Carroll County | 84 | $12,869 | 27.74% | 16.44% | $44,856,000 | $28,858,000 | $41,715,000 | $15,949,000 |
| Larue County | 85 | $12,747 | 30% | 17.92% | $61,931,000 | $43,522,000 | $51,042,000 | $18,840,000 |
| Hart County | 86 | $12,644 | 31.88% | 17.47% | $72,272,000 | $50,607,000 | $74,836,000 | $28,224,000 |
| Grant County | 87 | $12,639 | 27.75% | 14.43% | $102,919,000 | $87,368,000 | $69,913,000 | $36,181,000 |
| Edmonson County | 88 | $12,539 | 31.5% | 21.35% | $51,703,000 | $27,294,000 | $45,006,000 | $15,176,000 |
| Allen County | 89 | $12,476 | 30.51% | 18% | $84,757,000 | $63,988,000 | $66,481,000 | $26,762,000 |
| Garrard County | 90 | $12,476 | 28.65% | 19.21% | $75,204,000 | $57,216,000 | $43,934,000 | $23,579,000 |
| Harrison County | 91 | $12,446 | 29.23% | 18.58% | $81,302,000 | $63,501,000 | $50,665,000 | $24,198,000 |
| Boyle County | 92 | $12,309 | 27.18% | 19.15% | $131,883,000 | $94,047,000 | $83,046,000 | $36,550,000 |
| Clark County | 93 | $12,304 | 25.87% | 18.43% | $158,378,000 | $108,164,000 | $104,084,000 | $47,597,000 |
| Mercer County | 94 | $12,210 | 27.57% | 19% | $104,043,000 | $68,840,000 | $55,300,000 | $26,801,000 |
| Hancock County | 95 | $12,094 | 22.42% | 18.74% | $41,349,000 | $29,769,000 | $19,011,000 | $9,699,000 |
| Montgomery County | 96 | $12,077 | 28.48% | 16.82% | $112,075,000 | $83,340,000 | $78,827,000 | $40,077,000 |
| Jefferson County | 97 | $12,061 | 18.82% | 17.31% | $2,981,107,000 | $2,184,054,000 | $2,382,388,000 | $960,344,000 |
| Bourbon County | 98 | $12,035 | 21% | 20.23% | $85,818,000 | $57,239,000 | $54,649,000 | $25,491,000 |
| Calloway County | 99 | $11,910 | 27% | 17.25% | $154,436,000 | $111,175,000 | $88,512,000 | $35,272,000 |
| Todd County | 100 | $11,904 | 25.19% | 16.69% | $44,594,000 | $29,908,000 | $41,376,000 | $16,149,000 |
| Pendleton County | 101 | $11,889 | 23% | 17.62% | $61,258,000 | $44,043,000 | $34,300,000 | $18,260,000 |
| Christian County | 102 | $11,863 | 27.66% | 12.91% | $209,445,000 | $172,681,000 | $225,447,000 | $110,012,000 |
| Simpson County | 103 | $11,642 | 26.97% | 16.99% | $80,817,000 | $60,435,000 | $46,047,000 | $23,167,000 |
| Nelson County | 104 | $11,610 | 21.77% | 17.21% | $199,765,000 | $149,583,000 | $100,228,000 | $50,340,000 |
| Gallatin County | 105 | $11,197 | 26% | 15.4% | $22,702,000 | $22,391,000 | $34,321,000 | $11,108,000 |
| Campbell County | 106 | $10,796 | 17.52% | 17.6% | $355,335,000 | $262,702,000 | $212,426,000 | $75,493,000 |
| Woodford County | 107 | $10,763 | 17.23% | 20.75% | $127,667,000 | $78,646,000 | $34,603,000 | $21,189,000 |
| Madison County | 108 | $10,653 | 24% | 14.72% | $329,751,000 | $227,198,000 | $212,651,000 | $102,904,000 |
| Anderson County | 109 | $10,338 | 22.69% | 16.73% | $98,142,000 | $65,692,000 | $37,112,000 | $23,020,000 |
| Kenton County | 110 | $10,281 | 14.79% | 15.79% | $601,216,000 | $449,176,000 | $374,809,000 | $163,666,000 |
| Spencer County | 111 | $10,099 | 17.95% | 15.83% | $75,516,000 | $59,466,000 | $36,166,000 | $13,213,000 |
| Warren County | 112 | $10,027 | 21.74% | 13.41% | $413,188,000 | $313,438,000 | $339,737,000 | $158,109,000 |
| Meade County | 113 | $10,014 | 21.39% | 15.68% | $106,038,000 | $59,558,000 | $49,208,000 | $29,709,000 |
| Jessamine County | 114 | $9,841 | 16.92% | 16.54% | $202,547,000 | $135,818,000 | $83,829,000 | $60,501,000 |
| Bullitt County | 115 | $9,832 | 19.2% | 17.44% | $338,284,000 | $206,569,000 | $126,517,000 | $68,214,000 |
| Fayette County | 116 | $9,400 | 15.76% | 14.92% | $1,025,905,000 | $703,123,000 | $654,476,000 | $298,470,000 |
| Shelby County | 117 | $9,361 | 16.57% | 17% | $186,193,000 | $117,846,000 | $69,949,000 | $41,354,000 |
| Boone County | 118 | $8,527 | 14.52% | 14.8% | $467,736,000 | $338,670,000 | $131,925,000 | $97,368,000 |
| Scott County | 119 | $8,006 | 15.21% | 13% | $186,007,000 | $109,061,000 | $72,706,000 | $50,079,000 |
| Oldham County | 120 | $7,819 | 10.16% | 14.64% | $231,611,000 | $127,330,000 | $87,995,000 | $28,325,000 |
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