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 Douglas County received $679.5 million in government transfers, which accounted for 13.7% of total county income.
Comparatively, across all counties in Nevada, government transfer payments totaled $32.6 billion, making up 16.5% of the state residents’ total income, with an average of $10,264 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 Douglas County at the time, Social Security transfers totaled $325.9 million, amounting to $6,566 per capita, or 48% of total government transfers. Medicare transfers accounted for $199.3 million ($4,016 per capita), representing 29.3% of the total. Medicaid contributed $43.7 million ($880 per capita), making up 6.4% of total transfers. Income maintenance programs, including assistance such as SNAP or TANF, added another $30 million ($605 per capita), or 4.4% of the total.
With 32.8% of the population aged 65 and older, Douglas County has a significant demand for programs like Social Security and Medicare. Total per capita income excluding government transfers in Douglas County was $86,603, noticeably below the county’s total income of $100,296, emphasizing the role of government transfers in overall income.
When comparing 2022 to the previous year, Douglas County saw a decrease of 18.2% in per capita government transfers, from $16,630 to $13,692 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 Douglas County, reliance on government transfers has similarly increased from 4.55% (or $1,992 per capita) in 1970 to 13.7% (or $13,692 per capita) in 2022, reflecting broader national trends.
According to the Economic Innovation Group’s analysis, these trends are not merely short-term responses to economic pressures but rather reflect a profound, long-term transformation in how government support is integrated into American life. The study illustrates that structural shifts—from rising healthcare expenses and demographic changes to stagnant wages—have significantly increased dependency on government transfers.
| County | State Rank (Per Capita Transfers) | Per Capita Transfers ($) | Dependency on Transfers (%) | % Population 65+ | Social Security Transfers ($) | Medicare Transfers ($) | Medicaid Transfers ($) | Income Maintenance Transfers ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Esmeralda County | 1 | $20,517 | 33.98% | 32.26% | $4,664,000 | $7,732,000 | $984,000 | $855,000 |
| Mineral County | 2 | $17,633 | 37.12% | 27% | $22,376,000 | $15,589,000 | $27,353,000 | $6,644,000 |
| Nye County | 3 | $15,441 | 35.86% | 31.16% | $334,903,000 | $252,315,000 | $74,372,000 | $69,132,000 |
| Douglas County | 4 | $13,692 | 13.65% | 32.8% | $325,855,000 | $199,328,000 | $43,661,000 | $30,031,000 |
| Churchill County | 5 | $13,491 | 24.89% | 19.26% | $102,151,000 | $67,417,000 | $80,825,000 | $31,814,000 |
| White Pine County | 6 | $13,432 | 23.43% | 20.17% | $33,590,000 | $25,358,000 | $39,755,000 | $9,351,000 |
| Carson City (Independent City) County | 7 | $13,354 | 21.88% | 21.16% | $250,304,000 | $187,059,000 | $195,105,000 | $63,706,000 |
| Lincoln County | 8 | $13,233 | 27.25% | 24.53% | $17,554,000 | $16,808,000 | $14,890,000 | $4,961,000 |
| Lyon County | 9 | $11,161 | 23.88% | 21.81% | $283,514,000 | $169,011,000 | $68,666,000 | $62,001,000 |
| Clark County | 10 | $10,067 | 17% | 15.87% | $7,257,026,000 | $6,257,577,000 | $3,467,492,000 | $3,184,451,000 |
| Washoe County | 11 | $9,804 | 12.56% | 17.73% | $1,795,586,000 | $1,118,977,000 | $877,744,000 | $453,893,000 |
| Lander County | 12 | $9,719 | 13.21% | 16.82% | $18,765,000 | $12,544,000 | $14,734,000 | $5,107,000 |
| Humboldt County | 13 | $9,700 | 17.82% | 16.14% | $55,121,000 | $39,635,000 | $33,051,000 | $18,041,000 |
| Storey County | 14 | $9,459 | 12.13% | 34% | $24,433,000 | $6,146,000 | $1,674,000 | $2,031,000 |
| Pershing County | 15 | $9,315 | 23.37% | 18.22% | $18,679,000 | $9,990,000 | $20,301,000 | $5,558,000 |
| Eureka County | 16 | $8,196 | 16.51% | 18.89% | $6,291,000 | $4,378,000 | $1,180,000 | $1,427,000 |
| Elko County | 17 | $7,677 | 14.21% | 13.18% | $132,815,000 | $90,897,000 | $85,981,000 | $47,096,000 |
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