John Lettieri, President and CEO of Economic Innovation Group | Official Website
John Lettieri, President and CEO of Economic Innovation Group | Official Website
Among all government transfer programs, Income Maintenance was the smallest contributor in the county. Social Security was the largest contributor, totaling $132.82 million, equating to $2,457 per capita and making up 32% of total transfers.
Comparatively, Income Maintenance transfers across Nevada amounted to $4 billion, ranking lowest among all transfer types within the state. This translates to an average of $1,258 per capita, or 12.3% of total government transfers. Including all transfer types, government transfer payments totaled $32.62 billion, accounting for 16.5% of residents’ total income, with an average of $10,264 per resident.
Medicare was the second largest contributor in Elko County in 2022, accounting for $90.9 million, averaging $1,682 per capita, representing 21.9% of transfers. Medicaid transfers provided another $85.98 million, averaging $1,591 per capita and comprising 20.7% of government support, making them the third largest contributors.
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).
With 13.2% of the population aged 65 and older, Elko County has a demand for programs like Social Security and Medicare. Despite this aid, the total per capita income in Elko County, excluding government transfers was $46,369, which is below the county's total income of $54,046, emphasizing the role of government transfers in overall income.
When comparing 2022 to the previous year, Elko County saw a decrease in its Income Maintenance transfer dependency by 0.2%.
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 $2,022 per capita in inflation-adjusted 2022 dollars) in 1970 to 17.6% (or $11,542 per capita) in 2022 nationwide. In Elko County, reliance on government transfers has similarly increased from 6.2% (or $1,711 per capita) in 1970 to 14.2% (or $7,677 per capita) in 2022.
According to the Economic Innovation Group’s analysis, these trends are not merely short-term responses to economic pressures but rather reflect a profound, long-term transformation in how government support is integrated into American life. The study illustrates that structural shifts—from rising healthcare expenses and demographic changes to stagnant wages—have significantly increased dependency on government transfers.
| County | Rank | Dependency on Transfers (%) | % Population 65+ | Social Security Transfers (%) | Medicare Transfers (%) | Medicaid Transfers (%) | Income Maintenance Transfers (%) | Per Capita Transfers ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clark County | 1 | 17% | 15.9% | 5.3% | 4.6% | 2.5% | 2.3% | $10,067 |
| Washoe County | 2 | 12.6% | 17.7% | 4.6% | 2.9% | 2.3% | 1.2% | $9,804 |
| Nye County | 3 | 35.9% | 31.2% | 14.2% | 10.7% | 3.2% | 2.9% | $15,441 |
| Carson City (Independent City) | 4 | 21.9% | 21.2% | 7.1% | 5.3% | 5.5% | 1.8% | $13,354 |
| Lyon County | 5 | 23.9% | 21.8% | 9.9% | 5.9% | 2.4% | 2.2% | $11,161 |
| Douglas County | 6 | 13.7% | 32.8% | 6.5% | 4% | 0.9% | 0.6% | $13,692 |
| Elko County | 7 | 14.2% | 13.2% | 4.5% | 3.1% | 2.9% | 1.6% | $7,677 |
| Churchill County | 8 | 24.9% | 19.3% | 7.3% | 4.8% | 5.8% | 2.3% | $13,491 |
| Humboldt County | 9 | 17.8% | 16.1% | 5.9% | 4.2% | 3.5% | 1.9% | $9,700 |
| White Pine County | 10 | 23.4% | 20.2% | 6.7% | 5% | 7.9% | 1.9% | $13,432 |
| Mineral County | 11 | 37.1% | 27.1% | 10.4% | 7.3% | 12.7% | 3.1% | $17,633 |
| Pershing County | 12 | 23.4% | 18.2% | 7.3% | 3.9% | 7.9% | 2.2% | $9,315 |
| Lincoln County | 13 | 27.3% | 24.5% | 8.1% | 7.7% | 6.8% | 2.3% | $13,233 |
| Lander County | 14 | 13.2% | 16.8% | 4.4% | 3% | 3.5% | 1.2% | $9,719 |
| Storey County | 15 | 12.1% | 34.1% | 7.5% | 1.9% | 0.5% | 0.6% | $9,459 |
| Eureka County | 16 | 16.5% | 18.9% | 6.8% | 4.7% | 1.3% | 1.5% | $8,196 |
| Esmeralda County | 17 | 34% | 32.3% | 10.4% | 17.2% | 2.2% | 1.9% | $20,517 |
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