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 Elko County received $414.9 million in government transfers, which accounted for 14.2% 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 Elko County at the time, Social Security transfers totaled $132.8 million, amounting to $2,457 per capita, or 32% of total government transfers. Medicare transfers accounted for $90.9 million ($1,682 per capita), representing 21.9% of the total. Medicaid contributed $86 million ($1,591 per capita), making up 20.7% of total transfers. Income maintenance programs, including assistance such as SNAP or TANF, added another $47.1 million ($871 per capita), or 11.4% of the total.
With 13.2% of the population aged 65 and older, Elko County has a demand for programs like Social Security and Medicare. Total per capita income excluding government transfers in Elko County was $46,369, noticeably 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 of 27.8% in per capita government transfers, from $10,683 to $7,677 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 Elko County, reliance on government transfers has similarly increased from 6.24% (or $1,711 per capita) in 1970 to 14.2% (or $7,677 per capita) in 2022, reflecting broader national trends.
According to the Economic Innovation Group’s analysis, these trends are not merely short-term responses to economic pressures but rather reflect a profound, long-term transformation in how government support is integrated into American life. The study illustrates that structural shifts—from rising healthcare expenses and demographic changes to stagnant wages—have significantly increased dependency on government transfers.
| County | State Rank (Per Capita Transfers) | Per Capita Transfers ($) | 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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