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Friday, March 14, 2025

Meriwether County ranks 36th highest in Georgia for per capita government transfer income at $14,114 in 2022

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John Lettieri, President and CEO of Economic Innovation Group | Official Website

John Lettieri, President and CEO of Economic Innovation Group | Official Website

In 2022, Meriwether County ranked 36th highest per capita recipient of government transfers in Georgia, with residents receiving $14,114 per capita from programs such as Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and income maintenance, according to information from the Economic Innovation Group.

In total, residents in Meriwether County received $294.2 million in government transfers, which accounted for 32.1% of total county income.

Comparatively, across all counties in Georgia, government transfer payments totaled $108.7 billion, making up 17.6% of the state residents’ total income, with an average of $9,964 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 Meriwether County at the time, Social Security transfers totaled $97.8 million, amounting to $4,693 per capita, or 33.3% of total government transfers. Medicare transfers accounted for $75.6 million ($3,626 per capita), representing 25.7% of the total. Medicaid contributed $51.1 million ($2,449 per capita), making up 17.4% of total transfers. Income maintenance programs, including assistance such as SNAP or TANF, added another $41.6 million ($1,997 per capita), or 14.1% of the total.

With 21.1% of the population aged 65 and older, Meriwether County has a significant demand for programs like Social Security and Medicare. Total per capita income excluding government transfers in Meriwether County was $29,866, far below the county’s total income of $43,980, emphasizing the role of government transfers in overall income.

When comparing 2022 to the previous year, Meriwether County saw a decrease of 17.2% in per capita government transfers, from $17,160 to $14,114 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 Meriwether County, reliance on government transfers has similarly increased from 12.97% (or $1,966 per capita) in 1970 to 32.1% (or $14,114 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.

Breakdown of Government Transfers by Program in Meriwether County, 2022

04000800012000Total Per CapitaIncome Maintenance TransfersMedicaid TransfersMedicare TransfersSocial Security TransfersCounty Amount($)Statewide Average($)

2022 Georgia County Rankings by Per Capita Government Transfers

CountyState Rank (Per Capita Transfers)Per Capita Transfers ($)Dependency on Transfers (%)% Population 65+Social Security Transfers ($)Medicare Transfers ($)Medicaid Transfers ($)Income Maintenance Transfers ($)
Towns County1$18,41238.66%37%$106,860,000$74,733,000$18,556,000$11,587,000
Talbot County2$18,01038.86%27.32%$29,455,000$32,005,000$14,186,000$12,686,000
Quitman County3$17,09846.68%32.76%$13,788,000$10,710,000$4,144,000$5,438,000
Twiggs County4$16,68137.5%24.67%$44,750,000$32,354,000$22,930,000$16,545,000
Randolph County5$16,47539.24%26.46%$27,463,000$22,167,000$24,329,000$17,294,000
Union County6$16,16536.25%34.12%$194,653,000$119,676,000$33,901,000$25,648,000
Fannin County7$15,90332%31.55%$173,136,000$118,892,000$40,041,000$32,108,000
Clay County8$15,86343%29.3%$13,391,000$7,466,000$12,633,000$8,273,000
Miller County9$15,80430.93%22.6%$24,088,000$31,151,000$18,829,000$11,715,000
Warren County10$15,74039.17%23.72%$25,682,000$18,939,000$15,808,000$12,939,000
Wilkes County11$15,59129.46%23.76%$50,030,000$43,595,000$22,200,000$19,536,000
Terrell County12$15,45534.13%21.45%$38,927,000$32,395,000$28,164,000$24,062,000
Jefferson County13$15,36937%19%$68,812,000$56,809,000$51,082,000$35,986,000
Greene County14$15,26520.1%30.77%$137,884,000$87,375,000$32,421,000$26,683,000
Dougherty County15$15,13533.87%17.48%$315,263,000$277,342,000$246,307,000$239,505,000
Hancock County16$15,13242.6%25.76%$43,142,000$31,670,000$23,545,000$17,353,000
McIntosh County17$15,05931.62%29.53%$64,669,000$44,255,000$18,491,000$19,722,000
Ware County18$15,01739%17.7%$131,801,000$140,208,000$100,105,000$82,365,000
Wilkinson County19$15,01634.84%21%$48,001,000$32,508,000$18,744,000$18,705,000
Seminole County20$14,91432.31%25.21%$43,340,000$35,071,000$24,030,000$19,315,000
Rabun County21$14,89628.43%28.93%$108,406,000$75,287,000$25,854,000$21,169,000
Calhoun County22$14,77243.57%17.23%$20,267,000$24,647,000$15,873,000$12,020,000
Crisp County23$14,70932.99%19.89%$80,337,000$68,320,000$65,189,000$50,964,000
Early County24$14,69934.9%20%$42,190,000$40,750,000$32,211,000$27,667,000
Baker County25$14,61229.4%26.68%$12,649,000$10,676,000$7,625,000$6,163,000
Elbert County26$14,44033.95%21.36%$96,906,000$76,752,000$48,863,000$39,384,000
Dooly County27$14,41432.18%22.9%$41,177,000$46,734,000$31,066,000$21,548,000
Clinch County28$14,38834.49%17.29%$25,522,000$27,565,000$21,910,000$14,489,000
Stephens County29$14,35831.98%21.17%$130,664,000$115,249,000$53,989,000$50,153,000
Stewart County30$14,31740.14%16.99%$17,570,000$15,241,000$16,238,000$9,930,000
Turner County31$14,31438.78%19.59%$32,816,000$33,211,000$27,669,000$22,208,000
Lincoln County32$14,26430.7%25.6%$42,055,000$31,137,000$12,448,000$12,085,000
Screven County33$14,20335.57%21%$62,210,000$52,137,000$37,857,000$29,004,000
Sumter County34$14,20033.15%18%$113,142,000$85,863,000$86,569,000$72,187,000
Taylor County35$14,13637.1%21.9%$32,088,000$26,547,000$23,305,000$17,428,000
Meriwether County36$14,11432%21.11%$97,834,000$75,588,000$51,054,000$41,619,000
Taliaferro County37$14,03232.15%28.23%$8,310,000$4,990,000$3,935,000$3,406,000
Candler County38$13,91834.27%18.32%$41,880,000$37,759,000$36,499,000$23,614,000
Ben Hill County39$13,89536%18.37%$64,856,000$54,834,000$52,278,000$39,285,000
Bibb County40$13,87930%16.55%$569,393,000$558,276,000$400,975,000$364,188,000
Baldwin County41$13,87932.83%17.51%$178,962,000$136,343,000$148,454,000$75,140,000
McDuffie County42$13,81632.54%19.11%$89,537,000$75,048,000$51,735,000$47,589,000
Gilmer County43$13,73830.33%27%$185,800,000$121,321,000$48,024,000$40,685,000
Thomas County44$13,71225.59%19.3%$193,490,000$149,472,000$117,980,000$90,138,000
Chattooga County45$13,70736.99%18.96%$112,833,000$96,872,000$52,717,000$48,016,000
Washington County46$13,69033.96%18.12%$85,481,000$65,229,000$50,045,000$41,277,000
Peach County47$13,69031.19%17.1%$100,293,000$111,349,000$46,897,000$52,581,000
Emanuel County48$13,65834.99%16.36%$86,754,000$66,760,000$72,679,000$52,639,000
Johnson County49$13,64243%20.28%$34,276,000$36,729,000$27,205,000$17,405,000
Pickens County50$13,64222.51%22.78%$207,475,000$145,573,000$43,776,000$36,772,000
Mitchell County51$13,63430.89%18.41%$79,174,000$77,345,000$58,408,000$49,638,000
Toombs County52$13,48232.35%16.84%$103,842,000$88,068,000$76,846,000$60,123,000
White County53$13,42727.22%23.25%$151,276,000$118,727,000$35,142,000$33,670,000
Jenkins County54$13,35836.29%17.55%$30,011,000$31,217,000$27,356,000$18,123,000
Berrien County55$13,31333.39%17.64%$67,600,000$64,683,000$41,573,000$34,901,000
Putnam County56$13,23624.3%25.13%$126,669,000$82,673,000$31,043,000$34,971,000
Dodge County57$13,18936.42%19.58%$73,993,000$75,216,000$46,318,000$39,734,000
Marion County58$13,17534.61%21.97%$29,120,000$21,865,000$19,297,000$14,821,000
Laurens County59$13,16630.77%18.28%$199,303,000$154,863,000$107,725,000$107,708,000
Treutlen County60$13,14036.12%18%$23,383,000$20,473,000$18,379,000$13,995,000
Brooks County61$13,12433.23%21.8%$63,668,000$57,512,000$39,267,000$33,121,000
Upson County62$13,00131.7%18.65%$122,304,000$88,479,000$63,349,000$57,419,000
Spalding County63$12,95530.88%18.87%$300,931,000$228,148,000$130,747,000$143,220,000
Pierce County64$12,93231%17.28%$72,992,000$71,768,000$42,225,000$34,540,000
Irwin County65$12,92530.52%19%$35,723,000$27,719,000$26,934,000$17,505,000
Colquitt County66$12,89831.33%16.17%$155,196,000$170,773,000$104,939,000$98,160,000
Hart County67$12,81927.95%22.8%$133,742,000$93,426,000$49,372,000$39,849,000
Pulaski County68$12,79531.21%22.4%$37,603,000$34,997,000$21,546,000$17,210,000
Muscogee County69$12,79426.63%14.82%$681,310,000$511,267,000$376,378,000$408,385,000
Glascock County70$12,73232.36%17.59%$11,647,000$10,066,000$8,290,000$4,592,000
Richmond County71$12,72930.1%15.22%$702,505,000$499,909,000$504,541,000$424,888,000
Polk County72$12,70032%15.71%$167,313,000$158,213,000$93,026,000$82,975,000
Floyd County73$12,61528.59%16.93%$412,936,000$337,726,000$206,619,000$163,230,000
Cook County74$12,58632.31%16.71%$61,901,000$53,012,000$40,484,000$37,067,000
Wilcox County75$12,58337.76%20.29%$27,178,000$32,285,000$25,210,000$15,180,000
Glynn County76$12,56320.93%22.74%$411,230,000$286,887,000$112,130,000$126,845,000
Walker County77$12,49729.54%19.5%$295,726,000$257,166,000$122,378,000$101,439,000
Appling County78$12,41528.47%18.76%$71,125,000$59,210,000$42,741,000$35,310,000
Macon County79$12,37528.7%19.47%$41,189,000$26,369,000$40,991,000$23,629,000
Decatur County80$12,34529.95%17.39%$103,460,000$84,777,000$70,802,000$67,131,000
Burke County81$12,29830.3%17.65%$91,652,000$63,941,000$61,181,000$53,134,000
Evans County82$12,25530.21%16.76%$38,690,000$34,218,000$22,385,000$23,400,000
Franklin County83$12,22527.73%19.27%$105,956,000$75,603,000$45,167,000$39,114,000
Haralson County84$12,17326.97%15.73%$121,921,000$93,573,000$56,155,000$51,484,000
Telfair County85$12,15542.81%18.48%$41,980,000$29,793,000$39,324,000$26,352,000
Wayne County86$12,06331.85%16.14%$117,680,000$94,711,000$59,937,000$55,987,000
Tift County87$12,06127%16.27%$142,361,000$113,500,000$90,165,000$87,393,000
Bacon County88$12,05230.15%17.23%$38,307,000$34,780,000$27,009,000$22,248,000
Bleckley County89$11,98629.21%18.36%$44,170,000$39,964,000$23,196,000$21,311,000
Lamar County90$11,96927.37%17.25%$79,470,000$60,854,000$30,393,000$32,726,000
Worth County91$11,96529.21%20.29%$77,159,000$66,175,000$38,501,000$38,345,000
Heard County92$11,93928.45%17.7%$44,157,000$41,405,000$21,866,000$19,954,000
Webster County93$11,92530.2%25.8%$10,151,000$5,894,000$4,431,000$4,796,000
Troup County94$11,80126.4%15.98%$267,176,000$206,689,000$133,061,000$134,646,000
Morgan County95$11,75919.45%20.69%$98,291,000$72,559,000$25,732,000$27,082,000
Jeff Davis County96$11,72731.95%16%$52,514,000$39,330,000$35,157,000$31,765,000
Butts County97$11,54827.74%15.4%$101,024,000$89,434,000$44,078,000$41,041,000
Dade County98$11,54527.54%21.16%$74,834,000$48,637,000$21,323,000$18,653,000
Brantley County99$11,52333%17.95%$64,409,000$51,750,000$33,455,000$34,099,000
Coffee County100$11,25628.88%14.44%$130,848,000$122,395,000$93,669,000$89,199,000
Madison County101$11,17924%17.81%$127,930,000$90,947,000$51,506,000$47,082,000
Lanier County102$11,09732.8%15.31%$29,157,000$24,299,000$23,412,000$19,560,000
Crawford County103$11,09327.58%20.22%$50,574,000$25,430,000$25,425,000$18,853,000
Atkinson County104$11,05830.19%14.75%$23,123,000$22,884,000$18,253,000$17,702,000
Jasper County105$11,05623.31%17.39%$63,742,000$50,825,000$23,137,000$23,035,000
Carroll County106$11,05021.89%14%$443,651,000$374,249,000$163,121,000$193,030,000
Lowndes County107$11,03425.13%13.15%$353,533,000$286,477,000$210,874,000$220,368,000
Grady County108$11,01128.61%19.2%$95,236,000$72,260,000$44,997,000$47,260,000
Lumpkin County109$10,98623.37%18.36%$140,172,000$104,198,000$38,787,000$32,372,000
Habersham County110$10,92427.21%18.89%$199,129,000$145,052,000$55,107,000$59,235,000
Harris County111$10,79318.4%19.42%$150,893,000$93,391,000$27,273,000$32,113,000
Chatham County112$10,78119%16.78%$1,066,598,000$768,906,000$412,978,000$421,365,000
Tattnall County113$10,75529.3%15.67%$70,643,000$60,954,000$53,930,000$41,562,000
Walton County114$10,72920.75%16.25%$377,893,000$350,342,000$100,093,000$134,268,000
Murray County115$10,67928.51%15.91%$145,241,000$112,151,000$70,433,000$68,732,000
Schley County116$10,60624.41%18.52%$15,408,000$12,363,000$6,571,000$8,109,000
Oglethorpe County117$10,58422.49%19.37%$63,928,000$40,526,000$23,482,000$20,400,000
Liberty County118$10,54626.67%10.17%$153,255,000$95,690,000$74,655,000$122,561,000
Camden County119$10,52724.13%15.17%$194,381,000$147,579,000$46,881,000$70,066,000
Houston County120$10,49821.83%13.58%$492,197,000$385,376,000$179,725,000$241,111,000
Gordon County121$10,45223.33%15.85%$216,107,000$174,920,000$86,207,000$85,085,000
Rockdale County122$10,41425.26%15.81%$325,242,000$229,910,000$116,353,000$162,256,000
Dawson County123$10,38117%20.11%$120,808,000$105,703,000$22,066,000$26,470,000
Charlton County124$10,36433%15.32%$40,137,000$37,411,000$20,791,000$18,081,000
Monroe County125$10,33419%19.25%$127,028,000$69,453,000$41,114,000$33,806,000
Montgomery County126$10,31827.76%18.23%$31,271,000$16,485,000$15,730,000$14,534,000
Fayette County127$10,31813.7%20%$537,121,000$360,403,000$60,840,000$87,452,000
Jackson County128$10,27018.71%14.59%$285,153,000$307,713,000$82,086,000$89,625,000
Columbia County129$10,14617.23%15%$551,624,000$339,229,000$89,839,000$138,500,000
Jones County130$10,13323.46%18.19%$120,437,000$59,796,000$42,711,000$36,112,000
Newton County131$10,12424.31%13.38%$385,237,000$290,114,000$137,057,000$216,971,000
Long County132$10,12325.38%10%$35,340,000$28,312,000$24,323,000$30,896,000
Whitfield County133$9,91821.89%14.9%$348,266,000$258,030,000$163,190,000$157,337,000
Bartow County134$9,91520.42%14.93%$396,639,000$301,757,000$150,562,000$149,486,000
Pike County135$9,84119.41%16%$75,070,000$56,687,000$21,761,000$22,179,000
Catoosa County136$9,79023.14%18.59%$283,905,000$160,319,000$75,978,000$77,098,000
Douglas County137$9,53121.83%12.28%$435,007,000$341,076,000$165,635,000$235,747,000
Hall County138$9,50316.55%16.28%$784,499,000$514,065,000$244,349,000$250,701,000
Lee County139$9,33017.93%14.21%$108,541,000$69,262,000$34,746,000$44,892,000
Banks County140$9,23220.49%18.15%$73,993,000$26,248,000$32,554,000$23,672,000
Henry County141$9,21319.63%12.45%$743,915,000$523,819,000$171,673,000$352,463,000
Bryan County142$9,20316%11%$134,533,000$93,839,000$34,163,000$48,056,000
Wheeler County143$9,19139%16.28%$19,846,000$16,385,000$13,165,000$11,518,000
Coweta County144$9,12815.22%15.2%$543,056,000$380,215,000$118,287,000$157,838,000
Clayton County145$9,12127.78%10.73%$687,246,000$456,024,000$450,302,000$693,987,000
DeKalb County146$9,04414.44%13.77%$2,046,664,000$1,727,900,000$1,027,645,000$1,207,932,000
Barrow County147$8,86818.88%12.9%$276,115,000$223,424,000$84,500,000$112,857,000
Bulloch County148$8,75922.81%12.41%$210,616,000$158,229,000$99,608,000$116,527,000
Effingham County149$8,69718%12.48%$213,436,000$135,209,000$57,956,000$74,310,000
Cherokee County150$8,53912.89%15.88%$1,013,478,000$746,444,000$141,649,000$195,344,000
Fulton County151$8,2998.25%12.67%$2,743,049,000$2,226,019,000$1,255,128,000$1,476,169,000
Clarke County152$8,15119.9%12.52%$344,495,000$247,494,000$162,207,000$164,471,000
Cobb County153$8,01311.46%13.68%$2,326,787,000$1,589,359,000$592,616,000$717,420,000
Oconee County154$7,9549.96%17.24%$161,180,000$98,276,000$22,480,000$25,890,000
Echols County155$7,90024.17%13.84%$9,880,000$2,760,000$7,189,000$6,609,000
Gwinnett County156$7,23414.22%11.3%$2,206,039,000$1,622,269,000$718,620,000$1,151,374,000
Paulding County157$7,19714.95%11.67%$498,516,000$277,213,000$120,184,000$191,586,000
Forsyth County158$5,7847.29%12.69%$702,282,000$428,037,000$74,775,000$128,741,000
Chattahoochee County159$5,66715.61%5.56%$11,462,000$9,582,000$6,165,000$12,406,000

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