John Lettieri, President and CEO of Economic Innovation Group | Official Website
John Lettieri, President and CEO of Economic Innovation Group | Official Website
Among Nebraska’s counties, Cheyenne County saw the largest increase in transfer dependency over the past 10 years, surging 12.8% from 13.5% in 2012 to 26.3% in 2022, and up 15.7% from just 10.6% in 1970. In dollar terms, government transfers per capita in Cheyenne County jumped from $7,652 in 2012 to $13,298 in 2022, a stark contrast to the $2,118 recorded in 1970.
Kimball County followed with the second-largest increase in transfer dependency, increasing 12.4% from 15.7% in 2012 to 28.1% in 2022, and an overall increase of 21.2% from 1970’s 6.9% transfer dependency. This trend is reflected in per capita amounts, with residents of Kimball County receiving an average of $15,481 in transfer income in 2022, up from $10,393 in 2012 and more than double the $2,118 recorded in 1970.
Additionally, Garden County had the highest percentage of income derived from government transfers, at 35.1% in 2022, making it the county with the highest overall transfer dependency. Hooker County and Garfield County followed closely behind, with transfer dependency rates of 34% and 33.1% in 2022, respectively.
Compared to 1970, Garden County increased by 25.1%, while Hooker County and Garfield County have increased by 21% and 20.1%, respectively, showing sustained reliance on government transfers. Residents in Garden County received an average of $18,080 in transfers per capita, with Hooker County and Garfield County close behind at $14,815 and $16,172, respectively.
For comparison, the statewide average was 16% in 2022, showing a lower dependency than the national average of 17.6%. On a per capita level, this translates to $10,262 per resident in 2022, compared to $11,542 nationwide.
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).
In Nebraska, reliance on government transfers was just 8% (or $1,831 per capita in inflation-adjusted 2022 dollars) in 1970. This has since increased to 16% (or $10,262 per capita) in 2022, reflecting a total increase of 8% since 1970. This shift is largely influenced by increased healthcare costs, and economic transformations that have reshaped income sources across the U.S.
In 2022, the primary government transfer programs in Nebraska included:
- Social Security: $3,496 (34.1% of total transfers)
- Medicare: $2,561 (25% of total transfers)
- Medicaid: $1,810 (17.6% of total transfers)
- Income Maintenance Programs: $848 (8.3% of total transfers)
With 16.8% of the population aged 65 and older, Nebraska has a significant demand for programs like Social Security and Medicare. However, counties with higher poverty rates also show elevated Medicaid and income maintenance participation.
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 Nebraska, reliance on government transfers has similarly increased from 8% (or $1,831 per capita) in 1970 to 16% (or $10,262 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 | Dependency on Transfers (%) | Change Since 2012 | Change Since 1970 | Per Capita Amount (2022) | Per Capita Change Since 2012 | Per Capita Change Since 1970 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adams County | 20.7% | 3.9% | 12.5% | $12,381 | $3,516 | $10,494 |
| Antelope County | 19.5% | 3.8% | 8.3% | $13,420 | $3,540 | $11,550 |
| Arthur County | 20.6% | -3.7% | 13.8% | $9,194 | $1,527 | $8,086 |
| Banner County | 17.3% | 1.6% | 14.1% | $10,576 | -$488 | $9,861 |
| Blaine County | 23.2% | 3.9% | 11.5% | $12,653 | $3,841 | $10,776 |
| Boone County | 19.9% | 5.4% | 7.6% | $12,555 | $3,616 | $10,535 |
| Box Butte County | 28.3% | 9.5% | 17.6% | $15,648 | $5,992 | $13,280 |
| Boyd County | 26.3% | 0.9% | 12.3% | $20,621 | $7,713 | $18,412 |
| Brown County | 22.2% | 2% | 12% | $14,151 | $3,208 | $11,814 |
| Buffalo County | 15% | 3.4% | 6.1% | $9,681 | $2,837 | $8,002 |
| Burt County | 25.6% | 4.4% | 15.7% | $13,978 | $3,181 | $11,949 |
| Butler County | 18.9% | 2% | 8.5% | $11,363 | $2,755 | $9,337 |
| Cass County | 16.9% | 1.4% | 9.2% | $10,854 | $2,817 | $9,155 |
| Cedar County | 18.2% | 4.2% | 6% | $11,411 | $3,600 | $9,696 |
| Chase County | 18.5% | 6.3% | 9% | $13,435 | $4,398 | $11,324 |
| Cherry County | 24.1% | 6.6% | 16.6% | $13,029 | $4,347 | $11,406 |
| Cheyenne County | 26.3% | 12.8% | 15.7% | $13,298 | $5,646 | $11,180 |
| Clay County | 21.1% | 5.2% | 12% | $12,535 | $3,393 | $10,359 |
| Colfax County | 15.4% | 1.4% | 4.7% | $8,585 | $2,331 | $6,476 |
| Cuming County | 15.8% | 2.9% | 7.8% | $11,880 | $3,448 | $10,272 |
| Custer County | 24.3% | 6.7% | 14.6% | $14,225 | $4,966 | $12,093 |
| Dakota County | 17.2% | -1.4% | 8% | $8,971 | $1,893 | $7,112 |
| Dawes County | 26.2% | 4.6% | 16.4% | $12,038 | $3,444 | $10,159 |
| Dawson County | 20.1% | 3.2% | 12.1% | $10,605 | $3,016 | $8,716 |
| Deuel County | 30.6% | 8.3% | 21.7% | $14,269 | $4,609 | $11,807 |
| Dixon County | 19.7% | 3.4% | 9.2% | $10,866 | $3,695 | $8,991 |
| Dodge County | 20.2% | 1% | 12.7% | $11,958 | $2,664 | $10,282 |
| Douglas County | 12.2% | 1.6% | 4.7% | $9,013 | $1,748 | $7,053 |
| Dundy County | 19.2% | 4.4% | 9.1% | $16,965 | $5,606 | $14,600 |
| Fillmore County | 21.5% | 6.8% | 12.8% | $14,254 | $3,731 | $12,046 |
| Franklin County | 27.8% | 8.5% | 16.5% | $16,865 | $5,864 | $14,315 |
| Frontier County | 19.5% | 4.8% | 10.7% | $10,418 | $2,217 | $8,737 |
| Furnas County | 28.8% | 7.2% | 13.9% | $17,213 | $5,413 | $14,276 |
| Gage County | 25.4% | 1.6% | 15.8% | $16,200 | $4,028 | $14,206 |
| Garden County | 35.1% | 10.9% | 25.1% | $18,080 | $5,602 | $16,044 |
| Garfield County | 33.1% | 10.1% | 20.1% | $16,172 | $5,178 | $13,829 |
| Gosper County | 22.6% | 6.7% | 17% | $14,842 | $5,015 | $13,523 |
| Grant County | 30.2% | 7% | 23.2% | $14,686 | $4,380 | $12,915 |
| Greeley County | 22.9% | 3.7% | 10.1% | $14,269 | $4,623 | $12,035 |
| Hall County | 18.7% | 1.8% | 10.5% | $10,069 | $2,380 | $8,171 |
| Hamilton County | 16.7% | 4.3% | 9.3% | $11,143 | $3,032 | $9,444 |
| Harlan County | 24.7% | 6.5% | 13.6% | $15,595 | $5,197 | $13,225 |
| Hayes County | 16.3% | 7.4% | 9.1% | $12,453 | $5,499 | $11,193 |
| Hitchcock County | 27% | 4.1% | 16.3% | $15,826 | $4,208 | $13,657 |
| Holt County | 23.5% | 6.4% | 13.7% | $14,862 | $4,338 | $13,067 |
| Hooker County | 34% | 7.8% | 21% | $14,815 | $3,675 | $12,349 |
| Howard County | 20.9% | 2.9% | 12% | $11,799 | $3,038 | $10,104 |
| Jefferson County | 25% | 4.7% | 13.3% | $14,370 | $4,223 | $12,049 |
| Johnson County | 23.5% | 4.1% | 13.1% | $10,088 | $2,453 | $8,059 |
| Kearney County | 20.5% | 6.1% | 13.8% | $14,044 | $4,092 | $12,283 |
| Keith County | 24.3% | 5.1% | 16.2% | $13,088 | $3,406 | $11,256 |
| Keya Paha County | 24.4% | 8.8% | 16.7% | $14,254 | $3,637 | $12,921 |
| Kimball County | 28.1% | 12.4% | 21.2% | $15,481 | $5,088 | $13,955 |
| Knox County | 25.5% | 5.2% | 10.6% | $14,975 | $4,919 | $12,712 |
| Lancaster County | 15.2% | 1.8% | 8.6% | $9,158 | $2,265 | $7,529 |
| Lincoln County | 22.2% | 3.7% | 12.9% | $14,359 | $4,339 | $12,373 |
| Logan County | 21.9% | 6.2% | 12% | $11,551 | $3,069 | $9,486 |
| Loup County | 23% | 3.6% | 15.4% | $14,519 | $4,775 | $13,055 |
| McPherson County | 17.7% | 3.5% | 9.8% | $9,882 | $2,780 | $8,398 |
| Madison County | 18.2% | 1.5% | 8.8% | $11,375 | $2,906 | $9,469 |
| Merrick County | 23.1% | 5.5% | 13.9% | $12,744 | $3,263 | $10,858 |
| Morrill County | 21.5% | 6.2% | 10.2% | $14,925 | $6,122 | $12,927 |
| Nance County | 26.7% | 5.9% | 15.2% | $12,729 | $3,172 | $10,644 |
| Nemaha County | 23.7% | 4.5% | 14.6% | $13,078 | $2,774 | $11,044 |
| Nuckolls County | 25.9% | 3.9% | 14.3% | $16,440 | $4,348 | $14,216 |
| Otoe County | 21% | 4.7% | 11.5% | $12,166 | $3,130 | $10,058 |
| Pawnee County | 23.7% | 2.3% | 10.1% | $13,260 | $3,277 | $10,766 |
| Perkins County | 15.1% | 4.3% | 6.5% | $12,963 | $4,480 | $10,782 |
| Phelps County | 21.1% | 5.4% | 12.3% | $13,143 | $3,327 | $11,056 |
| Pierce County | 12.4% | -1.6% | 1.4% | $10,592 | $2,796 | $8,914 |
| Platte County | 17.4% | 3.5% | 11.5% | $9,803 | $2,763 | $8,374 |
| Polk County | 18.3% | 3.3% | 8.7% | $11,929 | $2,960 | $9,791 |
| Red Willow County | 24.6% | 5.8% | 15.4% | $13,808 | $3,862 | $11,797 |
| Richardson County | 26.3% | 3.4% | 13.7% | $15,378 | $4,179 | $12,638 |
| Rock County | 17.6% | 7.7% | 6.4% | $12,648 | $6,274 | $10,598 |
| Saline County | 20.4% | 2.8% | 10.3% | $10,566 | $2,500 | $8,427 |
| Sarpy County | 12.9% | 1.3% | 10.7% | $8,006 | $1,896 | $7,455 |
| Saunders County | 16.2% | 0.6% | 6.4% | $10,539 | $2,511 | $8,615 |
| Scotts Bluff County | 24.8% | 4.7% | 16.5% | $13,225 | $3,810 | $11,503 |
| Seward County | 17.7% | 3.5% | 9.6% | $10,483 | $2,874 | $8,913 |
| Sheridan County | 20.9% | 2.4% | 8.9% | $14,692 | $5,108 | $12,313 |
| Sherman County | 25.6% | 5.7% | 14.4% | $14,398 | $4,163 | $12,462 |
| Sioux County | 13.7% | 3.6% | 7.5% | $8,988 | $2,910 | $7,940 |
| Stanton County | 14.2% | 0.7% | 6.1% | $8,311 | $2,138 | $7,065 |
| Thayer County | 24.3% | 7.1% | 12.8% | $16,105 | $4,672 | $13,867 |
| Thomas County | 22.4% | 6% | 12% | $14,823 | $5,877 | $12,791 |
| Thurston County | 23.1% | 3.1% | 12.9% | $13,122 | $3,587 | $11,173 |
| Valley County | 24% | 1.6% | 12.8% | $14,556 | $3,265 | $12,364 |
| Washington County | 14.5% | 2% | 8.1% | $10,127 | $2,602 | $8,698 |
| Wayne County | 17.3% | 1.3% | 9.4% | $8,962 | $1,681 | $7,731 |
| Webster County | 26.8% | 5.2% | 14.4% | $15,214 | $4,158 | $12,866 |
| Wheeler County | 17.8% | 8.1% | 8.8% | $10,090 | $2,394 | $8,811 |
| York County | 20.1% | 4.3% | 12.7% | $12,192 | $2,785 | $10,512 |
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