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 St. Louis County received $11.4 billion in government transfers, which accounted for 12.3% of total county income.
Comparatively, across all counties in Missouri, government transfer payments totaled $82.1 billion, making up 18.3% of the state residents’ total income, with an average of $11,455 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 St. Louis County at the time, Social Security transfers totaled $4.4 billion, amounting to $4,420 per capita, or 38.5% of total government transfers. Medicare transfers accounted for $3.2 billion ($3,258 per capita), representing 28.4% of the total. Medicaid contributed $2 billion ($2,000 per capita), making up 17.4% of total transfers. Income maintenance programs, including assistance such as SNAP or TANF, added another $877.4 million ($886 per capita), or 7.7% of the total.
With 19.1% of the population aged 65 and older, St. Louis County has a significant demand for programs like Social Security and Medicare. Total per capita income excluding government transfers in St. Louis County was $81,937, noticeably below the county’s total income of $93,405, emphasizing the role of government transfers in overall income.
When comparing 2022 to the previous year, St. Louis County saw a decrease of 15.3% in per capita government transfers, from $13,429 to $11,469 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 St. Louis County, reliance on government transfers has similarly increased from 4.43% (or $1,364 per capita) in 1970 to 12.3% (or $11,469 per capita) in 2022, reflecting broader national trends.
According to the Economic Innovation Group’s analysis, these trends are not merely short-term responses to economic pressures but rather reflect a profound, long-term transformation in how government support is integrated into American life. The study illustrates that structural shifts—from rising healthcare expenses and demographic changes to stagnant wages—have significantly increased dependency on government transfers.
| County | State Rank (Per Capita Transfers) | Per Capita Transfers ($) | Dependency on Transfers (%) | % Population 65+ | Social Security Transfers ($) | Medicare Transfers ($) | Medicaid Transfers ($) | Income Maintenance Transfers ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ripley County | 1 | $19,834 | 43.59% | 19.91% | $55,178,000 | $45,976,000 | $65,264,000 | $23,039,000 |
| Iron County | 2 | $19,467 | 46.67% | 22.14% | $49,485,000 | $45,301,000 | $55,066,000 | $15,639,000 |
| Carter County | 3 | $18,774 | 40.49% | 20.84% | $28,565,000 | $22,930,000 | $24,241,000 | $9,735,000 |
| Oregon County | 4 | $18,751 | 44% | 22.93% | $44,952,000 | $32,639,000 | $43,810,000 | $17,251,000 |
| Wayne County | 5 | $18,323 | 43.25% | 24.71% | $60,402,000 | $35,966,000 | $52,095,000 | $19,643,000 |
| Dunklin County | 6 | $17,907 | 40.78% | 18.84% | $117,555,000 | $107,276,000 | $172,602,000 | $58,543,000 |
| Pemiscot County | 7 | $17,608 | 37.72% | 18.31% | $61,599,000 | $55,722,000 | $90,154,000 | $36,179,000 |
| Hickory County | 8 | $17,437 | 44.61% | 32.27% | $59,401,000 | $41,735,000 | $22,323,000 | $9,771,000 |
| Reynolds County | 9 | $17,320 | 42.77% | 23.92% | $34,381,000 | $20,476,000 | $27,435,000 | $9,008,000 |
| Ozark County | 10 | $16,621 | 42.12% | 28.6% | $53,744,000 | $40,132,000 | $24,469,000 | $12,046,000 |
| Madison County | 11 | $16,292 | 39.81% | 19.5% | $60,094,000 | $43,092,000 | $67,680,000 | $17,383,000 |
| Gentry County | 12 | $16,281 | 33.21% | 18.47% | $27,416,000 | $31,316,000 | $27,768,000 | $6,669,000 |
| Benton County | 13 | $16,109 | 36.79% | 31.34% | $131,497,000 | $91,390,000 | $36,533,000 | $22,562,000 |
| Butler County | 14 | $15,908 | 36.61% | 19.43% | $169,386,000 | $150,083,000 | $190,259,000 | $70,414,000 |
| Mississippi County | 15 | $15,860 | 37.34% | 19.18% | $49,856,000 | $44,701,000 | $55,689,000 | $21,314,000 |
| Bollinger County | 16 | $15,642 | 34.23% | 21.51% | $53,213,000 | $35,001,000 | $40,650,000 | $15,038,000 |
| Henry County | 17 | $15,617 | 31.94% | 22.55% | $118,826,000 | $104,712,000 | $65,036,000 | $26,031,000 |
| Dent County | 18 | $15,593 | 37.91% | 22.31% | $69,650,000 | $55,433,000 | $54,996,000 | $20,305,000 |
| Scott County | 19 | $15,409 | 30.64% | 18.83% | $171,361,000 | $139,121,000 | $150,298,000 | $60,099,000 |
| St. Clair County | 20 | $15,295 | 41.6% | 25.76% | $50,177,000 | $46,478,000 | $23,782,000 | $11,315,000 |
| Shannon County | 21 | $15,286 | 38% | 22.89% | $34,369,000 | $21,733,000 | $23,201,000 | $13,208,000 |
| New Madrid County | 22 | $15,278 | 29.99% | 20% | $64,452,000 | $50,128,000 | $74,387,000 | $27,345,000 |
| Grundy County | 23 | $15,038 | 37% | 21.99% | $41,470,000 | $48,095,000 | $32,993,000 | $10,408,000 |
| Linn County | 24 | $14,963 | 33.1% | 21.17% | $51,695,000 | $53,426,000 | $31,628,000 | $13,529,000 |
| Camden County | 25 | $14,956 | 29.94% | 29.75% | $267,787,000 | $178,822,000 | $83,868,000 | $36,669,000 |
| Marion County | 26 | $14,952 | 30.61% | 18.91% | $118,407,000 | $108,288,000 | $119,919,000 | $33,078,000 |
| Stoddard County | 27 | $14,942 | 31.32% | 20.79% | $130,781,000 | $103,946,000 | $99,500,000 | $37,409,000 |
| Crawford County | 28 | $14,595 | 33.3% | 20.8% | $110,354,000 | $82,814,000 | $76,246,000 | $29,055,000 |
| Cedar County | 29 | $14,592 | 40% | 23.24% | $70,220,000 | $56,838,000 | $46,351,000 | $18,129,000 |
| Sullivan County | 30 | $14,584 | 33.98% | 21.11% | $23,637,000 | $23,238,000 | $23,278,000 | $7,185,000 |
| Vernon County | 31 | $14,436 | 33.69% | 20.56% | $80,729,000 | $61,668,000 | $92,409,000 | $25,133,000 |
| Howell County | 32 | $14,286 | 35.19% | 19.81% | $182,377,000 | $128,831,000 | $130,955,000 | $60,255,000 |
| Putnam County | 33 | $14,270 | 35% | 23.77% | $20,994,000 | $21,395,000 | $12,138,000 | $4,678,000 |
| Carroll County | 34 | $14,169 | 24.1% | 22.66% | $39,753,000 | $38,436,000 | $21,912,000 | $8,242,000 |
| Harrison County | 35 | $14,138 | 32.54% | 22.66% | $35,259,000 | $35,473,000 | $25,363,000 | $9,415,000 |
| Lafayette County | 36 | $14,094 | 28.13% | 19.27% | $142,501,000 | $121,718,000 | $128,599,000 | $29,938,000 |
| Stone County | 37 | $14,071 | 29.97% | 31.96% | $198,481,000 | $117,576,000 | $50,999,000 | $28,691,000 |
| Morgan County | 38 | $14,056 | 29.54% | 23.57% | $114,517,000 | $74,748,000 | $54,275,000 | $24,737,000 |
| Shelby County | 39 | $14,049 | 28.62% | 22.15% | $26,415,000 | $24,267,000 | $15,657,000 | $5,871,000 |
| Gasconade County | 40 | $14,045 | 29.94% | 23.38% | $78,444,000 | $58,490,000 | $34,882,000 | $13,381,000 |
| Chariton County | 41 | $14,043 | 27.46% | 24.85% | $33,614,000 | $26,147,000 | $24,308,000 | $6,399,000 |
| Washington County | 42 | $14,034 | 37.33% | 18% | $96,685,000 | $76,005,000 | $95,023,000 | $35,849,000 |
| Worth County | 43 | $14,021 | 33.59% | 26.7% | $9,200,000 | $9,422,000 | $3,146,000 | $1,707,000 |
| St. Francois County | 44 | $13,915 | 33.11% | 17.14% | $289,646,000 | $237,731,000 | $228,087,000 | $84,001,000 |
| Monroe County | 45 | $13,837 | 29.21% | 24.88% | $41,927,000 | $33,732,000 | $20,581,000 | $7,762,000 |
| Holt County | 46 | $13,707 | 22.74% | 25.18% | $21,463,000 | $19,085,000 | $8,233,000 | $3,863,000 |
| Macon County | 47 | $13,666 | 27.14% | 22.37% | $71,775,000 | $58,220,000 | $36,834,000 | $14,345,000 |
| Mercer County | 48 | $13,617 | 36.39% | 22.79% | $15,263,000 | $15,744,000 | $8,237,000 | $2,566,000 |
| Buchanan County | 49 | $13,587 | 28.66% | 17.64% | $344,316,000 | $323,609,000 | $260,871,000 | $103,272,000 |
| Wright County | 50 | $13,583 | 35.68% | 19.52% | $83,556,000 | $58,917,000 | $56,271,000 | $28,957,000 |
| Knox County | 51 | $13,526 | 31.29% | 21.34% | $15,116,000 | $14,503,000 | $9,810,000 | $4,126,000 |
| Randolph County | 52 | $13,459 | 27.94% | 17.15% | $91,362,000 | $81,221,000 | $82,667,000 | $29,018,000 |
| Douglas County | 53 | $13,405 | 36.47% | 24.68% | $60,142,000 | $31,941,000 | $29,983,000 | $17,010,000 |
| Saline County | 54 | $13,287 | 28.84% | 18% | $87,336,000 | $74,761,000 | $90,346,000 | $26,917,000 |
| Montgomery County | 55 | $13,158 | 26.49% | 20.64% | $54,858,000 | $37,483,000 | $31,649,000 | $12,154,000 |
| Livingston County | 56 | $13,130 | 27.52% | 20.31% | $62,686,000 | $53,635,000 | $41,085,000 | $14,746,000 |
| Atchison County | 57 | $13,120 | 23.8% | 25.54% | $26,465,000 | $24,652,000 | $6,898,000 | $4,255,000 |
| St. Louis (Independent City) County | 58 | $12,884 | 23.1% | 15.57% | $842,693,000 | $810,365,000 | $1,272,911,000 | $479,476,000 |
| Dallas County | 59 | $12,883 | 32.65% | 20.46% | $75,530,000 | $57,861,000 | $43,211,000 | $20,167,000 |
| Howard County | 60 | $12,852 | 26.88% | 19.91% | $41,112,000 | $25,163,000 | $36,100,000 | $9,375,000 |
| Maries County | 61 | $12,849 | 31.39% | 21.77% | $38,678,000 | $30,163,000 | $18,684,000 | $7,745,000 |
| Dade County | 62 | $12,828 | 30.34% | 24.45% | $36,789,000 | $24,713,000 | $15,069,000 | $8,392,000 |
| Laclede County | 63 | $12,799 | 29.32% | 18.1% | $147,008,000 | $110,544,000 | $91,783,000 | $47,730,000 |
| Bates County | 64 | $12,798 | 26.99% | 19.8% | $73,245,000 | $59,592,000 | $35,666,000 | $16,685,000 |
| Texas County | 65 | $12,789 | 35.47% | 21.18% | $99,981,000 | $78,622,000 | $57,031,000 | $30,988,000 |
| Taney County | 66 | $12,742 | 28.36% | 22.49% | $277,196,000 | $190,459,000 | $99,384,000 | $64,088,000 |
| Pettis County | 67 | $12,437 | 28% | 17.56% | $155,085,000 | $119,013,000 | $146,980,000 | $55,197,000 |
| Cooper County | 68 | $12,385 | 24.74% | 19.71% | $70,343,000 | $52,740,000 | $47,761,000 | $15,051,000 |
| Phelps County | 69 | $12,370 | 28.14% | 17.18% | $161,828,000 | $140,790,000 | $127,333,000 | $45,763,000 |
| Pike County | 70 | $12,299 | 29.72% | 19.26% | $72,578,000 | $56,567,000 | $48,988,000 | $17,607,000 |
| Barton County | 71 | $12,278 | 27.99% | 21% | $53,349,000 | $43,618,000 | $18,699,000 | $14,422,000 |
| Polk County | 72 | $12,270 | 29% | 18.3% | $115,492,000 | $91,696,000 | $105,992,000 | $38,073,000 |
| Caldwell County | 73 | $12,181 | 26.76% | 20.15% | $38,962,000 | $32,944,000 | $16,063,000 | $8,140,000 |
| Perry County | 74 | $12,145 | 24.78% | 20.15% | $82,470,000 | $58,157,000 | $49,626,000 | $16,280,000 |
| Franklin County | 75 | $11,835 | 21.93% | 19% | $489,743,000 | $379,530,000 | $187,510,000 | $87,176,000 |
| Ray County | 76 | $11,801 | 24.83% | 19.17% | $101,538,000 | $73,836,000 | $50,623,000 | $18,778,000 |
| Barry County | 77 | $11,785 | 26.86% | 21.91% | $155,937,000 | $104,789,000 | $53,678,000 | $45,587,000 |
| Schuyler County | 78 | $11,713 | 29.24% | 19.38% | $14,844,000 | $13,520,000 | $9,055,000 | $4,283,000 |
| Clark County | 79 | $11,648 | 26.33% | 21.28% | $27,526,000 | $22,362,000 | $11,873,000 | $6,428,000 |
| Miller County | 80 | $11,599 | 26.73% | 19.93% | $103,229,000 | $60,384,000 | $65,106,000 | $28,918,000 |
| Ste. Genevieve County | 81 | $11,559 | 24.46% | 21% | $83,445,000 | $68,596,000 | $29,559,000 | $13,795,000 |
| Lewis County | 82 | $11,550 | 27.91% | 19.24% | $42,124,000 | $30,724,000 | $19,114,000 | $8,011,000 |
| Jasper County | 83 | $11,474 | 26% | 16.17% | $444,583,000 | $372,486,000 | $300,260,000 | $155,028,000 |
| St. Louis County | 84 | $11,469 | 12.28% | 19.11% | $4,377,479,000 | $3,226,625,000 | $1,980,616,000 | $877,350,000 |
| St. Louis County | 85 | $11,469 | 12.28% | 19.11% | $4,377,479,000 | $3,226,625,000 | $1,980,616,000 | $877,350,000 |
| Lawrence County | 86 | $11,377 | 28.19% | 17.84% | $156,740,000 | $99,269,000 | $86,982,000 | $46,670,000 |
| Audrain County | 87 | $11,256 | 25.51% | 19% | $105,847,000 | $72,809,000 | $42,726,000 | $26,655,000 |
| Clinton County | 88 | $11,132 | 23.19% | 18.68% | $84,581,000 | $67,430,000 | $36,735,000 | $16,766,000 |
| Ralls County | 89 | $11,127 | 23.5% | 23.33% | $48,212,000 | $26,080,000 | $21,024,000 | $7,602,000 |
| Daviess County | 90 | $11,115 | 30.1% | 21.97% | $35,048,000 | $26,294,000 | $14,545,000 | $7,860,000 |
| Cole County | 91 | $11,005 | 19.56% | 18.22% | $321,371,000 | $213,811,000 | $147,753,000 | $66,495,000 |
| Scotland County | 92 | $11,004 | 23.31% | 19.13% | $15,857,000 | $16,448,000 | $8,408,000 | $3,722,000 |
| Jackson County | 93 | $10,997 | 20.69% | 15.88% | $2,520,299,000 | $1,980,256,000 | $1,843,865,000 | $802,077,000 |
| Callaway County | 94 | $10,932 | 23.92% | 18% | $182,427,000 | $116,247,000 | $95,492,000 | $39,252,000 |
| Webster County | 95 | $10,868 | 25.97% | 15.7% | $155,443,000 | $122,555,000 | $64,112,000 | $39,815,000 |
| Warren County | 96 | $10,835 | 21% | 18.36% | $159,926,000 | $113,295,000 | $67,338,000 | $29,403,000 |
| Greene County | 97 | $10,761 | 20.72% | 17% | $1,121,040,000 | $768,037,000 | $650,621,000 | $294,424,000 |
| Cape Girardeau County | 98 | $10,644 | 21.44% | 17.69% | $313,752,000 | $205,400,000 | $169,887,000 | $75,520,000 |
| Adair County | 99 | $10,420 | 28.31% | 15.53% | $83,656,000 | $73,811,000 | $50,222,000 | $23,333,000 |
| Nodaway County | 100 | $10,410 | 25.17% | 18% | $73,356,000 | $69,793,000 | $28,810,000 | $14,134,000 |
| Jefferson County | 101 | $10,401 | 20.34% | 16.65% | $959,261,000 | $633,234,000 | $391,172,000 | $167,408,000 |
| Cass County | 102 | $10,359 | 18.59% | 17.97% | $436,073,000 | $331,125,000 | $178,578,000 | $74,686,000 |
| Newton County | 103 | $10,152 | 21.74% | 18.93% | $233,195,000 | $121,076,000 | $117,036,000 | $63,603,000 |
| Pulaski County | 104 | $10,075 | 23% | 9.61% | $114,159,000 | $99,974,000 | $82,888,000 | $52,772,000 |
| Moniteau County | 105 | $10,047 | 21.11% | 16.8% | $56,399,000 | $37,742,000 | $28,249,000 | $13,731,000 |
| Lincoln County | 106 | $9,827 | 19.73% | 14.62% | $231,813,000 | $162,615,000 | $119,268,000 | $51,644,000 |
| McDonald County | 107 | $9,716 | 25.97% | 16.16% | $71,565,000 | $55,025,000 | $46,430,000 | $32,915,000 |
| DeKalb County | 108 | $9,692 | 26% | 18.56% | $42,087,000 | $28,933,000 | $20,258,000 | $7,198,000 |
| Osage County | 109 | $9,630 | 18.21% | 18.14% | $51,263,000 | $32,748,000 | $18,228,000 | $8,410,000 |
| Johnson County | 110 | $9,508 | 22% | 13% | $161,210,000 | $118,173,000 | $90,874,000 | $42,761,000 |
| Christian County | 111 | $9,462 | 19.11% | 16.78% | $343,883,000 | $225,717,000 | $111,669,000 | $72,569,000 |
| Clay County | 112 | $9,034 | 16.21% | 15.29% | $912,888,000 | $657,246,000 | $322,069,000 | $173,303,000 |
| St. Charles County | 113 | $9,017 | 13.97% | 16.95% | $1,647,510,000 | $1,115,412,000 | $423,641,000 | $184,244,000 |
| Andrew County | 114 | $8,954 | 17.52% | 20.34% | $67,971,000 | $46,013,000 | $17,270,000 | $11,417,000 |
| Boone County | 115 | $8,601 | 15.53% | 13.68% | $566,694,000 | $368,681,000 | $329,792,000 | $136,445,000 |
| Platte County | 116 | $8,403 | 12.27% | 16% | $380,117,000 | $259,272,000 | $93,729,000 | $56,137,000 |
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