In 2022, Winnebago County received $1.7 billion in government transfer payments, equivalent to $10,113 per capita.
These payments—which include Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and income maintenance—accounted for 17.8% of all personal income in the county, according to information from the Economic Innovation Group.
This marks a slight increase in the county’s reliance on government transfers compared to 2012, when such payments made up 15.4% of total income. Since then, the share has risen by 2.4%.
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 2022, government transfers in Winnebago County primarily focused on older adults—such as Social Security transfers, which totaled $726.9 million (42.1% of all transfer income), and Medicare, which accounted for $431.8 million (25%)—played a significant role in the county’s overall income.
On a per capita basis, Social Security payments rose from $3,267 in 2012 and $962 in 1970 to $4,258 in 2022, reflecting a 30.3% increase over the past decade and a 342.6% shift since 1970.
Similarly, Medicare transfers climbed from $1,785 in 2012 and $238 in 1970 to $2,530, marking 41.7% and 963% increases, respectively.
These increases in per capita payments align with shifts in the county’s age distribution. In 2022, residents aged 65 and older made up 17.6% of the total population, compared to 13.8% in 2012 and 9.9% in 1970. While the senior share of the population has increased, the rise in per capita Social Security and Medicare transfers suggests that these assistance programs for older adults now require a larger share of government funding—either due to growing needs, expanded eligibility, higher benefit levels, or increased enrollment.
According to the Economic Innovation Group, total income in Winnebago County excluding public assistance amounted to $46,765 per capita in 2022, compared to $56,878 when government transfers were included.
Breaking down the other contributions in the county, Medicaid transfers made up $251.9 million, a 14.6% share of total income, while income maintenance programs, including assistance such as SNAP or TANF, added another $140.2 million, or 8.1% of the total.
Compared to the previous year, Winnebago County’s reliance on government transfers decreased by 3%.
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 $2,016 per capita in inflation-adjusted 2022 dollars) in 1970 to 17.6% (or $11,529 per capita) in 2022 nationwide.
According to the Economic Innovation Group’s analysis, these trends are not merely short-term responses to economic pressures but rather reflect a profound, long-term transformation in how government support is integrated into American life. The study illustrates that structural shifts—from rising healthcare expenses and demographic changes to stagnant wages—have significantly increased dependency on government transfers.
| County | State Rank (Per Capita Transfers) | Dependency on Transfers (%) | % Population 65+ | Social Security Transfers (%) | Medicare Transfers (%) | Medicaid Transfers (%) | Income Maintenance Transfers (%) | Per Capita Transfers ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washburn County | 1 | 32% | 28% | 35.1% | 29.4% | 16.3% | 5.9% | $17,768 |
| Iron County | 2 | 32.44% | 32.97% | 37.8% | 25.4% | 18.8% | 5.9% | $17,398 |
| Price County | 3 | 33.3% | 28.5% | 37% | 25.9% | 18.6% | 6.2% | $17,263 |
| Vilas County | 4 | 28.61% | 31.65% | 43.6% | 31.1% | 9% | 4.7% | $17,111 |
| Sawyer County | 5 | 31.76% | 28.1% | 38.1% | 27.8% | 16.7% | 6.6% | $16,196 |
| Burnett County | 6 | 33.16% | 32% | 42.7% | 26.1% | 14.1% | 6.3% | $15,942 |
| Ashland County | 7 | 34.52% | 21.82% | 31.6% | 26.3% | 22.9% | 8.7% | $15,884 |
| Langlade County | 8 | 30.68% | 25.77% | 36.4% | 26.4% | 18.1% | 8.1% | $15,600 |
| Marinette County | 9 | 29.71% | 25.17% | 37.8% | 26.1% | 18% | 6.9% | $15,525 |
| Forest County | 10 | 34% | 25.25% | 35.4% | 24.7% | 19.9% | 7.9% | $15,420 |
| Rusk County | 11 | 29.22% | 26.12% | 34.8% | 26.7% | 18.9% | 8.4% | $15,400 |
| Menominee County | 12 | 36.63% | 15.74% | 26.3% | 17.2% | 25.6% | 23.7% | $15,176 |
| Oneida County | 13 | 27% | 28.25% | 43.3% | 23.4% | 16.2% | 5.5% | $15,125 |
| Pepin County | 14 | 24.72% | 24.13% | 34.1% | 32.7% | 17.1% | 5.2% | $14,870 |
| Florence County | 15 | 23.76% | 29.64% | 44.4% | 20.5% | 15.6% | 6.3% | $14,800 |
| Adams County | 16 | 32.41% | 32% | 47.2% | 20.9% | 14.7% | 7.8% | $14,485 |
| Door County | 17 | 20.34% | 32.31% | 47.4% | 29.4% | 9.4% | 4.6% | $14,465 |
| Bayfield County | 18 | 27% | 31% | 42.6% | 25.4% | 13.8% | 6.2% | $14,349 |
| Waupaca County | 19 | 26% | 21.23% | 37% | 24.8% | 22.5% | 6% | $14,209 |
| Lincoln County | 20 | 26.72% | 23.71% | 39% | 27.4% | 16% | 6.2% | $14,171 |
| Marquette County | 21 | 28.81% | 26.66% | 42.5% | 27.4% | 12% | 7% | $14,129 |
| Barron County | 22 | 24% | 23.44% | 35.9% | 27.2% | 18.4% | 7.3% | $13,933 |
| Douglas County | 23 | 27.99% | 20.83% | 31.4% | 25% | 20.4% | 7.9% | $13,845 |
| Crawford County | 24 | 27.19% | 25.41% | 36.6% | 28.6% | 18.1% | 7.6% | $13,798 |
| Wood County | 25 | 25.4% | 22% | 38% | 27.2% | 15.2% | 8.1% | $13,504 |
| Richland County | 26 | 26.15% | 24.89% | 34.7% | 24.4% | 25.2% | 8.1% | $13,438 |
| Juneau County | 27 | 28.12% | 22.23% | 37% | 24.8% | 18% | 9.2% | $13,132 |
| Polk County | 28 | 24% | 22.59% | 39.2% | 29.5% | 14.6% | 6.4% | $13,059 |
| Milwaukee County | 29 | 23.24% | 14.81% | 25.5% | 19.6% | 30.1% | 18.2% | $13,056 |
| Buffalo County | 30 | 23.18% | 23.79% | 36.3% | 27.7% | 17.8% | 6.6% | $12,825 |
| Green Lake County | 31 | 24.55% | 23.73% | 42.6% | 25.9% | 16.1% | 7% | $12,723 |
| Waushara County | 32 | 27.13% | 26% | 44.3% | 24.2% | 12.3% | 7.5% | $12,670 |
| Shawano County | 33 | 24.4% | 21.97% | 39.1% | 25.8% | 16.9% | 8.2% | $12,311 |
| Jackson County | 34 | 24.5% | 20.67% | 34.7% | 27.2% | 17.3% | 8.4% | $12,275 |
| Manitowoc County | 35 | 22.44% | 22.5% | 41.8% | 26.2% | 15.7% | 7% | $12,253 |
| Vernon County | 36 | 23.99% | 21% | 36.2% | 29.5% | 17.8% | 7.1% | $12,144 |
| Racine County | 37 | 20.68% | 18.11% | 37.7% | 27.2% | 16.8% | 10.8% | $11,909 |
| Oconto County | 38 | 21.78% | 22.45% | 43% | 25.5% | 12.5% | 6.7% | $11,724 |
| Trempealeau County | 39 | 22.77% | 18.87% | 34.4% | 23.8% | 24.5% | 7.2% | $11,677 |
| Chippewa County | 40 | 21.4% | 19.62% | 36.5% | 24.7% | 19.6% | 7.4% | $11,657 |
| Taylor County | 41 | 23.13% | 21.16% | 36.9% | 24.4% | 18.3% | 7.4% | $11,576 |
| Fond du Lac County | 42 | 19.76% | 19.79% | 38.4% | 26.6% | 18.8% | 7.1% | $11,502 |
| Kewaunee County | 43 | 19.86% | 22% | 40.9% | 29.5% | 13% | 5.9% | $11,473 |
| Clark County | 44 | 22.32% | 17.38% | 31.8% | 29.3% | 20.5% | 7.4% | $11,465 |
| Grant County | 45 | 21.72% | 18.49% | 36.1% | 26.4% | 20.2% | 6.9% | $11,354 |
| Rock County | 46 | 21.3% | 17.87% | 38.6% | 25.7% | 16.9% | 10.9% | $11,186 |
| Monroe County | 47 | 22.3% | 18.13% | 32.7% | 22.3% | 17% | 9.2% | $11,153 |
| Sauk County | 48 | 17.82% | 20% | 40.6% | 27.9% | 13.8% | 8.2% | $11,060 |
| La Crosse County | 49 | 18% | 17.96% | 36.2% | 23.2% | 21% | 7.2% | $10,884 |
| Portage County | 50 | 19.79% | 18.29% | 39.1% | 24.2% | 17.5% | 7% | $10,759 |
| Dunn County | 51 | 21.71% | 16.74% | 35.8% | 27.3% | 16.4% | 8% | $10,710 |
| Green County | 52 | 17.36% | 20.62% | 43.3% | 25.6% | 14.9% | 7.1% | $10,659 |
| Sheboygan County | 53 | 17.56% | 19.71% | 43.7% | 25% | 14.6% | 8.3% | $10,598 |
| Eau Claire County | 54 | 18.39% | 17.23% | 36.6% | 25.6% | 18.3% | 7.8% | $10,541 |
| Walworth County | 55 | 16.7% | 19.88% | 43.4% | 27.1% | 13.1% | 7% | $10,491 |
| Kenosha County | 56 | 17.92% | 15.86% | 37.2% | 23.5% | 17.9% | 10.9% | $10,440 |
| Columbia County | 57 | 16.96% | 19.69% | 44.3% | 24.1% | 13.5% | 7% | $10,437 |
| Jefferson County | 58 | 18.82% | 18.62% | 41.8% | 23.5% | 19.1% | 6.8% | $10,358 |
| Ozaukee County | 59 | 10.24% | 21.62% | 51.1% | 29.3% | 7.5% | 3.5% | $10,217 |
| Dodge County | 60 | 19.43% | 18.98% | 43.4% | 23.7% | 16.9% | 7.2% | $10,181 |
| Winnebago County | 61 | 17.78% | 17.58% | 42.1% | 25% | 14.6% | 8.1% | $10,113 |
| Waukesha County | 62 | 11.53% | 20.4% | 49.4% | 29.8% | 8.6% | 4.1% | $10,097 |
| Washington County | 63 | 14.69% | 19.75% | 47.3% | 29.2% | 9.9% | 4.9% | $10,095 |
| Pierce County | 64 | 17.28% | 16.62% | 39.6% | 30.9% | 12.5% | 5.2% | $10,080 |
| Marathon County | 65 | 16.72% | 19.18% | 42.1% | 24.2% | 15% | 8.6% | $10,023 |
| Iowa County | 66 | 17% | 20.82% | 45% | 25.4% | 13.4% | 7.5% | $10,012 |
| Lafayette County | 67 | 19.14% | 20.1% | 39.5% | 27.4% | 14.7% | 8.2% | $9,962 |
| Brown County | 68 | 14.96% | 16.36% | 40.8% | 24.5% | 13.9% | 9.6% | $9,355 |
| Outagamie County | 69 | 15.21% | 16.49% | 43.3% | 26.2% | 12% | 7.6% | $9,177 |
| St. Croix County | 70 | 12.6% | 15.91% | 43.3% | 27.9% | 11.6% | 5.4% | $8,500 |
| Dane County | 71 | 10.95% | 15.15% | 43% | 23% | 15.7% | 8.5% | $8,073 |
| Calumet County | 72 | 12.1% | 17.28% | 50.2% | 22.2% | 10.3% | 6.8% | $7,140 |
