In 2022, Rutland County stood out as the highest per capita recipient of government transfers in Vermont, with residents receiving $19,084 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 Rutland County received $1.2 billion in government transfers, which accounted for 32.6% of total county income.
Comparatively, across all counties in Vermont, government transfer payments totaled $8.2 billion, making up 20% of the state residents’ total income, with an average of $12,623 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 Rutland County at the time, Social Security transfers totaled $336.3 million, amounting to $5,571 per capita, or 29.2% of total government transfers. Medicare transfers accounted for $194.2 million ($3,217 per capita), representing 16.9% of the total. Medicaid contributed $457.3 million ($7,575 per capita), making up 39.7% of total transfers. Income maintenance programs, including assistance such as SNAP or TANF, added another $84.6 million ($1,402 per capita), or 7.3% of the total.
With 24.7% of the population aged 65 and older, Rutland County has a significant demand for programs like Social Security and Medicare. Total per capita income excluding government transfers in Rutland County was $39,512, far below the county’s total income of $58,596, emphasizing the role of government transfers in overall income.
When comparing 2022 to the previous year, Rutland County saw a decrease of 7.8% in per capita government transfers, from $20,585 to $19,084 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 Rutland County, reliance on government transfers has similarly increased from 10.86% (or $2,312 per capita) in 1970 to 32.6% (or $19,084 per capita) in 2022, reflecting broader national trends.
According to the Economic Innovation Group’s analysis, these trends are not merely short-term responses to economic pressures but rather reflect a profound, long-term transformation in how government support is integrated into American life. The study illustrates that structural shifts—from rising healthcare expenses and demographic changes to stagnant wages—have significantly increased dependency on government transfers.
| County | State Rank (Per Capita Transfers) | Per Capita Transfers ($) | Dependency on Transfers (%) | % Population 65+ | Social Security Transfers ($) | Medicare Transfers ($) | Medicaid Transfers ($) | Income Maintenance Transfers ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rutland County | 1 | $19,084 | 32.57% | 24.66% | $336,315,000 | $194,213,000 | $457,282,000 | $84,620,000 |
| Orleans County | 2 | $15,888 | 29.86% | 23.65% | $135,879,000 | $99,361,000 | $116,082,000 | $46,414,000 |
| Essex County | 3 | $13,920 | 30.66% | 27.61% | $35,360,000 | $26,653,000 | $931,000 | $9,331,000 |
| Windsor County | 4 | $13,899 | 20.45% | 25.56% | $323,107,000 | $231,599,000 | $118,271,000 | $60,764,000 |
| Windham County | 5 | $13,833 | 24.3% | 25.28% | $235,748,000 | $148,846,000 | $141,886,000 | $56,141,000 |
| Washington County | 6 | $13,686 | 19.77% | 21.68% | $285,590,000 | $129,606,000 | $268,122,000 | $59,089,000 |
| Bennington County | 7 | $13,590 | 22.6% | 24.62% | $198,317,000 | $114,273,000 | $97,289,000 | $51,869,000 |
| Caledonia County | 8 | $13,499 | 26.73% | 22.94% | $147,261,000 | $109,537,000 | $74,049,000 | $42,958,000 |
| Orange County | 9 | $12,483 | 22.28% | 23.55% | $140,596,000 | $103,013,000 | $55,073,000 | $33,026,000 |
| Lamoille County | 10 | $11,153 | 17.42% | 18.84% | $105,885,000 | $60,356,000 | $66,578,000 | $28,047,000 |
| Addison County | 11 | $10,489 | 16.9% | 22.81% | $176,521,000 | $81,979,000 | $63,446,000 | $31,482,000 |
| Grand Isle County | 12 | $10,310 | 14.47% | 23.22% | $42,551,000 | $16,517,000 | $521,000 | $7,345,000 |
| Franklin County | 13 | $10,107 | 18% | 17.97% | $188,699,000 | $93,893,000 | $103,886,000 | $65,258,000 |
| Chittenden County | 14 | $9,808 | 13.9% | 16.9% | $654,792,000 | $291,610,000 | $403,906,000 | $137,221,000 |
