In 2022, St. Joseph County ranked 29th lowest per capita recipient of government transfers in Indiana, with residents receiving $11,565 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 St. Joseph County received $3.1 billion in government transfers, which accounted for 20.4% of total county income.
Comparatively, across all counties in Indiana, government transfer payments totaled $78.9 billion, making up 19.8% of the state residents’ total income, with an average of $11,545 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. Joseph County at the time, Social Security transfers totaled $1 billion, amounting to $3,851 per capita, or 33.3% of total government transfers. Medicare transfers accounted for $694.2 million ($2,550 per capita), representing 22.1% of the total. Medicaid contributed $782 million ($2,872 per capita), making up 24.8% of total transfers. Income maintenance programs, including assistance such as SNAP or TANF, added another $381.6 million ($1,402 per capita), or 12.1% of the total.
With 16.9% of the population aged 65 and older, St. Joseph County has a significant demand for programs like Social Security and Medicare. Total per capita income excluding government transfers in St. Joseph County was $45,123, far below the county’s total income of $56,688, emphasizing the role of government transfers in overall income.
When comparing 2022 to the previous year, St. Joseph County saw a decrease of 18.4% in per capita government transfers, from $14,162 to $11,565 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. Joseph County, reliance on government transfers has similarly increased from 7.38% (or $1,684 per capita) in 1970 to 20.4% (or $11,565 per capita) in 2022, reflecting broader national trends.
According to the Economic Innovation Group’s analysis, these trends are not merely short-term responses to economic pressures but rather reflect a profound, long-term transformation in how government support is integrated into American life. The study illustrates that structural shifts—from rising healthcare expenses and demographic changes to stagnant wages—have significantly increased dependency on government transfers.
| County | State Rank (Per Capita Transfers) | Per Capita Transfers ($) | Dependency on Transfers (%) | % Population 65+ | Social Security Transfers ($) | Medicare Transfers ($) | Medicaid Transfers ($) | Income Maintenance Transfers ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fayette County | 1 | $18,339 | 38.55% | 20.86% | $123,897,000 | $106,812,000 | $134,673,000 | $40,566,000 |
| Jennings County | 2 | $16,385 | 33.32% | 17.13% | $116,722,000 | $78,181,000 | $192,011,000 | $40,828,000 |
| Knox County | 3 | $16,335 | 30.19% | 18.81% | $153,894,000 | $126,647,000 | $207,534,000 | $50,491,000 |
| Wabash County | 4 | $16,286 | 31.32% | 21.93% | $166,340,000 | $114,959,000 | $146,844,000 | $37,830,000 |
| Grant County | 5 | $16,247 | 33.77% | 19.41% | $314,467,000 | $233,664,000 | $319,087,000 | $106,384,000 |
| Wayne County | 6 | $15,769 | 31.81% | 19.56% | $313,294,000 | $267,690,000 | $287,919,000 | $104,848,000 |
| Blackford County | 7 | $15,657 | 35.19% | 22% | $62,239,000 | $51,485,000 | $42,177,000 | $17,588,000 |
| Orange County | 8 | $15,429 | 33.74% | 20.76% | $90,099,000 | $78,832,000 | $87,707,000 | $28,137,000 |
| Jefferson County | 9 | $14,779 | 28.73% | 19.37% | $152,387,000 | $117,580,000 | $145,325,000 | $40,613,000 |
| Cass County | 10 | $14,761 | 31% | 18.84% | $159,277,000 | $128,510,000 | $176,772,000 | $53,584,000 |
| Starke County | 11 | $14,610 | 34.81% | 20.53% | $119,934,000 | $78,699,000 | $84,338,000 | $34,142,000 |
| Randolph County | 12 | $14,595 | 28.37% | 20.56% | $117,464,000 | $93,848,000 | $87,644,000 | $34,285,000 |
| Henry County | 13 | $14,557 | 31.34% | 19.62% | $233,260,000 | $186,373,000 | $184,208,000 | $65,396,000 |
| Vermillion County | 14 | $14,555 | 31.8% | 20.34% | $77,934,000 | $58,367,000 | $51,776,000 | $19,924,000 |
| Crawford County | 15 | $14,532 | 35.11% | 21% | $51,853,000 | $29,278,000 | $41,779,000 | $15,704,000 |
| Greene County | 16 | $14,343 | 28.16% | 20.19% | $141,322,000 | $105,838,000 | $116,823,000 | $40,710,000 |
| Lawrence County | 17 | $14,304 | 27.34% | 20.4% | $214,242,000 | $146,269,000 | $176,504,000 | $58,028,000 |
| Howard County | 18 | $14,280 | 30.13% | 19.92% | $424,941,000 | $306,477,000 | $246,701,000 | $124,292,000 |
| Delaware County | 19 | $14,217 | 31.27% | 17.58% | $483,957,000 | $379,767,000 | $442,337,000 | $162,289,000 |
| Owen County | 20 | $14,183 | 28.71% | 20.95% | $102,979,000 | $71,153,000 | $77,625,000 | $28,389,000 |
| Fountain County | 21 | $14,050 | 27.69% | 20.26% | $82,219,000 | $68,791,000 | $43,674,000 | $20,090,000 |
| Pike County | 22 | $14,046 | 29.49% | 21% | $59,090,000 | $39,448,000 | $45,296,000 | $13,674,000 |
| Brown County | 23 | $13,947 | 23.56% | 26.46% | $91,999,000 | $57,401,000 | $36,626,000 | $15,147,000 |
| Madison County | 24 | $13,933 | 29.98% | 18.74% | $606,139,000 | $481,462,000 | $437,068,000 | $189,594,000 |
| Vigo County | 25 | $13,809 | 30% | 17.3% | $430,905,000 | $340,711,000 | $415,934,000 | $156,402,000 |
| Sullivan County | 26 | $13,749 | 31.88% | 18.88% | $89,123,000 | $70,026,000 | $78,339,000 | $25,508,000 |
| Pulaski County | 27 | $13,695 | 24.9% | 21.58% | $62,734,000 | $46,044,000 | $33,810,000 | $16,427,000 |
| Parke County | 28 | $13,666 | 27.29% | 20.8% | $73,267,000 | $45,523,000 | $69,916,000 | $19,430,000 |
| Rush County | 29 | $13,526 | 24.55% | 19.54% | $75,291,000 | $58,183,000 | $56,211,000 | $21,331,000 |
| Scott County | 30 | $13,476 | 30.47% | 17.15% | $108,277,000 | $74,835,000 | $85,444,000 | $39,491,000 |
| Martin County | 31 | $13,416 | 25.47% | 21.3% | $43,221,000 | $31,563,000 | $32,514,000 | $12,317,000 |
| Vanderburgh County | 32 | $13,408 | 23.7% | 18.2% | $769,627,000 | $578,940,000 | $623,690,000 | $245,537,000 |
| White County | 33 | $13,295 | 25.26% | 21.53% | $119,600,000 | $89,173,000 | $65,753,000 | $28,770,000 |
| Franklin County | 34 | $13,238 | 23.78% | 19.87% | $118,391,000 | $97,089,000 | $46,089,000 | $25,031,000 |
| Clay County | 35 | $13,201 | 29.72% | 19.11% | $122,379,000 | $78,927,000 | $80,742,000 | $36,327,000 |
| Jay County | 36 | $13,193 | 24.47% | 18.64% | $89,481,000 | $70,415,000 | $60,448,000 | $27,144,000 |
| Tipton County | 37 | $13,097 | 25.33% | 21.98% | $78,638,000 | $59,642,000 | $33,922,000 | $15,465,000 |
| Union County | 38 | $12,999 | 26.71% | 21.1% | $29,403,000 | $24,700,000 | $20,669,000 | $9,235,000 |
| Huntington County | 39 | $12,827 | 24.99% | 18.55% | $172,898,000 | $121,556,000 | $93,669,000 | $41,350,000 |
| LaPorte County | 40 | $12,820 | 25.64% | 19.46% | $507,002,000 | $381,904,000 | $285,242,000 | $155,916,000 |
| Shelby County | 41 | $12,813 | 24.45% | 18.69% | $199,806,000 | $147,873,000 | $131,836,000 | $53,099,000 |
| Lake County | 42 | $12,804 | 24.1% | 17.82% | $2,056,738,000 | $1,659,564,000 | $1,437,612,000 | $785,439,000 |
| Perry County | 43 | $12,676 | 28.65% | 19.41% | $87,678,000 | $61,771,000 | $56,514,000 | $20,630,000 |
| Fulton County | 44 | $12,629 | 25.22% | 20.47% | $96,446,000 | $62,369,000 | $50,107,000 | $27,160,000 |
| Washington County | 45 | $12,628 | 25.44% | 18.47% | $120,477,000 | $80,219,000 | $89,302,000 | $38,251,000 |
| Montgomery County | 46 | $12,484 | 25% | 18.83% | $171,910,000 | $124,164,000 | $104,292,000 | $45,958,000 |
| Gibson County | 47 | $12,441 | 22.64% | 18.18% | $144,669,000 | $104,550,000 | $88,572,000 | $34,746,000 |
| Ohio County | 48 | $12,353 | 22.69% | 23.13% | $29,674,000 | $23,300,000 | $11,784,000 | $5,547,000 |
| Steuben County | 49 | $12,312 | 22.53% | 22% | $176,034,000 | $116,075,000 | $58,894,000 | $36,988,000 |
| Harrison County | 50 | $12,273 | 22.64% | 19.43% | $178,876,000 | $134,932,000 | $86,146,000 | $42,725,000 |
| Floyd County | 51 | $12,253 | 20% | 17.55% | $342,178,000 | $242,856,000 | $232,127,000 | $88,886,000 |
| Spencer County | 52 | $12,240 | 22.56% | 20.55% | $94,013,000 | $63,096,000 | $46,002,000 | $20,001,000 |
| Posey County | 53 | $12,235 | 20.68% | 20.91% | $124,911,000 | $74,222,000 | $59,292,000 | $24,090,000 |
| Miami County | 54 | $12,178 | 30.19% | 18.32% | $136,716,000 | $107,008,000 | $88,958,000 | $48,393,000 |
| Jasper County | 55 | $12,155 | 20.91% | 18.88% | $160,993,000 | $124,235,000 | $51,138,000 | $35,610,000 |
| Dearborn County | 56 | $12,138 | 21% | 19.2% | $235,014,000 | $177,290,000 | $114,948,000 | $48,987,000 |
| Morgan County | 57 | $12,041 | 22.44% | 18.29% | $339,819,000 | $222,814,000 | $145,253,000 | $81,297,000 |
| Decatur County | 58 | $12,040 | 23.11% | 17.73% | $115,340,000 | $80,588,000 | $69,008,000 | $31,681,000 |
| Clinton County | 59 | $11,972 | 26% | 16.58% | $132,568,000 | $102,751,000 | $88,013,000 | $44,244,000 |
| DeKalb County | 60 | $11,756 | 21.39% | 17.3% | $190,138,000 | $125,091,000 | $103,151,000 | $49,707,000 |
| Benton County | 61 | $11,739 | 21.8% | 18% | $37,925,000 | $28,420,000 | $16,956,000 | $10,973,000 |
| Newton County | 62 | $11,723 | 22.68% | 20.69% | $63,153,000 | $39,098,000 | $31,335,000 | $16,180,000 |
| Wells County | 63 | $11,690 | 22.77% | 18.83% | $125,157,000 | $90,333,000 | $61,668,000 | $28,919,000 |
| St. Joseph County | 64 | $11,565 | 20.4% | 16.85% | $1,048,270,000 | $694,237,000 | $781,956,000 | $381,639,000 |
| Clark County | 65 | $11,537 | 21.64% | 16.75% | $492,207,000 | $377,036,000 | $303,331,000 | $140,209,000 |
| Warrick County | 66 | $11,527 | 16.89% | 18.68% | $296,709,000 | $200,681,000 | $131,274,000 | $53,799,000 |
| Dubois County | 67 | $11,450 | 17.42% | 18.79% | $194,916,000 | $124,118,000 | $105,888,000 | $38,061,000 |
| Warren County | 68 | $11,418 | 21.37% | 21% | $39,653,000 | $22,232,000 | $19,122,000 | $8,209,000 |
| Whitley County | 69 | $11,402 | 20.66% | 19.27% | $159,055,000 | $107,164,000 | $64,759,000 | $31,670,000 |
| Marshall County | 70 | $11,293 | 21.46% | 18.91% | $198,880,000 | $128,150,000 | $103,374,000 | $53,406,000 |
| Ripley County | 71 | $11,250 | 22.3% | 18.63% | $120,563,000 | $74,661,000 | $73,457,000 | $31,974,000 |
| Switzerland County | 72 | $11,197 | 26.91% | 19.11% | $38,183,000 | $26,300,000 | $26,344,000 | $12,712,000 |
| Daviess County | 73 | $11,152 | 19.15% | 15.98% | $101,583,000 | $77,875,000 | $122,953,000 | $41,420,000 |
| Porter County | 74 | $11,062 | 17.4% | 18.25% | $804,487,000 | $522,344,000 | $297,088,000 | $152,389,000 |
| Marion County | 75 | $11,041 | 16.6% | 13.2% | $3,004,610,000 | $2,277,668,000 | $2,689,074,000 | $1,667,149,000 |
| Allen County | 76 | $11,026 | 19.26% | 15.63% | $1,449,242,000 | $952,972,000 | $1,029,780,000 | $525,817,000 |
| Jackson County | 77 | $10,873 | 22% | 16.69% | $184,174,000 | $121,325,000 | $111,824,000 | $53,992,000 |
| Noble County | 78 | $10,840 | 21.6% | 17.59% | $198,573,000 | $121,106,000 | $95,296,000 | $55,447,000 |
| Putnam County | 79 | $10,787 | 22.81% | 17.45% | $157,845,000 | $102,482,000 | $68,863,000 | $37,143,000 |
| Bartholomew County | 80 | $10,754 | 17.37% | 16.85% | $339,523,000 | $223,342,000 | $182,724,000 | $88,687,000 |
| Kosciusko County | 81 | $10,482 | 18.2% | 18.19% | $343,277,000 | $211,360,000 | $145,149,000 | $83,885,000 |
| Carroll County | 82 | $10,419 | 20.61% | 20.7% | $94,261,000 | $51,795,000 | $30,376,000 | $20,802,000 |
| Hancock County | 83 | $10,283 | 16.7% | 17.11% | $347,538,000 | $232,911,000 | $114,392,000 | $65,607,000 |
| Elkhart County | 84 | $10,251 | 17.5% | 15.43% | $724,219,000 | $501,361,000 | $468,756,000 | $277,125,000 |
| Johnson County | 85 | $9,682 | 16.32% | 15.64% | $632,566,000 | $416,431,000 | $228,812,000 | $157,555,000 |
| Adams County | 86 | $9,501 | 19.53% | 16.37% | $127,886,000 | $83,844,000 | $70,441,000 | $36,273,000 |
| Monroe County | 87 | $9,249 | 17% | 14.76% | $461,098,000 | $265,740,000 | $299,665,000 | $123,152,000 |
| Boone County | 88 | $8,510 | 9.31% | 14.95% | $268,604,000 | $170,022,000 | $89,390,000 | $50,354,000 |
| Tippecanoe County | 89 | $8,165 | 17.23% | 12.26% | $550,963,000 | $369,017,000 | $262,244,000 | $202,697,000 |
| Hendricks County | 90 | $8,144 | 13.52% | 15% | $649,482,000 | $382,388,000 | $154,774,000 | $133,286,000 |
| Lagrange County | 91 | $7,408 | 13.27% | 14.51% | $120,723,000 | $68,857,000 | $49,284,000 | $39,963,000 |
| Hamilton County | 92 | $7,102 | 7.42% | 13.85% | $1,181,441,000 | $689,350,000 | $224,189,000 | $208,290,000 |
