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Friday, March 14, 2025

Lincoln County ranks sixth highest in Oregon for per capita government transfer income at $16,711 in 2022

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John Lettieri, President and CEO of Economic Innovation Group | Official Website

John Lettieri, President and CEO of Economic Innovation Group | Official Website

In 2022, Lincoln County ranked sixth highest per capita recipient of government transfers in Oregon, with residents receiving $16,711 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 Lincoln County received $849.1 million in government transfers, which accounted for 31.2% of total county income.

Comparatively, across all counties in Oregon, government transfer payments totaled $53.1 billion, making up 20.1% of the state residents’ total income, with an average of $12,514 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 Lincoln County at the time, Social Security transfers totaled $336.8 million, amounting to $6,629 per capita, or 39.7% of total government transfers. Medicare transfers accounted for $222.1 million ($4,371 per capita), representing 26.2% of the total. Medicaid contributed $126.8 million ($2,495 per capita), making up 14.9% of total transfers. Income maintenance programs, including assistance such as SNAP or TANF, added another $73.1 million ($1,439 per capita), or 8.6% of the total.

With 32.1% of the population aged 65 and older, Lincoln County has a significant demand for programs like Social Security and Medicare. Total per capita income excluding government transfers in Lincoln County was $36,784, far below the county’s total income of $53,494, emphasizing the role of government transfers in overall income.

When comparing 2022 to the previous year, Lincoln County saw a decrease of 14.6% in per capita government transfers, from $19,479 to $16,711 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 Lincoln County, reliance on government transfers has similarly increased from 12.98% (or $2,804 per capita) in 1970 to 31.2% (or $16,711 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.

Breakdown of Government Transfers by Program in Lincoln County, 2022

0400080001200016000Total Per CapitaIncome Maintenance TransfersMedicaid TransfersMedicare TransfersSocial Security TransfersCounty Amount($)Statewide Average($)

2022 Oregon County Rankings by Per Capita Government Transfers

CountyState Rank (Per Capita Transfers)Per Capita Transfers ($)Dependency on Transfers (%)% Population 65+Social Security Transfers ($)Medicare Transfers ($)Medicaid Transfers ($)Income Maintenance Transfers ($)
Curry County1$19,52037.57%36.45%$179,202,000$122,980,000$71,252,000$32,658,000
Coos County2$18,86334.72%28%$394,879,000$281,338,000$299,551,000$113,522,000
Josephine County3$18,07034.64%27.25%$496,110,000$324,654,000$446,008,000$147,414,000
Douglas County4$17,55235.5%26.55%$648,181,000$409,203,000$447,967,000$188,501,000
Wheeler County5$17,20439.95%38.12%$9,455,000$6,136,000$4,803,000$1,658,000
Lincoln County6$16,71131.24%32.13%$336,830,000$222,114,000$126,773,000$73,116,000
Klamath County7$16,37034.65%22.47%$332,250,000$217,966,000$314,597,000$133,073,000
Grant County8$16,34631.9%31.61%$40,922,000$30,280,000$23,188,000$9,976,000
Wallowa County9$16,28630.9%29.42%$46,224,000$31,309,000$21,941,000$8,692,000
Jefferson County10$16,17537.31%20.13%$106,935,000$94,633,000$125,323,000$46,144,000
Baker County11$16,12633.14%27.41%$93,033,000$55,732,000$63,665,000$26,878,000
Sherman County12$16,04023.78%25.89%$10,115,000$7,168,000$8,486,000$2,369,000
Tillamook County13$15,97629.24%28.19%$167,157,000$110,273,000$86,217,000$35,428,000
Linn County14$15,95230.4%19.52%$584,745,000$413,328,000$700,354,000$190,954,000
Harney County15$15,92731.84%26.53%$36,011,000$32,751,000$25,512,000$11,708,000
Crook County16$15,74530.32%25.52%$145,536,000$100,120,000$89,876,000$34,457,000
Union County17$15,68932%21.85%$119,065,000$89,406,000$102,635,000$40,381,000
Lake County18$15,57633.33%25.55%$40,129,000$38,183,000$21,925,000$12,158,000
Wasco County19$15,14129%21.85%$121,862,000$84,895,000$115,464,000$40,260,000
Gilliam County20$15,12221.88%30.23%$10,799,000$8,248,000$5,603,000$2,493,000
Jackson County21$15,09226.22%23.29%$1,098,384,000$717,528,000$856,470,000$322,169,000
Malheur County22$14,82838.61%17.2%$109,097,000$82,179,000$183,375,000$64,551,000
Clatsop County23$14,61327.17%25.19%$216,765,000$144,377,000$131,450,000$52,053,000
Marion County24$14,04925.81%16.73%$1,285,134,000$893,108,000$1,831,568,000$512,576,000
Lane County25$13,69324.37%21%$1,735,508,000$1,102,811,000$1,335,476,000$514,476,000
Columbia County26$13,61225.34%20.36%$256,330,000$164,344,000$175,157,000$62,292,000
Umatilla County27$13,57527.62%16.37%$269,999,000$215,286,000$362,773,000$124,561,000
Deschutes County28$12,56017.54%21.27%$970,256,000$598,920,000$572,328,000$182,167,000
Yamhill County29$12,45622%18.82%$446,954,000$295,421,000$371,357,000$123,365,000
Morrow County30$12,30822.35%16.73%$41,643,000$36,686,000$38,060,000$18,699,000
Polk County31$11,69123.25%19.11%$377,008,000$242,855,000$222,299,000$99,290,000
Multnomah County32$10,68815.28%14.85%$2,440,342,000$1,669,262,000$2,572,546,000$1,038,366,000
Hood River County33$10,64716.44%18.31%$86,070,000$50,934,000$68,092,000$25,250,000
Clackamas County34$9,87613.5%19.88%$1,845,972,000$1,097,259,000$464,760,000$354,070,000
Washington County35$9,31112.69%14.83%$1,895,641,000$1,179,485,000$1,494,359,000$487,102,000
Benton County36$8,10814.66%17.98%$355,411,000$178,460,000$61,330,000$77,119,000

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