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Friday, March 14, 2025

Mesa County ranks 24th highest in Colorado for per capita government transfer income at $13,081 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, Mesa County ranked 24th highest per capita recipient of government transfers in Colorado, with residents receiving $13,081 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 Mesa County received $2.1 billion in government transfers, which accounted for 23.9% of total county income.

Comparatively, across all counties in Colorado, government transfer payments totaled $58.5 billion, making up 13.2% of the state residents’ total income, with an average of $10,012 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 Mesa County at the time, Social Security transfers totaled $665.1 million, amounting to $4,193 per capita, or 32.1% of total government transfers. Medicare transfers accounted for $398.4 million ($2,512 per capita), representing 19.2% of the total. Medicaid contributed $489.4 million ($3,085 per capita), making up 23.6% of total transfers. Income maintenance programs, including assistance such as SNAP or TANF, added another $251.1 million ($1,583 per capita), or 12.1% of the total.

With 21% of the population aged 65 and older, Mesa County has a significant demand for programs like Social Security and Medicare. Total per capita income excluding government transfers in Mesa County was $41,573, far below the county’s total income of $54,654, emphasizing the role of government transfers in overall income.

When comparing 2022 to the previous year, Mesa County saw a decrease of 13.8% in per capita government transfers, from $15,292 to $13,081 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 Mesa County, reliance on government transfers has similarly increased from 11.35% (or $2,366 per capita) in 1970 to 23.9% (or $13,081 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 Mesa County, 2022

04000800012000Total Per CapitaIncome Maintenance TransfersMedicaid TransfersMedicare TransfersSocial Security TransfersCounty Amount($)Statewide Average($)

2022 Colorado 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 ($)
Costilla County1$19,11848.31%27.99%$19,876,000$13,673,000$16,184,000$11,974,000
Huerfano County2$18,91538.28%31.86%$41,350,000$30,616,000$28,243,000$18,448,000
Las Animas County3$17,58239.51%26.25%$70,176,000$48,558,000$68,590,000$31,900,000
Sedgwick County4$17,11938.86%31.28%$12,559,000$12,331,000$6,992,000$3,997,000
Baca County5$16,72836.64%25.44%$14,586,000$16,498,000$15,802,000$6,836,000
Otero County6$16,54939.85%21.18%$68,200,000$60,789,000$86,423,000$47,782,000
Rio Grande County7$15,91229.19%22.33%$54,191,000$36,811,000$41,579,000$31,047,000
Custer County8$15,56630.65%34%$36,745,000$19,836,000$7,103,000$7,046,000
Kiowa County9$15,47529.89%26%$5,992,000$8,192,000$4,437,000$2,472,000
Delta County10$15,15131.84%28%$169,621,000$107,131,000$91,697,000$55,057,000
Conejos County11$15,06834.8%20.57%$28,226,000$23,157,000$30,457,000$22,253,000
Pueblo County12$15,05531.89%19.64%$626,726,000$528,869,000$718,225,000$375,346,000
Montezuma County13$14,76429.23%24.56%$127,719,000$86,552,000$87,605,000$48,294,000
Hinsdale County14$14,73724.13%34.76%$4,726,000$3,327,000$1,266,000$849,000
Teller County15$14,44522%25.74%$133,527,000$76,857,000$52,959,000$31,089,000
Archuleta County16$14,35926%28.62%$80,514,000$47,544,000$27,508,000$19,536,000
Prowers County17$14,07831.13%18.4%$38,244,000$36,425,000$45,509,000$30,940,000
Montrose County18$14,05127.63%25.93%$213,525,000$134,725,000$126,803,000$74,552,000
Phillips County19$13,68928.46%21.85%$16,365,000$23,443,000$10,343,000$6,567,000
Cheyenne County20$13,61525.87%22%$6,617,000$6,847,000$5,898,000$2,874,000
Fremont County21$13,36331.44%22.73%$220,498,000$145,112,000$143,580,000$76,645,000
Mineral County22$13,36319.68%30.29%$5,782,000$2,471,000$2,215,000$928,000
Bent County23$13,31740.38%20.46%$15,592,000$14,742,000$20,715,000$12,697,000
Mesa County24$13,08123.94%21%$665,141,000$398,448,000$489,436,000$251,069,000
Rio Blanco County25$13,07323.1%18.25%$24,260,000$30,424,000$13,294,000$8,493,000
Alamosa County26$12,78229.68%15.17%$47,022,000$40,128,000$61,783,000$42,865,000
Dolores County27$12,69332.58%23.58%$9,736,000$9,144,000$5,699,000$3,215,000
Moffat County28$12,56226.43%17.21%$46,911,000$41,194,000$36,438,000$22,101,000
Jackson County29$12,49519.7%27.4%$5,659,000$4,173,000$2,537,000$2,153,000
Chaffee County30$12,44819.28%26%$101,581,000$66,933,000$32,547,000$22,978,000
Kit Carson County31$12,41828.35%21.25%$25,168,000$26,863,000$16,585,000$11,610,000
Washington County32$12,08528%22.49%$18,023,000$15,864,000$11,857,000$7,299,000
Ouray County33$11,89913.49%31.49%$29,845,000$13,804,000$4,538,000$5,032,000
Logan County34$11,80123.73%19.64%$71,453,000$63,619,000$53,675,000$33,715,000
Saguache County35$11,64931.27%26.38%$23,069,000$17,460,000$16,870,000$12,703,000
El Paso County36$11,38818.65%14%$2,133,492,000$1,413,647,000$1,683,338,000$1,057,675,000
Yuma County37$11,07424.64%18.14%$32,977,000$31,001,000$21,516,000$16,319,000
Morgan County38$11,05421.83%16.22%$88,813,000$78,415,000$81,406,000$49,521,000
Lincoln County39$10,93931.54%18.6%$16,844,000$16,442,000$13,389,000$8,150,000
Park County40$10,90917.82%23.77%$79,557,000$42,739,000$26,659,000$19,574,000
La Plata County41$10,43715.17%20.83%$221,161,000$133,454,000$96,685,000$64,799,000
Jefferson County42$10,27912.89%17.9%$2,131,797,000$1,550,493,000$1,038,557,000$605,166,000
Crowley County43$9,74543.82%14.43%$12,522,000$11,274,000$16,052,000$9,670,000
Larimer County44$9,60514.16%17.28%$1,279,958,000$831,176,000$607,501,000$392,931,000
San Juan County45$9,57018%23.2%$3,169,000$1,373,000$1,067,000$1,155,000
Arapahoe County46$9,56612.54%14.46%$1,883,454,000$1,347,864,000$1,446,579,000$879,151,000
Gilpin County47$9,46614.28%20.97%$23,057,000$11,949,000$7,250,000$6,552,000
Denver County48$9,3438.32%12.55%$1,684,723,000$1,265,336,000$1,943,554,000$1,126,497,000
Garfield County49$9,33414.22%14.64%$175,367,000$136,228,000$127,445,000$79,726,000
Pitkin County50$9,2344.25%23.11%$63,903,000$50,089,000$14,171,000$11,847,000
Clear Creek County51$9,03111.66%23%$37,986,000$15,624,000$11,944,000$9,995,000
Elbert County52$8,88411.65%18.83%$103,312,000$55,879,000$27,470,000$26,081,000
Boulder County53$8,8699%16.42%$1,074,768,000$695,911,000$495,226,000$314,225,000
Lake County54$8,75816.85%15.29%$19,311,000$14,653,000$11,461,000$11,126,000
Routt County55$8,6757.27%18.8%$85,904,000$48,779,000$30,622,000$21,771,000
Adams County56$8,62615.78%11.26%$1,211,205,000$812,828,000$1,260,786,000$803,754,000
Grand County57$8,55112.56%20.98%$52,952,000$32,988,000$16,161,000$14,862,000
Gunnison County58$8,46112.86%14.67%$45,793,000$30,729,000$28,701,000$16,261,000
Weld County59$8,39214.26%12.94%$893,177,000$648,155,000$613,493,000$447,024,000
Broomfield County60$7,9379.13%15.66%$226,060,000$162,283,000$79,175,000$63,089,000
Douglas County61$7,4137.47%13.93%$1,121,975,000$711,064,000$294,824,000$271,532,000
San Miguel County62$7,2195.21%18%$22,418,000$12,203,000$6,808,000$7,377,000
Eagle County63$6,5385.75%14.67%$138,486,000$81,541,000$49,676,000$50,759,000
Summit County64$6,3516.73%15.59%$78,746,000$41,014,000$24,005,000$25,945,000

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