John Lettieri, President and CEO of Economic Innovation Group | Official Website
John Lettieri, President and CEO of Economic Innovation Group | Official Website
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 $13,081 per capita) in 2022, reflecting broader national trends.
According to the Economic Innovation Group’s analysis, these trends are not merely short-term responses to economic pressures but rather reflect a profound, long-term transformation in how government support is integrated into American life. The study illustrates that structural shifts—from rising healthcare expenses and demographic changes to stagnant wages—have significantly increased dependency on government transfers.
| County | State Rank (Per Capita Transfers) | Per Capita Transfers ($) | Dependency on Transfers (%) | % Population 65+ | Social Security Transfers ($) | Medicare Transfers ($) | Medicaid Transfers ($) | Income Maintenance Transfers ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Costilla County | 1 | $19,118 | 48.31% | 27.99% | $19,876,000 | $13,673,000 | $16,184,000 | $11,974,000 |
| Huerfano County | 2 | $18,915 | 38.28% | 31.86% | $41,350,000 | $30,616,000 | $28,243,000 | $18,448,000 |
| Las Animas County | 3 | $17,582 | 39.51% | 26.25% | $70,176,000 | $48,558,000 | $68,590,000 | $31,900,000 |
| Sedgwick County | 4 | $17,119 | 38.86% | 31.28% | $12,559,000 | $12,331,000 | $6,992,000 | $3,997,000 |
| Baca County | 5 | $16,728 | 36.64% | 25.44% | $14,586,000 | $16,498,000 | $15,802,000 | $6,836,000 |
| Otero County | 6 | $16,549 | 39.85% | 21.18% | $68,200,000 | $60,789,000 | $86,423,000 | $47,782,000 |
| Rio Grande County | 7 | $15,912 | 29.19% | 22.33% | $54,191,000 | $36,811,000 | $41,579,000 | $31,047,000 |
| Custer County | 8 | $15,566 | 30.65% | 34% | $36,745,000 | $19,836,000 | $7,103,000 | $7,046,000 |
| Kiowa County | 9 | $15,475 | 29.89% | 26% | $5,992,000 | $8,192,000 | $4,437,000 | $2,472,000 |
| Delta County | 10 | $15,151 | 31.84% | 28% | $169,621,000 | $107,131,000 | $91,697,000 | $55,057,000 |
| Conejos County | 11 | $15,068 | 34.8% | 20.57% | $28,226,000 | $23,157,000 | $30,457,000 | $22,253,000 |
| Pueblo County | 12 | $15,055 | 31.89% | 19.64% | $626,726,000 | $528,869,000 | $718,225,000 | $375,346,000 |
| Montezuma County | 13 | $14,764 | 29.23% | 24.56% | $127,719,000 | $86,552,000 | $87,605,000 | $48,294,000 |
| Hinsdale County | 14 | $14,737 | 24.13% | 34.76% | $4,726,000 | $3,327,000 | $1,266,000 | $849,000 |
| Teller County | 15 | $14,445 | 22% | 25.74% | $133,527,000 | $76,857,000 | $52,959,000 | $31,089,000 |
| Archuleta County | 16 | $14,359 | 26% | 28.62% | $80,514,000 | $47,544,000 | $27,508,000 | $19,536,000 |
| Prowers County | 17 | $14,078 | 31.13% | 18.4% | $38,244,000 | $36,425,000 | $45,509,000 | $30,940,000 |
| Montrose County | 18 | $14,051 | 27.63% | 25.93% | $213,525,000 | $134,725,000 | $126,803,000 | $74,552,000 |
| Phillips County | 19 | $13,689 | 28.46% | 21.85% | $16,365,000 | $23,443,000 | $10,343,000 | $6,567,000 |
| Cheyenne County | 20 | $13,615 | 25.87% | 22% | $6,617,000 | $6,847,000 | $5,898,000 | $2,874,000 |
| Fremont County | 21 | $13,363 | 31.44% | 22.73% | $220,498,000 | $145,112,000 | $143,580,000 | $76,645,000 |
| Mineral County | 22 | $13,363 | 19.68% | 30.29% | $5,782,000 | $2,471,000 | $2,215,000 | $928,000 |
| Bent County | 23 | $13,317 | 40.38% | 20.46% | $15,592,000 | $14,742,000 | $20,715,000 | $12,697,000 |
| Mesa County | 24 | $13,081 | 23.94% | 21% | $665,141,000 | $398,448,000 | $489,436,000 | $251,069,000 |
| Rio Blanco County | 25 | $13,073 | 23.1% | 18.25% | $24,260,000 | $30,424,000 | $13,294,000 | $8,493,000 |
| Alamosa County | 26 | $12,782 | 29.68% | 15.17% | $47,022,000 | $40,128,000 | $61,783,000 | $42,865,000 |
| Dolores County | 27 | $12,693 | 32.58% | 23.58% | $9,736,000 | $9,144,000 | $5,699,000 | $3,215,000 |
| Moffat County | 28 | $12,562 | 26.43% | 17.21% | $46,911,000 | $41,194,000 | $36,438,000 | $22,101,000 |
| Jackson County | 29 | $12,495 | 19.7% | 27.4% | $5,659,000 | $4,173,000 | $2,537,000 | $2,153,000 |
| Chaffee County | 30 | $12,448 | 19.28% | 26% | $101,581,000 | $66,933,000 | $32,547,000 | $22,978,000 |
| Kit Carson County | 31 | $12,418 | 28.35% | 21.25% | $25,168,000 | $26,863,000 | $16,585,000 | $11,610,000 |
| Washington County | 32 | $12,085 | 28% | 22.49% | $18,023,000 | $15,864,000 | $11,857,000 | $7,299,000 |
| Ouray County | 33 | $11,899 | 13.49% | 31.49% | $29,845,000 | $13,804,000 | $4,538,000 | $5,032,000 |
| Logan County | 34 | $11,801 | 23.73% | 19.64% | $71,453,000 | $63,619,000 | $53,675,000 | $33,715,000 |
| Saguache County | 35 | $11,649 | 31.27% | 26.38% | $23,069,000 | $17,460,000 | $16,870,000 | $12,703,000 |
| El Paso County | 36 | $11,388 | 18.65% | 14% | $2,133,492,000 | $1,413,647,000 | $1,683,338,000 | $1,057,675,000 |
| Yuma County | 37 | $11,074 | 24.64% | 18.14% | $32,977,000 | $31,001,000 | $21,516,000 | $16,319,000 |
| Morgan County | 38 | $11,054 | 21.83% | 16.22% | $88,813,000 | $78,415,000 | $81,406,000 | $49,521,000 |
| Lincoln County | 39 | $10,939 | 31.54% | 18.6% | $16,844,000 | $16,442,000 | $13,389,000 | $8,150,000 |
| Park County | 40 | $10,909 | 17.82% | 23.77% | $79,557,000 | $42,739,000 | $26,659,000 | $19,574,000 |
| La Plata County | 41 | $10,437 | 15.17% | 20.83% | $221,161,000 | $133,454,000 | $96,685,000 | $64,799,000 |
| Jefferson County | 42 | $10,279 | 12.89% | 17.9% | $2,131,797,000 | $1,550,493,000 | $1,038,557,000 | $605,166,000 |
| Crowley County | 43 | $9,745 | 43.82% | 14.43% | $12,522,000 | $11,274,000 | $16,052,000 | $9,670,000 |
| Larimer County | 44 | $9,605 | 14.16% | 17.28% | $1,279,958,000 | $831,176,000 | $607,501,000 | $392,931,000 |
| San Juan County | 45 | $9,570 | 18% | 23.2% | $3,169,000 | $1,373,000 | $1,067,000 | $1,155,000 |
| Arapahoe County | 46 | $9,566 | 12.54% | 14.46% | $1,883,454,000 | $1,347,864,000 | $1,446,579,000 | $879,151,000 |
| Gilpin County | 47 | $9,466 | 14.28% | 20.97% | $23,057,000 | $11,949,000 | $7,250,000 | $6,552,000 |
| Denver County | 48 | $9,343 | 8.32% | 12.55% | $1,684,723,000 | $1,265,336,000 | $1,943,554,000 | $1,126,497,000 |
| Garfield County | 49 | $9,334 | 14.22% | 14.64% | $175,367,000 | $136,228,000 | $127,445,000 | $79,726,000 |
| Pitkin County | 50 | $9,234 | 4.25% | 23.11% | $63,903,000 | $50,089,000 | $14,171,000 | $11,847,000 |
| Clear Creek County | 51 | $9,031 | 11.66% | 23% | $37,986,000 | $15,624,000 | $11,944,000 | $9,995,000 |
| Elbert County | 52 | $8,884 | 11.65% | 18.83% | $103,312,000 | $55,879,000 | $27,470,000 | $26,081,000 |
| Boulder County | 53 | $8,869 | 9% | 16.42% | $1,074,768,000 | $695,911,000 | $495,226,000 | $314,225,000 |
| Lake County | 54 | $8,758 | 16.85% | 15.29% | $19,311,000 | $14,653,000 | $11,461,000 | $11,126,000 |
| Routt County | 55 | $8,675 | 7.27% | 18.8% | $85,904,000 | $48,779,000 | $30,622,000 | $21,771,000 |
| Adams County | 56 | $8,626 | 15.78% | 11.26% | $1,211,205,000 | $812,828,000 | $1,260,786,000 | $803,754,000 |
| Grand County | 57 | $8,551 | 12.56% | 20.98% | $52,952,000 | $32,988,000 | $16,161,000 | $14,862,000 |
| Gunnison County | 58 | $8,461 | 12.86% | 14.67% | $45,793,000 | $30,729,000 | $28,701,000 | $16,261,000 |
| Weld County | 59 | $8,392 | 14.26% | 12.94% | $893,177,000 | $648,155,000 | $613,493,000 | $447,024,000 |
| Broomfield County | 60 | $7,937 | 9.13% | 15.66% | $226,060,000 | $162,283,000 | $79,175,000 | $63,089,000 |
| Douglas County | 61 | $7,413 | 7.47% | 13.93% | $1,121,975,000 | $711,064,000 | $294,824,000 | $271,532,000 |
| San Miguel County | 62 | $7,219 | 5.21% | 18% | $22,418,000 | $12,203,000 | $6,808,000 | $7,377,000 |
| Eagle County | 63 | $6,538 | 5.75% | 14.67% | $138,486,000 | $81,541,000 | $49,676,000 | $50,759,000 |
| Summit County | 64 | $6,351 | 6.73% | 15.59% | $78,746,000 | $41,014,000 | $24,005,000 | $25,945,000 |
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