In 2022, government transfers made up 20.4% of total income in Pickaway County, Ohio—an alarming 14% surge from 6.4% in 1970 and a 0.6% decrease from 2012’s 21%. This marks the third smallest increase among all Ohio counties over the past decade, according to information from the Economic Innovation Group.
On a per capita basis, this translates to $10,388 per resident in 2022, up from $8,809 in 2012 and $1,306 in 1970, ranking Pickaway County as the 82nd fastest-growing in per capita government transfers among Ohio counties over the past 10 years.
Meanwhile, Pickaway County had the 27th smallest share of income derived from government transfers, making it one of the smallest dependent counties in the state.
Among Ohio’s counties, Gallia County saw the largest increase in transfer dependency over the past 10 years, surging 7.7% from 29.6% in 2012 to 37.3% in 2022, and up 24.1 percentage points from just 13.2% in 1970. In dollar terms, government transfers per capita in Gallia County jumped from $12,633 in 2012 to $17,187 in 2022, contrasting to the $2,122 recorded in 1970.
For comparison, the statewide average was 20.2% in 2022, showing a higher dependency than the national average of 17.6%. On a per capita level, this translates to $11,680 per resident, compared to $11,542 nationwide.
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).
In Pickaway County, reliance on government transfers was just 6.4% (or $1,306 per capita in inflation-adjusted 2022 dollars) in 1970. This has since increased to a total of 14.0% since 1970. This shift is largely influenced by increased healthcare costs, and economic transformations that have reshaped income sources across the U.S.
In 2022, the primary government transfer programs in Pickaway County included:
- Social Security: $3,434 per capita (33.1% of total transfers)
- Medicare: $2,878 per capita (27.7% of total transfers)
- Medicaid: $1,927 per capita (18.5% of total transfers)
- Income Maintenance Programs: $1,036 per capita (10% of total transfers)
With 16.3% of the population aged 65 and older, Pickaway County has a significant demand for Social Security and Medicare. However, counties with higher poverty rates also show elevated Medicaid and income maintenance participation.
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 8.2% (or $2,022 per capita in inflation-adjusted 2022 dollars) in 1970 to 17.6% (or $11,542 per capita) in 2022 nationwide.
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 | Dependency on Transfers (%) | Change Since 2012 | Change Since 1970 | Per Capita Amount (2022) | Per Capita Since 2012 | Per Capita Since 1970 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gallia County | 37.3% | +7.7% | +24.1% | $17,187 | $4,554 | $15,065 |
| Scioto County | 36.6% | +2.5% | +22.7% | $16,952 | $4,205 | $14,287 |
| Adams County | 36% | +2.1% | +19.1% | $15,634 | $3,942 | $13,043 |
| Vinton County | 36% | +5% | +22.3% | $14,610 | $3,568 | $12,723 |
| Monroe County | 35.3% | +4.6% | +25.6% | $14,906 | $4,135 | $13,094 |
| Jefferson County | 34.7% | +4.2% | +24.9% | $15,766 | $3,563 | $13,707 |
| Meigs County | 34.6% | +3.4% | +20.1% | $14,543 | $3,295 | $12,300 |
| Pike County | 34.6% | +1% | +20.9% | $16,025 | $3,199 | $13,879 |
| Jackson County | 34.5% | +4.1% | +19.5% | $14,176 | $2,779 | $11,758 |
| Lawrence County | 34.3% | +3.5% | +21.5% | $16,256 | $3,983 | $14,139 |
| Coshocton County | 32.5% | +3.5% | +24.2% | $13,720 | $3,190 | $12,002 |
| Ashtabula County | 32.4% | +2.9% | +23.5% | $15,021 | $3,454 | $13,135 |
| Harrison County | 32.2% | +2.7% | +22.9% | $14,860 | $3,743 | $12,956 |
| Morgan County | 31.7% | +0.9% | +21.3% | $13,673 | $3,509 | $11,671 |
| Guernsey County | 31.6% | +3% | +19.2% | $15,049 | $3,544 | $12,639 |
| Columbiana County | 31% | +4.9% | +21.8% | $13,984 | $3,459 | $12,145 |
| Hocking County | 30.9% | +3.2% | +19.5% | $14,061 | $3,488 | $12,015 |
| Marion County | 30.7% | +3.7% | +23.1% | $13,005 | $2,763 | $11,326 |
| Trumbull County | 30.7% | +4% | +23.9% | $13,980 | $2,730 | $12,348 |
| Crawford County | 30.5% | +2.2% | +23% | $14,189 | $2,925 | $12,496 |
| Ross County | 29.9% | +3.1% | +20.5% | $13,374 | $3,214 | $11,518 |
| Highland County | 29.8% | +1.1% | +19.9% | $13,134 | $2,588 | $11,222 |
| Noble County | 29.7% | +2.2% | +18.3% | $9,243 | $1,464 | $7,427 |
| Perry County | 29.5% | +2.5% | +17.4% | $13,557 | $3,473 | $11,500 |
| Fayette County | 29.2% | +1.7% | +21.4% | $13,709 | $2,842 | $12,066 |
| Belmont County | 29% | +2.8% | +18.8% | $13,518 | $2,829 | $11,523 |
| Clark County | 29% | +2.6% | +22.1% | $13,682 | $2,614 | $12,077 |
| Brown County | 28.8% | +2.7% | +19.8% | $13,203 | $3,312 | $11,468 |
| Richland County | 28.6% | +2.8% | +22.1% | $12,851 | $2,558 | $11,331 |
| Muskingum County | 28.5% | +2.1% | +18.3% | $14,024 | $3,168 | $11,997 |
| Seneca County | 28.4% | +3.1% | +20.9% | $13,528 | $3,403 | $11,853 |
| Mahoning County | 28.3% | +3.2% | +19.5% | $14,659 | $3,090 | $12,682 |
| Hardin County | 28.2% | +4% | +19.8% | $11,260 | $2,567 | $9,547 |
| Athens County | 27.8% | +2.4% | +17.4% | $11,651 | $2,431 | $10,075 |
| Washington County | 27.1% | +3% | +19% | $13,835 | $3,413 | $12,190 |
| Sandusky County | 26.4% | +3.7% | +19.7% | $12,812 | $3,223 | $11,335 |
| Allen County | 26.1% | +2.8% | +18.7% | $13,103 | $2,999 | $11,382 |
| Defiance County | 25.9% | +3.5% | +19.2% | $12,245 | $2,857 | $10,803 |
| Carroll County | 25.8% | +1.7% | +18.5% | $12,226 | $2,624 | $10,857 |
| Huron County | 25.6% | +2.8% | +17.4% | $12,188 | $2,816 | $10,277 |
| Preble County | 25.2% | +2.1% | +18.8% | $12,257 | $2,733 | $10,858 |
| Logan County | 24.9% | +4.3% | +15.5% | $12,106 | $2,994 | $10,031 |
| Ashland County | 24.7% | +2.5% | +18.1% | $11,630 | $2,978 | $10,225 |
| Clinton County | 24.7% | +4.6% | +17% | $12,363 | $2,906 | $10,641 |
| Williams County | 24.7% | +2.1% | +17.6% | $12,116 | $2,679 | $10,411 |
| Knox County | 24.5% | +2.1% | +16.1% | $12,537 | $2,648 | $10,786 |
| Lucas County | 24.5% | +1.9% | +16.5% | $13,095 | $2,573 | $11,043 |
| Paulding County | 24.4% | +2.6% | +16.8% | $11,871 | $2,782 | $10,451 |
| Ottawa County | 23.8% | +2.2% | +15.6% | $14,894 | $3,581 | $13,035 |
| Champaign County | 23.4% | +1.7% | +15.9% | $11,419 | $2,376 | $9,756 |
| Stark County | 23.4% | +1.6% | +15.9% | $12,543 | $2,354 | $10,798 |
| Henry County | 23.2% | +2.6% | +16.4% | $12,136 | $2,720 | $10,558 |
| Erie County | 22.9% | +8.1% | +16.1% | $13,503 | $3,168 | $11,832 |
| Montgomery County | 22.9% | +1% | +17.3% | $12,604 | $2,246 | $11,069 |
| Van Wert County | 22.7% | +0.5% | +15.4% | $11,259 | $1,836 | $9,618 |
| Morrow County | 22.6% | +0.5% | +16% | $10,783 | $2,093 | $9,533 |
| Tuscarawas County | 22.6% | +0.8% | +13.3% | $11,729 | $2,232 | $9,786 |
| Darke County | 22% | +0.8% | +15.2% | $11,569 | $2,399 | $10,099 |
| Fulton County | 21.5% | +3% | +14.4% | $11,327 | $2,964 | $9,625 |
| Lorain County | 21% | +1.2% | +14.7% | $11,662 | $2,299 | $10,230 |
| Wyandot County | 21% | +1.3% | +13% | $11,633 | $2,890 | $9,923 |
| Pickaway County | 20.4% | -0.6% | +14% | $10,388 | $1,579 | $9,081 |
| Cuyahoga County | 20.3% | +1.1% | +12.9% | $12,861 | $2,318 | $10,777 |
| Madison County | 20.2% | +2% | +13% | $10,548 | $2,716 | $8,998 |
| Shelby County | 20.2% | +2.9% | +14.2% | $10,474 | $2,513 | $9,136 |
| Portage County | 20% | +1.6% | +14.8% | $10,695 | $2,180 | $9,571 |
| Auglaize County | 19.5% | +2.7% | +12.4% | $10,909 | $2,681 | $9,331 |
| Lake County | 19.5% | +1.5% | +14.7% | $11,659 | $2,393 | $10,464 |
| Miami County | 19.4% | +0.7% | +13.3% | $10,869 | $1,841 | $9,358 |
| Wayne County | 19.1% | +0.6% | +13.1% | $10,169 | $2,097 | $8,837 |
| Summit County | 19% | +0.6% | +11.9% | $11,799 | $2,269 | $10,015 |
| Butler County | 18.6% | +1% | +12% | $10,368 | $2,117 | $8,855 |
| Licking County | 18.6% | +0.4% | +11.4% | $10,378 | $1,839 | $8,832 |
| Hancock County | 18.1% | +2.1% | +12% | $10,277 | $2,215 | $8,854 |
| Clermont County | 18% | +1.9% | +11.4% | $11,256 | $3,111 | $9,949 |
| Fairfield County | 18% | +0.9% | +11.1% | $9,911 | $1,754 | $8,410 |
| Greene County | 17.7% | +1.4% | +13.4% | $10,767 | $2,460 | $9,746 |
| Putnam County | 17.3% | +1.9% | +10.3% | $10,275 | $2,639 | $8,855 |
| Wood County | 16.6% | +0.6% | +11.3% | $9,288 | $1,540 | $8,071 |
| Mercer County | 16.4% | +0.4% | +9.9% | $10,108 | $2,249 | $8,693 |
| Franklin County | 16% | +0.9% | +9.8% | $9,516 | $1,368 | $7,965 |
| Hamilton County | 15.7% | +0.3% | +8.7% | $11,258 | $1,927 | $9,391 |
| Medina County | 15.2% | +1.7% | +10.3% | $10,011 | $2,566 | $8,832 |
| Geauga County | 11.8% | +0.8% | +7.9% | $9,846 | $2,168 | $8,856 |
| Holmes County | 11.4% | -2% | +5.1% | $6,422 | $1,352 | $5,430 |
| Union County | 10% | -2.7% | +3.5% | $6,954 | $681 | $5,522 |
| Delaware County | 8% | +0.5% | +2.3% | $7,065 | $1,469 | $5,765 |
