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Friday, March 14, 2025

Windham County ranks fifth highest in Vermont for per capita government transfer income at $13,833 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, Windham County ranked fifth highest per capita recipient of government transfers in Vermont, with residents receiving $13,833 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 Windham County received $634.2 million in government transfers, which accounted for 24.3% of total county income.

Comparatively, across all counties in Vermont, government transfer payments totaled $8.2 billion, making up 20% of the state residents’ total income, with an average of $12,623 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 Windham County at the time, Social Security transfers totaled $235.7 million, amounting to $5,143 per capita, or 37.2% of total government transfers. Medicare transfers accounted for $148.8 million ($3,247 per capita), representing 23.5% of the total. Medicaid contributed $141.9 million ($3,095 per capita), making up 22.4% of total transfers. Income maintenance programs, including assistance such as SNAP or TANF, added another $56.1 million ($1,225 per capita), or 8.9% of the total.

With 25.3% of the population aged 65 and older, Windham County has a significant demand for programs like Social Security and Medicare. Total per capita income excluding government transfers in Windham County was $43,090, far below the county’s total income of $56,923, emphasizing the role of government transfers in overall income.

When comparing 2022 to the previous year, Windham County saw a decrease of 14.4% in per capita government transfers, from $16,061 to $13,833 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 Windham County, reliance on government transfers has similarly increased from 9.81% (or $2,177 per capita) in 1970 to 24.3% (or $13,833 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 Windham County, 2022

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

2022 Vermont 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 ($)
Rutland County1$19,08432.57%24.66%$336,315,000$194,213,000$457,282,000$84,620,000
Orleans County2$15,88829.86%23.65%$135,879,000$99,361,000$116,082,000$46,414,000
Essex County3$13,92030.66%27.61%$35,360,000$26,653,000$931,000$9,331,000
Windsor County4$13,89920.45%25.56%$323,107,000$231,599,000$118,271,000$60,764,000
Windham County5$13,83324.3%25.28%$235,748,000$148,846,000$141,886,000$56,141,000
Washington County6$13,68619.77%21.68%$285,590,000$129,606,000$268,122,000$59,089,000
Bennington County7$13,59022.6%24.62%$198,317,000$114,273,000$97,289,000$51,869,000
Caledonia County8$13,49926.73%22.94%$147,261,000$109,537,000$74,049,000$42,958,000
Orange County9$12,48322.28%23.55%$140,596,000$103,013,000$55,073,000$33,026,000
Lamoille County10$11,15317.42%18.84%$105,885,000$60,356,000$66,578,000$28,047,000
Addison County11$10,48916.9%22.81%$176,521,000$81,979,000$63,446,000$31,482,000
Grand Isle County12$10,31014.47%23.22%$42,551,000$16,517,000$521,000$7,345,000
Franklin County13$10,10718%17.97%$188,699,000$93,893,000$103,886,000$65,258,000
Chittenden County14$9,80813.9%16.9%$654,792,000$291,610,000$403,906,000$137,221,000

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