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Ada Reporter

Friday, March 14, 2025

Ada County ranks 37th highest in Idaho for per capita government transfer income at $9,155 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, Ada County ranked eighth lowest per capita recipient of government transfers in Idaho, with residents receiving $9,155 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 Ada County received $4.8 billion in government transfers, which accounted for 13.6% of total county income.

Comparatively, across all counties in Idaho, government transfer payments totaled $19.8 billion, making up 18% of the state residents’ total income, with an average of $10,187 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 Ada County at the time, Social Security transfers totaled $1.8 billion, amounting to $3,544 per capita, or 38.7% of total government transfers. Medicare transfers accounted for $1 billion ($1,966 per capita), representing 21.5% of the total. Medicaid contributed $783.6 million ($1,510 per capita), making up 16.5% of total transfers. Income maintenance programs, including assistance such as SNAP or TANF, added another $493.4 million ($951 per capita), or 10.4% of the total.

With 16.2% of the population aged 65 and older, Ada County has a significant demand for programs like Social Security and Medicare. Total per capita income excluding government transfers in Ada County was $58,399, noticeably below the county’s total income of $67,555, emphasizing the role of government transfers in overall income.

When comparing 2022 to the previous year, Ada County saw a decrease of 15.3% in per capita government transfers, from $10,937 to $9,155 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 Ada County, reliance on government transfers has similarly increased from 6.41% (or $1,704 per capita) in 1970 to 13.6% (or $9,155 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 Ada County, 2022

040008000Total Per CapitaIncome Maintenance TransfersMedicaid TransfersMedicare TransfersSocial Security TransfersCounty Amount($)Statewide Average($)

2022 Idaho 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 ($)
Lewis County1$23,71239.21%28.3%$28,057,000$26,719,000$15,885,000$8,162,000
Lemhi County2$16,46030.45%31.45%$50,702,000$36,126,000$20,935,000$10,421,000
Clearwater County3$15,56735.75%28.99%$55,337,000$37,566,000$19,572,000$10,732,000
Shoshone County4$14,43031.85%23.36%$75,714,000$50,379,000$38,072,000$19,964,000
Custer County5$13,93127.13%30.79%$26,726,000$16,511,000$6,785,000$5,096,000
Washington County6$13,71431.59%25.72%$57,975,000$38,969,000$21,917,000$16,168,000
Butte County7$13,66825.46%25.61%$13,523,000$10,835,000$4,843,000$3,847,000
Benewah County8$13,50030.99%23.41%$54,302,000$36,267,000$20,102,000$13,913,000
Idaho County9$13,04729.44%28.87%$94,563,000$55,011,000$29,771,000$20,421,000
Boundary County10$12,99828.63%23%$65,631,000$40,643,000$24,430,000$17,339,000
Gem County11$12,84627.39%22.87%$97,459,000$62,427,000$49,726,000$25,307,000
Nez Perce County12$12,60523.16%21.14%$207,232,000$135,620,000$84,543,000$50,122,000
Adams County13$12,58728.78%31.27%$27,169,000$15,046,000$4,777,000$5,358,000
Bear Lake County14$12,30325.36%21%$29,055,000$21,018,000$14,930,000$8,017,000
Boise County15$12,26422.87%28.48%$48,964,000$20,344,000$10,803,000$8,410,000
Bonner County16$12,01223.11%26.21%$267,624,000$144,221,000$71,078,000$55,615,000
Oneida County17$11,96525.62%20.38%$19,611,000$17,284,000$8,514,000$5,919,000
Valley County18$11,64318%27.17%$64,163,000$41,919,000$11,998,000$10,531,000
Bannock County19$11,56724.37%15.27%$299,724,000$231,188,000$221,150,000$124,829,000
Lincoln County20$11,55322.35%15%$16,026,000$21,357,000$11,236,000$7,445,000
Gooding County21$11,45315.7%18.67%$56,347,000$44,470,000$41,492,000$22,546,000
Kootenai County22$11,40918.87%19.89%$835,537,000$528,180,000$276,068,000$193,090,000
Payette County23$11,37523.38%19.47%$113,140,000$74,076,000$51,847,000$37,732,000
Caribou County24$10,74222.17%18.22%$29,179,000$21,103,000$11,217,000$8,118,000
Elmore County25$10,61124.5%14.85%$89,484,000$55,065,000$52,444,000$40,501,000
Twin Falls County26$10,51921.46%16.59%$331,479,000$221,006,000$204,577,000$127,327,000
Fremont (includes Yellowstone Park) County27$10,27722%17.92%$50,542,000$30,721,000$26,123,000$18,579,000
Bingham County28$10,25621.86%15.21%$164,162,000$124,164,000$102,806,000$72,081,000
Owyhee County29$10,16021%18.55%$44,427,000$25,229,000$28,348,000$19,041,000
Camas County30$9,95716.1%24.64%$5,152,000$2,868,000$1,047,000$1,215,000
Blaine County31$9,8465.94%22.73%$111,427,000$71,976,000$21,458,000$18,572,000
Bonneville County32$9,84115.62%13.83%$401,793,000$283,253,000$285,803,000$173,226,000
Power County33$9,78220.54%16.83%$26,565,000$17,422,000$15,692,000$12,428,000
Canyon County34$9,75721.49%14.53%$791,394,000$501,527,000$538,080,000$339,782,000
Minidoka County35$9,49819.81%16%$71,350,000$45,507,000$43,896,000$31,608,000
Cassia County36$9,49117.37%14.48%$78,291,000$54,381,000$53,907,000$36,863,000
Ada County37$9,15513.55%16.19%$1,839,145,000$1,020,196,000$783,609,000$493,444,000
Latah County38$9,02817.15%14.89%$139,384,000$86,292,000$52,923,000$39,088,000
Franklin County39$8,99720.32%14.58%$47,841,000$33,781,000$22,046,000$18,613,000
Jerome County40$8,69819%13.53%$68,910,000$49,379,000$46,195,000$36,225,000
Jefferson County41$7,85417.31%12.36%$89,928,000$53,989,000$43,936,000$40,876,000
Clark County42$7,65316.19%20.62%$2,096,000$1,524,000$822,000$1,078,000
Teton County43$7,37211.85%14.14%$32,840,000$23,597,000$12,452,000$10,856,000
Madison County44$6,05921.77%5.6%$65,877,000$46,248,000$56,912,000$52,270,000

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