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 Nantucket County received $110 million in government transfers, which accounted for 7.4% of total county income.
Comparatively, across all counties in Massachusetts, government transfer payments totaled $88.2 billion, making up 14.9% of the state residents’ total income, with an average of $12,629 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 Nantucket County at the time, Social Security transfers totaled $43 million, amounting to $2,979 per capita, or 39.1% of total government transfers. Medicare transfers accounted for $32.8 million ($2,277 per capita), representing 29.9% of the total. Medicaid contributed $7 million ($487 per capita), making up 6.4% of total transfers. Income maintenance programs, including assistance such as SNAP or TANF, added another $14.9 million ($1,030 per capita), or 13.5% of the total.
With 16.6% of the population aged 65 and older, Nantucket County has a significant demand for programs like Social Security and Medicare. Total per capita income excluding government transfers in Nantucket County was $95,408, slightly below the county’s total income of $103,033, emphasizing the role of government transfers in overall income.
When comparing 2022 to the previous year, Nantucket County saw a decrease of 33.7% in per capita government transfers, from $11,444 to $7,625 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 Nantucket County, reliance on government transfers has similarly decreased from 9.37% (or $3,136 per capita) in 1970 to 7.4% (or $7,625 per capita) in 2022.
According to the Economic Innovation Group’s analysis, these trends are not merely short-term responses to economic pressures but rather reflect a profound, long-term transformation in how government support is integrated into American life. The study illustrates that structural shifts—from rising healthcare expenses and demographic changes to stagnant wages—have significantly increased dependency on government transfers.
| County | State Rank (Per Capita Transfers) | Per Capita Transfers ($) | Dependency on Transfers (%) | % Population 65+ | Social Security Transfers ($) | Medicare Transfers ($) | Medicaid Transfers ($) | Income Maintenance Transfers ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hampden County | 1 | $18,711 | 31% | 18.28% | $1,761,916,000 | $1,500,627,000 | $3,237,777,000 | $1,645,750,000 |
| Franklin County | 2 | $17,228 | 27.37% | 24.76% | $328,760,000 | $253,732,000 | $394,029,000 | $160,819,000 |
| Berkshire County | 3 | $17,171 | 26.52% | 25.37% | $662,413,000 | $545,865,000 | $563,494,000 | $293,769,000 |
| Barnstable County | 4 | $16,390 | 19.21% | 33% | $1,569,996,000 | $1,239,776,000 | $396,070,000 | $347,031,000 |
| Suffolk County | 5 | $15,158 | 15.64% | 13.5% | $1,656,221,000 | $1,835,159,000 | $5,245,864,000 | $2,207,565,000 |
| Bristol County | 6 | $14,216 | 22.18% | 17.77% | $2,213,036,000 | $1,936,937,000 | $2,272,527,000 | $1,303,327,000 |
| Plymouth County | 7 | $12,962 | 16.19% | 19.78% | $2,259,324,000 | $1,850,986,000 | $1,417,370,000 | $854,121,000 |
| Essex County | 8 | $12,701 | 16.24% | 18.51% | $3,032,620,000 | $2,488,584,000 | $2,403,963,000 | $1,678,548,000 |
| Dukes County | 9 | $11,939 | 13.63% | 27% | $101,588,000 | $86,133,000 | $16,546,000 | $23,834,000 |
| Worcester County | 10 | $11,881 | 18.33% | 17% | $3,020,038,000 | $2,514,286,000 | $2,284,803,000 | $1,675,316,000 |
| Hampshire County | 11 | $10,563 | 17.66% | 19.32% | $633,425,000 | $468,304,000 | $186,732,000 | $245,263,000 |
| Norfolk County | 12 | $9,915 | 9% | 17.83% | $2,630,729,000 | $2,161,066,000 | $931,573,000 | $909,971,000 |
| Middlesex County | 13 | $9,757 | 9.59% | 16.45% | $5,360,400,000 | $4,223,300,000 | $2,806,553,000 | $2,226,824,000 |
| Nantucket County | 14 | $7,625 | 7.4% | 16.59% | $42,965,000 | $32,834,000 | $7,024,000 | $14,850,000 |
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