In 2022, government transfers accounted for 19.8% of total income in North Carolina, a 12.7% rise from 7.1% in 1970, and a 0.7% increase over 2012’s 19.1%, according to information from the Economic Innovation Group. On a per capita basis, this equates to $11,491 per resident in 2022, up from $9,095 in 2012 and $1,410 in 1970.
Among North Carolina’s counties, Cumberland County saw the largest increase in transfer dependency over the past 10 years, surging 8.2% from 22.8% in 2012 to 31% in 2022, and up 26.9% from just 4.1% in 1970. In dollar terms, government transfers per capita in Cumberland County jumped from $9,830 in 2012 to $14,252 in 2022, a stark contrast to the $961 recorded in 1970.
Onslow County followed with the second-largest increase in transfer dependency, increasing 8% from 13.2% in 2012 to 21.2% in 2022, and an overall increase of 19% from 1970’s 2.2% transfer dependency. This trend is reflected in per capita amounts, with residents of Onslow County receiving an average of $10,936 in transfer income in 2022, up from $7,053 in 2012 and more than double the $961 recorded in 1970.
Additionally, Cherokee County had the highest percentage of income derived from government transfers, at 42.5% in 2022, making it the county with the highest overall transfer dependency. Washington County and Martin County followed closely behind, with transfer dependency rates of 41.9% and 40.9% in 2022, respectively.
Compared to 1970, Cherokee County increased by 28.2%, while Washington County and Martin County have increased by 33.1% and 32%, respectively, showing sustained reliance on government transfers. Residents in Cherokee County received an average of $17,000 in transfers per capita, with Washington County and Martin County close behind at $19,018 and $17,387, respectively.
For comparison, the statewide average was 19.8% in 2022, showing a higher dependency than the national average of 17.6%. On a per capita level, this translates to $11,491 per resident in 2022, 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 North Carolina, reliance on government transfers was just 7.1% (or $1,410 per capita in inflation-adjusted 2022 dollars) in 1970. This has since increased to 19.8% (or $11,491 per capita) in 2022, reflecting a total increase of 12.7% 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 North Carolina included:
- Social Security: $3,895 per capita (33.9% of total transfers)
- Medicare: $2,790 per capita (24.3% of total transfers)
- Medicaid: $1,808 per capita (15.7% of total transfers)
- Income Maintenance Programs: $1,348 per capita (11.7% of total transfers)
With 17.2% of the population aged 65 and older, North Carolina has a significant demand for programs like 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. In North Carolina, reliance on government transfers has similarly increased from 7.1% (or $1,410 per capita) in 1970 to 19.8% (or $11,491 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 | Dependency on Transfers (%) | Change Since 2012 | Change Since 1970 | Per Capita Amount (2022) | Per Capita Change Since 2012 | Per Capita Change Since 1970 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alamance County | 23% | 0.7% | 16.9% | $11,282 | $1,966 | $9,984 |
| Alexander County | 26.7% | 0.5% | 20.1% | $12,846 | $3,366 | $11,667 |
| Alleghany County | 35.6% | 3% | 23.3% | $15,839 | $3,472 | $14,017 |
| Anson County | 31.8% | -0.9% | 20.4% | $15,957 | $4,387 | $14,334 |
| Ashe County | 33% | 3.2% | 20.7% | $14,667 | $3,072 | $13,060 |
| Avery County | 27.7% | 0.4% | 14.8% | $12,622 | $2,718 | $10,966 |
| Beaufort County | 31.2% | 3.2% | 22.1% | $17,004 | $4,236 | $15,494 |
| Bertie County | 36.2% | -0.4% | 21.4% | $17,898 | $4,173 | $15,959 |
| Bladen County | 35.2% | 2.2% | 24.7% | $17,034 | $4,570 | $15,496 |
| Brunswick County | 29.3% | 0.6% | 20.3% | $17,083 | $4,605 | $15,527 |
| Buncombe County | 19.7% | -1.4% | 10.8% | $12,130 | $2,328 | $10,411 |
| Burke County | 29.7% | 0.6% | 23.2% | $13,244 | $2,933 | $12,001 |
| Cabarrus County | 16.5% | -0.4% | 9% | $9,017 | $1,351 | $7,462 |
| Caldwell County | 31.5% | 2% | 24.6% | $14,076 | $3,622 | $12,790 |
| Camden County | 20% | 2.5% | 10.8% | $11,398 | $2,577 | $10,013 |
| Carteret County | 24.3% | 3% | 16% | $15,421 | $4,408 | $13,899 |
| Caswell County | 32.3% | 1.2% | 24.7% | $13,292 | $2,135 | $12,146 |
| Catawba County | 23% | 0.9% | 17.5% | $12,724 | $2,778 | $11,503 |
| Chatham County | 14.8% | -1% | 8.5% | $11,821 | $2,307 | $10,643 |
| Cherokee County | 42.5% | 4.4% | 28.2% | $17,000 | $3,798 | $15,077 |
| Chowan County | 30.9% | 1% | 20.4% | $15,782 | $3,239 | $14,118 |
| Clay County | 39.3% | 2.9% | 24.1% | $17,203 | $4,682 | $15,148 |
| Cleveland County | 31.9% | 0.5% | 23.8% | $14,377 | $2,348 | $12,931 |
| Columbus County | 37.5% | 1.5% | 27.1% | $16,523 | $3,656 | $14,974 |
| Craven County | 27.2% | 5.6% | 21.6% | $14,750 | $4,548 | $13,515 |
| Cumberland County | 31% | 8.2% | 26.9% | $14,252 | $4,422 | $13,291 |
| Currituck County | 17.9% | 1% | 9.4% | $10,619 | $2,475 | $8,881 |
| Dare County | 16.6% | 0.5% | 6.4% | $12,655 | $3,777 | $10,583 |
| Davidson County | 24.2% | -0.2% | 18.1% | $11,732 | $2,010 | $10,534 |
| Davie County | 21.4% | 1.1% | 13.5% | $12,958 | $3,071 | $11,473 |
| Duplin County | 27% | 2.6% | 19.3% | $14,246 | $4,747 | $13,020 |
| Durham County | 15.3% | 0.7% | 7.4% | $9,022 | $1,438 | $7,220 |
| Edgecombe County | 37.1% | 3.2% | 25.8% | $16,139 | $3,502 | $14,266 |
| Forsyth County | 20.2% | 2.3% | 13.6% | $11,653 | $2,761 | $10,019 |
| Franklin County | 22.1% | -1.1% | 12.9% | $10,218 | $1,511 | $8,769 |
| Gaston County | 23.9% | -0.8% | 17.1% | $11,893 | $1,522 | $10,593 |
| Gates County | 27.4% | 3.8% | 18.8% | $13,643 | $4,261 | $12,291 |
| Graham County | 36.8% | 1.5% | 23.5% | $15,201 | $3,117 | $13,496 |
| Granville County | 22.3% | 0.6% | 14.4% | $10,463 | $1,917 | $9,268 |
| Greene County | 27.7% | 1.3% | 21.7% | $10,789 | $1,843 | $9,677 |
| Guilford County | 20% | 2% | 14.5% | $10,982 | $2,382 | $9,626 |
| Halifax County | 39.3% | 3.1% | 26.8% | $17,613 | $3,589 | $15,815 |
| Harnett County | 25.2% | 1.8% | 16.7% | $11,114 | $2,814 | $9,778 |
| Haywood County | 30.5% | 0.6% | 20.9% | $15,500 | $3,057 | $13,805 |
| Henderson County | 25.8% | 0.4% | 16% | $14,228 | $2,891 | $12,301 |
| Hertford County | 37.3% | 4% | 29.1% | $15,494 | $4,105 | $14,296 |
| Hoke County | 30.2% | 7.5% | 23.7% | $12,453 | $4,337 | $11,507 |
| Hyde County | 26.6% | 4.8% | 15.9% | $12,915 | $3,774 | $11,331 |
| Iredell County | 16.2% | -0.8% | 8.9% | $10,417 | $1,928 | $9,063 |
| Jackson County | 26.4% | -0.3% | 16.1% | $11,841 | $2,879 | $10,353 |
| Johnston County | 18.2% | -1.7% | 9.3% | $9,060 | $874 | $7,526 |
| Jones County | 32.8% | 5.9% | 21.8% | $15,912 | $3,902 | $14,402 |
| Lee County | 26.3% | 2.5% | 17.4% | $13,033 | $3,054 | $11,383 |
| Lenoir County | 31.5% | 2.6% | 23.1% | $16,077 | $3,613 | $14,601 |
| Lincoln County | 19.1% | -1.1% | 11.8% | $11,090 | $2,340 | $9,748 |
| McDowell County | 34.3% | 2% | 24.7% | $15,084 | $4,094 | $13,577 |
| Macon County | 31.9% | 1.5% | 19.5% | $15,420 | $3,310 | $13,643 |
| Madison County | 31.5% | -1.6% | 18% | $14,018 | $2,714 | $12,250 |
| Martin County | 40.9% | 6.7% | 32% | $17,387 | $4,389 | $15,902 |
| Mecklenburg County | 10.9% | 0.9% | 6% | $8,339 | $1,502 | $7,081 |
| Mitchell County | 33.7% | 1.2% | 19.5% | $14,804 | $2,604 | $12,761 |
| Montgomery County | 26.9% | -1.5% | 17.4% | $12,574 | $2,391 | $10,942 |
| Moore County | 22.2% | 1.4% | 12.7% | $13,932 | $2,460 | $12,184 |
| Nash County | 26.7% | 2.4% | 19.5% | $13,546 | $2,868 | $12,232 |
| New Hanover County | 19.6% | -0.5% | 11.7% | $11,942 | $2,789 | $10,383 |
| Northampton County | 38.9% | 3% | 25.3% | $18,538 | $4,889 | $16,822 |
| Onslow County | 21.2% | 8% | 19% | $10,936 | $3,883 | $10,339 |
| Orange County | 10.5% | 0.7% | 5.8% | $8,141 | $1,858 | $7,117 |
| Pamlico County | 31.5% | 3.9% | 23.2% | $16,459 | $3,865 | $15,019 |
| Pasquotank County | 28.3% | 3.9% | 19.7% | $13,383 | $3,344 | $11,902 |
| Pender County | 24.7% | -0.1% | 15.6% | $12,319 | $2,368 | $10,972 |
| Perquimans County | 29.9% | 2.8% | 18.1% | $15,975 | $3,820 | $14,325 |
| Person County | 30% | 3% | 21.1% | $13,601 | $2,839 | $12,106 |
| Pitt County | 22.6% | 2.4% | 14.1% | $12,108 | $3,246 | $10,639 |
| Polk County | 26.6% | 0.4% | 16.8% | $16,335 | $4,435 | $14,322 |
| Randolph County | 26.3% | 1.5% | 20.6% | $12,314 | $2,764 | $11,155 |
| Richmond County | 36.7% | 0% | 25.3% | $16,866 | $3,575 | $14,997 |
| Robeson County | 40.8% | 4.5% | 29.9% | $16,746 | $4,976 | $15,194 |
| Rockingham County | 32% | 3.1% | 24.1% | $14,506 | $3,205 | $12,899 |
| Rowan County | 26.2% | -0.9% | 18.7% | $12,331 | $2,028 | $10,866 |
| Rutherford County | 34.6% | 1.8% | 25% | $14,732 | $3,427 | $13,128 |
| Sampson County | 29.8% | 3% | 20.7% | $13,970 | $3,132 | $12,560 |
| Scotland County | 38.6% | 1.3% | 29.1% | $15,853 | $2,746 | $14,282 |
| Stanly County | 26.1% | -0.5% | 18.8% | $12,575 | $2,301 | $11,123 |
| Stokes County | 29.3% | 4% | 22.6% | $13,579 | $4,065 | $12,414 |
| Surry County | 28.8% | 0% | 20.3% | $14,023 | $2,783 | $12,372 |
| Swain County | 35.4% | 4% | 20.5% | $18,236 | $6,213 | $16,375 |
| Transylvania County | 27.6% | -1.5% | 19.9% | $15,268 | $3,440 | $13,987 |
| Tyrrell County | 32.7% | 4% | 16.9% | $14,737 | $4,119 | $12,752 |
| Union County | 12.3% | -0.3% | 5.8% | $8,303 | $1,916 | $7,125 |
| Vance County | 38.6% | 5% | 29.5% | $16,730 | $4,220 | $15,092 |
| Wake County | 10% | 0.1% | 4.9% | $7,657 | $1,747 | $6,425 |
| Warren County | 36.2% | 1.4% | 20.6% | $13,624 | $2,488 | $11,505 |
| Washington County | 41.9% | 5.9% | 33.1% | $19,018 | $4,585 | $17,566 |
| Watauga County | 19.7% | 0.8% | 11.8% | $9,556 | $2,480 | $8,348 |
| Wayne County | 27.7% | 3.7% | 20.4% | $13,690 | $3,640 | $12,256 |
| Wilkes County | 31% | -0.8% | 23.5% | $14,698 | $2,883 | $13,446 |
| Wilson County | 30.6% | 4.4% | 22.5% | $14,934 | $3,572 | $13,494 |
| Yadkin County | 27.7% | 1% | 20.3% | $13,141 | $2,786 | $11,796 |
| Yancey County | 35.9% | 2.9% | 22.3% | $15,092 | $2,883 | $13,474 |
