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 Jefferson Davis County received $168.9 million in government transfers, which accounted for 42.2% of total county income.
Comparatively, across all counties in Mississippi, government transfer payments totaled $35.2 billion, making up 25.8% of the state residents’ total income, with an average of $11,984 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 Jefferson Davis County at the time, Social Security transfers totaled $50.3 million, amounting to $4,536 per capita, or 29.8% of total government transfers. Medicare transfers accounted for $49.5 million ($4,462 per capita), representing 29.3% of the total. Medicaid contributed $31.7 million ($2,860 per capita), making up 18.8% of total transfers. Income maintenance programs, including assistance such as SNAP or TANF, added another $22.3 million ($2,011 per capita), or 13.2% of the total.
With 24.6% of the population aged 65 and older, Jefferson Davis County has a significant demand for programs like Social Security and Medicare. Total per capita income excluding government transfers in Jefferson Davis County was $20,914, far below the county’s total income of $36,150, emphasizing the role of government transfers in overall income.
When comparing 2022 to the previous year, Jefferson Davis County saw a decrease of 17.5% in per capita government transfers, from $18,362 to $15,237 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 Jefferson Davis County, reliance on government transfers has similarly increased from 15.22% (or $1,812 per capita) in 1970 to 42.2% (or $15,237 per capita) in 2022, reflecting broader national trends.
According to the Economic Innovation Group’s analysis, these trends are not merely short-term responses to economic pressures but rather reflect a profound, long-term transformation in how government support is integrated into American life. The study illustrates that structural shifts—from rising healthcare expenses and demographic changes to stagnant wages—have significantly increased dependency on government transfers.
| County | State Rank (Per Capita Transfers) | Per Capita Transfers ($) | Dependency on Transfers (%) | % Population 65+ | Social Security Transfers ($) | Medicare Transfers ($) | Medicaid Transfers ($) | Income Maintenance Transfers ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sharkey County | 1 | $20,533 | 44.54% | 21.61% | $19,397,000 | $17,219,000 | $19,675,000 | $10,848,000 |
| Quitman County | 2 | $19,109 | 50% | 18.72% | $25,715,000 | $27,012,000 | $31,445,000 | $17,612,000 |
| Holmes County | 3 | $18,081 | 53.29% | 16.62% | $63,389,000 | $71,904,000 | $74,190,000 | $48,581,000 |
| Coahoma County | 4 | $17,951 | 41.37% | 16.87% | $83,869,000 | $80,855,000 | $107,455,000 | $59,848,000 |
| Humphreys County | 5 | $17,002 | 43% | 19% | $30,639,000 | $29,002,000 | $33,051,000 | $24,390,000 |
| Lawrence County | 6 | $16,861 | 38.16% | 19.64% | $65,417,000 | $65,291,000 | $28,639,000 | $19,070,000 |
| Yalobusha County | 7 | $16,800 | 40% | 21.87% | $73,573,000 | $65,517,000 | $29,935,000 | $21,433,000 |
| Claiborne County | 8 | $16,329 | 46.66% | 18.14% | $34,916,000 | $35,150,000 | $30,010,000 | $22,105,000 |
| Montgomery County | 9 | $16,241 | 39.16% | 22.86% | $48,133,000 | $44,975,000 | $31,503,000 | $16,869,000 |
| Bolivar County | 10 | $16,081 | 34.31% | 17.42% | $125,312,000 | $132,128,000 | $104,834,000 | $72,805,000 |
| Noxubee County | 11 | $15,627 | 38.64% | 18.17% | $41,133,000 | $38,838,000 | $37,300,000 | $27,374,000 |
| Jefferson County | 12 | $15,483 | 41.14% | 19.57% | $30,402,000 | $27,540,000 | $26,165,000 | $17,531,000 |
| Simpson County | 13 | $15,375 | 33.92% | 19.22% | $108,401,000 | $101,573,000 | $114,353,000 | $39,134,000 |
| Franklin County | 14 | $15,357 | 38.36% | 21.51% | $37,539,000 | $38,197,000 | $20,261,000 | $11,382,000 |
| Kemper County | 15 | $15,289 | 41.31% | 22.45% | $36,023,000 | $38,269,000 | $22,040,000 | $15,507,000 |
| Jefferson Davis County | 16 | $15,237 | 42.15% | 24.56% | $50,296,000 | $49,480,000 | $31,711,000 | $22,296,000 |
| Washington County | 17 | $15,200 | 34.95% | 18.16% | $183,518,000 | $149,560,000 | $145,549,000 | $117,782,000 |
| Calhoun County | 18 | $15,069 | 37.33% | 20.82% | $65,728,000 | $50,883,000 | $38,828,000 | $21,026,000 |
| Webster County | 19 | $15,024 | 34.33% | 18.36% | $51,104,000 | $40,930,000 | $30,060,000 | $14,661,000 |
| Leflore County | 20 | $15,010 | 32.13% | 15.62% | $100,692,000 | $82,858,000 | $110,568,000 | $70,018,000 |
| Adams County | 21 | $14,964 | 32.89% | 22% | $134,488,000 | $116,124,000 | $85,242,000 | $51,856,000 |
| Clarke County | 22 | $14,748 | 34.42% | 22.36% | $76,856,000 | $65,558,000 | $38,721,000 | $22,526,000 |
| Wilkinson County | 23 | $14,708 | 41.4% | 19.65% | $31,856,000 | $35,233,000 | $29,528,000 | $16,089,000 |
| Marion County | 24 | $14,633 | 35.24% | 18.99% | $111,821,000 | $97,377,000 | $70,473,000 | $41,719,000 |
| Attala County | 25 | $14,630 | 34% | 19.62% | $79,157,000 | $78,521,000 | $45,578,000 | $29,542,000 |
| Clay County | 26 | $14,565 | 30.56% | 19.86% | $89,489,000 | $72,914,000 | $44,417,000 | $36,446,000 |
| Grenada County | 27 | $14,483 | 34% | 18.75% | $101,725,000 | $85,451,000 | $55,748,000 | $37,466,000 |
| Benton County | 28 | $14,478 | 34.91% | 19.79% | $36,208,000 | $32,234,000 | $19,230,000 | $13,501,000 |
| Jasper County | 29 | $14,319 | 30.37% | 21.7% | $77,478,000 | $61,499,000 | $44,274,000 | $26,781,000 |
| Winston County | 30 | $14,029 | 32% | 21.46% | $85,933,000 | $62,387,000 | $46,046,000 | $31,343,000 |
| Tishomingo County | 31 | $13,844 | 32.74% | 21.24% | $98,280,000 | $74,747,000 | $41,827,000 | $19,973,000 |
| Jones County | 32 | $13,808 | 29.97% | 17.99% | $275,070,000 | $210,902,000 | $255,889,000 | $96,024,000 |
| Chickasaw County | 33 | $13,805 | 35.4% | 18.8% | $75,539,000 | $64,280,000 | $42,233,000 | $29,084,000 |
| Covington County | 34 | $13,747 | 30.7% | 17.36% | $79,828,000 | $69,741,000 | $40,263,000 | $30,659,000 |
| Alcorn County | 35 | $13,637 | 30.32% | 19.13% | $171,766,000 | $128,121,000 | $80,458,000 | $45,821,000 |
| Tallahatchie County | 36 | $13,576 | 35.31% | 17.55% | $46,006,000 | $45,477,000 | $33,534,000 | $26,699,000 |
| Copiah County | 37 | $13,493 | 34.52% | 19.44% | $114,594,000 | $102,682,000 | $63,030,000 | $52,242,000 |
| Pike County | 38 | $13,429 | 36.98% | 17.71% | $157,864,000 | $142,324,000 | $97,050,000 | $73,506,000 |
| Walthall County | 39 | $13,418 | 35.7% | 20.69% | $61,724,000 | $45,988,000 | $36,857,000 | $23,223,000 |
| Tippah County | 40 | $13,393 | 31.28% | 17.52% | $96,440,000 | $82,012,000 | $53,835,000 | $30,548,000 |
| Sunflower County | 41 | $13,262 | 38% | 15.12% | $86,293,000 | $84,515,000 | $71,555,000 | $58,367,000 |
| Lauderdale County | 42 | $13,183 | 27.98% | 18.76% | $291,782,000 | $236,083,000 | $177,690,000 | $110,663,000 |
| Stone County | 43 | $13,135 | 33.37% | 17.34% | $73,822,000 | $67,590,000 | $28,182,000 | $22,770,000 |
| Panola County | 44 | $13,115 | 32.45% | 17.79% | $140,184,000 | $117,527,000 | $71,816,000 | $64,068,000 |
| Monroe County | 45 | $13,099 | 30.19% | 20.46% | $163,647,000 | $118,455,000 | $67,224,000 | $44,519,000 |
| Warren County | 46 | $13,001 | 27% | 18.9% | $182,174,000 | $153,215,000 | $94,171,000 | $72,636,000 |
| Smith County | 47 | $12,989 | 27.5% | 21.17% | $68,947,000 | $46,904,000 | $32,750,000 | $19,954,000 |
| Leake County | 48 | $12,941 | 30.97% | 18.28% | $83,296,000 | $82,540,000 | $47,448,000 | $35,213,000 |
| Carroll County | 49 | $12,902 | 29.94% | 24.99% | $51,353,000 | $33,795,000 | $17,277,000 | $12,639,000 |
| Choctaw County | 50 | $12,835 | 31.41% | 23.42% | $31,073,000 | $27,862,000 | $23,597,000 | $12,284,000 |
| Neshoba County | 51 | $12,760 | 27.97% | 16.37% | $110,591,000 | $105,177,000 | $73,664,000 | $46,443,000 |
| Tunica County | 52 | $12,740 | 32.14% | 13.83% | $31,956,000 | $27,772,000 | $24,525,000 | $25,754,000 |
| Marshall County | 53 | $12,720 | 29.81% | 18.95% | $151,810,000 | $119,530,000 | $61,713,000 | $60,602,000 |
| Wayne County | 54 | $12,650 | 28.63% | 18.19% | $82,712,000 | $57,057,000 | $48,523,000 | $35,317,000 |
| Newton County | 55 | $12,638 | 31.37% | 17.45% | $88,607,000 | $67,180,000 | $48,212,000 | $29,032,000 |
| Amite County | 56 | $12,498 | 32.59% | 26.2% | $61,214,000 | $35,986,000 | $28,241,000 | $17,274,000 |
| Pearl River County | 57 | $12,335 | 28.61% | 19.64% | $264,514,000 | $192,237,000 | $83,170,000 | $71,284,000 |
| Scott County | 58 | $12,312 | 31.99% | 15.81% | $101,489,000 | $106,821,000 | $62,066,000 | $46,561,000 |
| Hinds County | 59 | $12,290 | 26.23% | 16.3% | $823,134,000 | $662,598,000 | $468,711,000 | $414,767,000 |
| Lincoln County | 60 | $12,191 | 27.33% | 17.9% | $148,216,000 | $104,152,000 | $87,191,000 | $45,665,000 |
| Lowndes County | 61 | $12,182 | 25.24% | 17.37% | $230,891,000 | $171,509,000 | $103,775,000 | $87,845,000 |
| Yazoo County | 62 | $12,157 | 34.74% | 14.73% | $90,857,000 | $82,172,000 | $69,083,000 | $50,077,000 |
| Prentiss County | 63 | $12,078 | 32.17% | 17.75% | $102,669,000 | $89,280,000 | $46,326,000 | $30,596,000 |
| Itawamba County | 64 | $11,704 | 28.5% | 17.55% | $107,072,000 | $73,335,000 | $38,683,000 | $24,480,000 |
| Greene County | 65 | $11,585 | 35.48% | 16% | $46,478,000 | $53,972,000 | $27,585,000 | $16,125,000 |
| Hancock County | 66 | $11,584 | 26.1% | 22.4% | $205,227,000 | $141,520,000 | $69,334,000 | $50,664,000 |
| Harrison County | 67 | $11,576 | 25% | 16.55% | $793,675,000 | $594,978,000 | $329,391,000 | $272,137,000 |
| Tate County | 68 | $11,544 | 26.64% | 16.73% | $120,637,000 | $90,484,000 | $35,185,000 | $37,251,000 |
| Perry County | 69 | $11,539 | 31.77% | 19.47% | $51,801,000 | $18,074,000 | $28,322,000 | $17,148,000 |
| Lee County | 70 | $11,513 | 22.12% | 15.55% | $355,520,000 | $267,151,000 | $130,881,000 | $106,898,000 |
| Forrest County | 71 | $11,254 | 26.61% | 13.87% | $270,619,000 | $177,684,000 | $167,205,000 | $103,398,000 |
| Union County | 72 | $10,962 | 26.87% | 16.66% | $124,330,000 | $83,420,000 | $40,323,000 | $32,874,000 |
| Jackson County | 73 | $10,527 | 22.93% | 17.25% | $608,481,000 | $370,340,000 | $166,111,000 | $162,104,000 |
| George County | 74 | $10,384 | 26.81% | 14.73% | $94,376,000 | $74,504,000 | $34,142,000 | $29,934,000 |
| Pontotoc County | 75 | $10,355 | 24.97% | 15.39% | $123,185,000 | $90,436,000 | $44,236,000 | $38,157,000 |
| Rankin County | 76 | $9,722 | 18.1% | 16.71% | $606,753,000 | $409,988,000 | $249,822,000 | $123,783,000 |
| Madison County | 77 | $9,109 | 11.47% | 15.42% | $426,470,000 | $267,217,000 | $102,139,000 | $102,279,000 |
| Lafayette County | 78 | $8,882 | 17.94% | 13.78% | $175,720,000 | $114,823,000 | $112,089,000 | $39,313,000 |
| Lamar County | 79 | $8,830 | 18.22% | 15.3% | $206,596,000 | $191,209,000 | $54,686,000 | $63,531,000 |
| Oktibbeha County | 80 | $8,640 | 22% | 12.26% | $139,338,000 | $103,232,000 | $74,414,000 | $52,356,000 |
| Issaquena County | 81 | $8,237 | 33.64% | 15.61% | $2,350,000 | $2,676,000 | $2,824,000 | $2,049,000 |
| DeSoto County | 82 | $7,942 | 15.2% | 13.54% | $631,432,000 | $414,967,000 | $72,863,000 | $174,686,000 |
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