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Tuesday, March 18, 2025

Seneca County residents received $12,673 per capita in government transfers in 2022, ranking 33rd in New York

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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, Seneca County ranked 30th lowest per capita recipient of government transfers in New York, with residents receiving $12,673 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 Seneca County received $416.7 million in government transfers, which accounted for 27.2% of total county income.

Comparatively, across all counties in New York, government transfer payments totaled $264.9 billion, making up 17.9% of the state residents’ total income, with an average of $13,463 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 Seneca County at the time, Social Security transfers totaled $155.3 million, amounting to $4,722 per capita, or 37.3% of total government transfers. Medicare transfers accounted for $93.6 million ($2,846 per capita), representing 22.5% of the total. Medicaid contributed $95.9 million ($2,916 per capita), making up 23% of total transfers. Income maintenance programs, including assistance such as SNAP or TANF, added another $45.2 million ($1,376 per capita), or 10.9% of the total.

With 21.7% of the population aged 65 and older, Seneca County has a significant demand for programs like Social Security and Medicare. Total per capita income excluding government transfers in Seneca County was $33,934, far below the county’s total income of $46,607, emphasizing the role of government transfers in overall income.

When comparing 2022 to the previous year, Seneca County saw a decrease of 21% in per capita government transfers, from $15,700 to $12,673 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 Seneca County, reliance on government transfers has similarly increased from 8.48% (or $1,880 per capita) in 1970 to 27.2% (or $12,673 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 Seneca County, 2022

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

2022 New York 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 ($)
New York County1$15,5578.33%18.44%$5,205,027,000$4,904,087,000$9,676,136,000$3,153,534,000
Richmond County2$15,54124.88%17.25%$1,840,672,000$1,543,559,000$2,885,810,000$1,024,726,000
Bronx County3$15,25237.48%14.63%$3,150,592,000$4,354,103,000$8,642,754,000$3,981,197,000
Montgomery County4$15,02532%19.21%$234,572,000$166,198,000$211,010,000$93,356,000
Sullivan County5$14,92627.41%19.24%$342,104,000$258,838,000$389,263,000$139,275,000
Fulton County6$14,85829.6%20.85%$254,636,000$162,537,000$229,793,000$93,758,000
Queens County7$14,64626.99%18%$6,064,921,000$6,747,218,000$14,145,827,000$4,932,526,000
Schuyler County8$14,45929.6%23.29%$95,388,000$60,494,000$56,100,000$25,901,000
Chautauqua County9$14,35231%21.44%$607,436,000$364,768,000$452,989,000$254,521,000
Chemung County10$14,33227.76%20.44%$394,223,000$255,557,000$289,838,000$146,514,000
Kings County11$14,30523.78%15.62%$5,656,781,000$7,612,838,000$15,987,850,000$6,190,551,000
Chenango County12$14,05828.52%22.1%$232,614,000$154,796,000$145,329,000$77,344,000
Essex County13$14,01426.17%26.51%$188,990,000$110,129,000$136,998,000$43,802,000
Herkimer County14$13,97828.33%22%$282,372,000$182,728,000$220,272,000$95,517,000
Columbia County15$13,94220.15%26.31%$328,787,000$192,733,000$208,520,000$74,714,000
Franklin County16$13,81428%19.75%$213,704,000$136,031,000$166,273,000$79,596,000
Oneida County17$13,73326.59%19.81%$1,013,863,000$654,666,000$829,991,000$431,323,000
Cattaraugus County18$13,73330.13%20.63%$354,295,000$228,598,000$247,108,000$132,847,000
Warren County19$13,73022.6%24.15%$374,112,000$207,763,000$171,806,000$81,486,000
Hamilton County20$13,70125.29%33.76%$31,799,000$17,625,000$12,114,000$4,466,000
Delaware County21$13,68429.81%26.3%$227,596,000$156,249,000$136,939,000$57,042,000
Clinton County22$13,61926.63%19.19%$374,039,000$251,878,000$234,260,000$126,743,000
Ulster County23$13,56021.78%21.25%$858,585,000$616,567,000$642,862,000$226,095,000
Steuben County24$13,52324.93%20.84%$434,690,000$266,858,000$281,900,000$150,760,000
Greene County25$13,44723.9%24.23%$244,818,000$155,129,000$140,660,000$60,351,000
Niagara County26$13,42125.94%20.73%$1,043,558,000$643,805,000$620,786,000$316,896,000
Orleans County27$13,28629.27%20.23%$186,823,000$123,406,000$111,995,000$64,803,000
Wayne County28$13,13424.4%20.76%$459,929,000$285,129,000$258,566,000$117,971,000
Monroe County29$13,09822%18.71%$3,355,911,000$2,139,372,000$2,493,378,000$1,274,836,000
Oswego County30$12,93327.36%17.9%$536,038,000$349,365,000$346,816,000$197,718,000
St. Lawrence County31$12,92029.15%18.82%$464,202,000$310,265,000$344,723,000$164,485,000
Schenectady County32$12,67922.17%17.87%$646,472,000$436,629,000$568,973,000$258,549,000
Seneca County33$12,67327.19%21.66%$155,256,000$93,581,000$95,882,000$45,237,000
Broome County34$12,65125.91%20.2%$879,856,000$549,774,000$588,481,000$331,071,000
Cayuga County35$12,64424.45%21.41%$340,991,000$224,447,000$206,644,000$112,042,000
Washington County36$12,64126.52%21.55%$281,123,000$171,479,000$178,006,000$85,460,000
Erie County37$12,59621.92%19.28%$4,092,923,000$2,606,673,000$2,783,899,000$1,568,151,000
Tioga County38$12,52724.65%22.13%$237,205,000$135,617,000$117,793,000$66,532,000
Otsego County39$12,51225.22%21.28%$275,369,000$193,164,000$165,634,000$71,342,000
Allegany County40$12,48530.23%20.34%$203,899,000$124,960,000$131,479,000$69,952,000
Suffolk County41$12,47814.82%17.88%$6,615,260,000$5,330,609,000$4,273,395,000$1,583,818,000
Onondaga County42$12,46020.62%18.66%$2,000,322,000$1,242,668,000$1,436,233,000$764,871,000
Yates County43$12,42225.17%22.37%$117,665,000$67,035,000$65,616,000$29,702,000
Ontario County44$12,42020%22.18%$570,165,000$314,746,000$277,016,000$127,831,000
Schoharie County45$12,40325%23.79%$148,107,000$77,033,000$82,200,000$39,838,000
Madison County46$12,26221.93%20.51%$301,283,000$201,539,000$178,545,000$79,982,000
Genesee County47$12,20724.78%20.2%$271,735,000$168,656,000$133,304,000$67,634,000
Albany County48$12,16416.63%18.26%$1,275,573,000$726,268,000$852,914,000$399,518,000
Dutchess County49$12,10717.68%19.11%$1,337,815,000$932,925,000$795,635,000$281,222,000
Nassau County50$11,96911.99%18.66%$5,957,770,000$4,699,176,000$3,766,520,000$1,078,920,000
Rensselaer County51$11,94521.34%18.49%$683,841,000$400,930,000$474,473,000$200,709,000
Livingston County52$11,94423.76%20.14%$292,996,000$159,871,000$156,170,000$74,387,000
Rockland County53$11,94017.59%15.7%$1,208,803,000$915,644,000$1,241,687,000$456,782,000
Cortland County54$11,80724.78%17.26%$183,923,000$116,356,000$140,151,000$70,057,000
Westchester County55$11,7519.47%18.22%$3,906,246,000$2,894,061,000$3,112,970,000$1,044,329,000
Lewis County56$11,67021.63%20.47%$107,249,000$67,886,000$72,986,000$36,193,000
Wyoming County57$11,61723.12%20.39%$181,034,000$114,230,000$87,649,000$42,224,000
Jefferson County58$11,56822.35%15.2%$404,322,000$279,335,000$272,115,000$190,043,000
Orange County59$11,03018.97%14.64%$1,402,751,000$982,973,000$1,223,666,000$513,723,000
Putnam County60$10,79613.44%19.11%$453,393,000$282,570,000$183,954,000$57,057,000
Saratoga County61$10,38913.85%19.91%$1,102,484,000$576,992,000$413,431,000$190,322,000
Tompkins County62$8,83917.27%16.25%$359,058,000$195,113,000$184,177,000$102,015,000

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