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 La Paz County received $373.3 million in government transfers, which accounted for 41.9% of total county income.
Comparatively, across all counties in Arizona, government transfer payments totaled $89 billion, making up 20.7% of the state residents’ total income, with an average of $12,093 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 La Paz County at the time, Social Security transfers totaled $107.7 million, amounting to $6,525 per capita, or 28.9% of total government transfers. Medicare transfers accounted for $89.8 million ($5,439 per capita), representing 24% of the total. Medicaid contributed $112.8 million ($6,831 per capita), making up 30.2% of total transfers. Income maintenance programs, including assistance such as SNAP or TANF, added another $24.6 million ($1,493 per capita), or 6.6% of the total.
With 42.8% of the population aged 65 and older, La Paz County has a significant demand for programs like Social Security and Medicare. Total per capita income excluding government transfers in La Paz County was $31,382, far below the county’s total income of $53,997, emphasizing the role of government transfers in overall income.
When comparing 2022 to the previous year, La Paz County saw a decrease of 8.2% in per capita government transfers, from $24,804 to $22,615 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 $11,542 per capita) in 2022.
According to the Economic Innovation Group’s analysis, these trends are not merely short-term responses to economic pressures but rather reflect a profound, long-term transformation in how government support is integrated into American life. The study illustrates that structural shifts—from rising healthcare expenses and demographic changes to stagnant wages—have significantly increased dependency on government transfers.
| County | State Rank (Per Capita Transfers) | Per Capita Transfers ($) | Dependency on Transfers (%) | % Population 65+ | Social Security Transfers ($) | Medicare Transfers ($) | Medicaid Transfers ($) | Income Maintenance Transfers ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apache County | 1 | $24,021 | 52.64% | 16.71% | $219,247,000 | $205,957,000 | $870,971,000 | $153,201,000 |
| Gila County | 2 | $22,675 | 44.9% | 30.96% | $351,144,000 | $228,217,000 | $471,146,000 | $74,852,000 |
| La Paz County | 3 | $22,615 | 41.88% | 42.76% | $107,701,000 | $89,769,000 | $112,750,000 | $24,636,000 |
| Navajo County | 4 | $20,129 | 47.82% | 20.11% | $471,206,000 | $370,148,000 | $928,779,000 | $206,923,000 |
| Cochise County | 5 | $19,084 | 38% | 24.72% | $610,685,000 | $442,225,000 | $781,166,000 | $178,168,000 |
| Graham County | 6 | $16,472 | 40.19% | 14.74% | $116,557,000 | $75,358,000 | $351,281,000 | $45,716,000 |
| Yavapai County | 7 | $16,352 | 31.6% | 34.16% | $1,759,776,000 | $1,133,781,000 | $358,083,000 | $198,790,000 |
| Mohave County | 8 | $15,357 | 34.4% | 32.48% | $1,390,096,000 | $976,452,000 | $280,081,000 | $255,169,000 |
| Greenlee County | 9 | $15,060 | 27.78% | 14.5% | $26,082,000 | $16,863,000 | $80,279,000 | $7,210,000 |
| Pima County | 10 | $14,288 | 26.23% | 21.54% | $4,673,813,000 | $3,047,629,000 | $4,418,901,000 | $1,245,050,000 |
| Santa Cruz County | 11 | $13,158 | 27.47% | 19.46% | $170,806,000 | $107,714,000 | $209,785,000 | $96,412,000 |
| Pinal County | 12 | $12,560 | 27.33% | 21.43% | $1,911,520,000 | $1,333,385,000 | $1,432,966,000 | $488,290,000 |
| Coconino County | 13 | $12,264 | 20.81% | 14.54% | $425,987,000 | $281,356,000 | $666,097,000 | $140,691,000 |
| Yuma County | 14 | $12,236 | 27.31% | 20.68% | $674,295,000 | $564,707,000 | $560,078,000 | $366,709,000 |
| Maricopa County | 15 | $10,359 | 16.32% | 16.23% | $15,248,645,000 | $10,766,089,000 | $10,189,656,000 | $4,437,953,000 |
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