In 2022, Medicare transfers in Dent County totaled $55.43 million, amounting to $3,832 per capita, or 24.6% of total government transfers, according to information from the Economic Innovation Group.
Among all government transfer programs, Medicare was the second largest contributor in the county. Social Security was the largest contributor, totaling $69.65 million, equating to $4,814 per capita and making up 30.9% of total transfers.
Comparatively, Medicare transfers across Missouri amounted to $18.38 billion, ranking second highest among all transfer types within the state. This translates to an average of $2,975 per capita, or 26% of total government transfers. Including all transfer types, government transfer payments totaled $70.75 billion, accounting for 19.8% of residents’ total income, with an average of $11,453 per resident.
Medicaid was the third largest contributor in Dent County in 2022, accounting for $55 million, averaging $3,802 per capita, representing 24.4% of transfers. Income Maintenance transfers provided another $20.31 million, averaging $1,404 per capita and comprising 9% of government support, making them the smallest contributors.
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).
With 22.3% of the population aged 65 and older, Dent County has a significant demand for programs like Social Security and Medicare. Despite this aid, the total per capita income in Dent County, excluding government transfers was $25,535, which is far below the county’s total income of $41,129, emphasizing the role of government transfers in overall income.
When comparing 2022 to the previous year, Dent County saw an increase in its Medicare transfer dependency by 0.5%, reflecting both rising transfer amounts and stagnating or insufficient other sources of income.
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 Dent County, reliance on government transfers has similarly increased from 16.3% (or $2,650 per capita) in 1970 to 37.9% (or $15,594 per capita) in 2022, reflecting broader national trends.
According to the Economic Innovation Group’s analysis, these trends are not merely short-term responses to economic pressures but rather reflect a profound, long-term transformation in how government support is integrated into American life. The study illustrates that structural shifts—from rising healthcare expenses and demographic changes to stagnant wages—have significantly increased dependency on government transfers.
| County | Rank | Dependency on Transfers (%) | % Population 65+ | Social Security Transfers (%) | Medicare Transfers (%) | Medicaid Transfers (%) | Income Maintenance Transfers (%) | Per Capita Transfers ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Louis County | 1 | 12.3% | 19.1% | 4.7% | 3.5% | 2.1% | 0.9% | $11,469 |
| Jackson County | 2 | 20.7% | 15.9% | 6.6% | 5.2% | 4.8% | 2.1% | $10,997 |
| St. Charles County | 3 | 14% | 17% | 6.2% | 4.2% | 1.6% | 0.7% | $9,017 |
| St. Louis (Independent City) | 4 | 23.1% | 15.6% | 5.3% | 5.1% | 8% | 3% | $12,884 |
| Greene County | 5 | 20.7% | 17.1% | 7.1% | 4.9% | 4.1% | 1.9% | $10,761 |
| Jefferson County | 6 | 20.3% | 16.7% | 8.2% | 5.4% | 3.3% | 1.4% | $10,401 |
| Clay County | 7 | 16.2% | 15.3% | 6.4% | 4.6% | 2.2% | 1.2% | $9,034 |
| Boone County | 8 | 15.5% | 13.7% | 5.5% | 3.5% | 3.2% | 1.3% | $8,601 |
| Jasper County | 9 | 26.1% | 16.2% | 8.1% | 6.8% | 5.5% | 2.8% | $11,474 |
| Franklin County | 10 | 21.9% | 19% | 8.6% | 6.6% | 3.3% | 1.5% | $11,835 |
| Cass County | 11 | 18.6% | 18% | 7.1% | 5.4% | 2.9% | 1.2% | $10,359 |
| Buchanan County | 12 | 28.7% | 17.6% | 8.8% | 8.2% | 6.6% | 2.6% | $13,587 |
| St. Francois County | 13 | 33.1% | 17.1% | 10.3% | 8.4% | 8.1% | 3% | $13,915 |
| Platte County | 14 | 12.3% | 16.1% | 5% | 3.4% | 1.2% | 0.7% | $8,403 |
| Cape Girardeau County | 15 | 21.4% | 17.7% | 7.6% | 5% | 4.1% | 1.8% | $10,644 |
| Christian County | 16 | 19.1% | 16.8% | 7.5% | 4.9% | 2.4% | 1.6% | $9,462 |
| Cole County | 17 | 19.6% | 18.2% | 7.4% | 4.9% | 3.4% | 1.5% | $11,005 |
| Taney County | 18 | 28.4% | 22.5% | 10.9% | 7.5% | 3.9% | 2.5% | $12,742 |
| Butler County | 19 | 36.6% | 19.4% | 9.2% | 8.2% | 10.4% | 3.8% | $15,908 |
| Camden County | 20 | 29.9% | 29.8% | 12.2% | 8.2% | 3.8% | 1.7% | $14,956 |
| Lincoln County | 21 | 19.7% | 14.6% | 7.4% | 5.2% | 3.8% | 1.6% | $9,827 |
| Newton County | 22 | 21.7% | 18.9% | 8.3% | 4.3% | 4.2% | 2.3% | $10,152 |
| Scott County | 23 | 30.6% | 18.8% | 9% | 7.3% | 7.9% | 3.2% | $15,409 |
| Howell County | 24 | 35.2% | 19.8% | 11.1% | 7.8% | 7.9% | 3.7% | $14,286 |
| Phelps County | 25 | 28.1% | 17.2% | 8.1% | 7.1% | 6.4% | 2.3% | $12,370 |
| Pulaski County | 26 | 23.1% | 9.6% | 4.9% | 4.2% | 3.5% | 2.2% | $10,075 |
| Pettis County | 27 | 28.1% | 17.6% | 8.1% | 6.2% | 7.7% | 2.9% | $12,437 |
| Johnson County | 28 | 22% | 13.1% | 6.9% | 5% | 3.9% | 1.8% | $9,508 |
| Dunklin County | 29 | 40.8% | 18.8% | 9.8% | 8.9% | 14.3% | 4.9% | $17,907 |
| Callaway County | 30 | 23.9% | 18% | 8.9% | 5.7% | 4.7% | 1.9% | $10,932 |
| Laclede County | 31 | 29.3% | 18.1% | 9.3% | 7% | 5.8% | 3% | $12,799 |
| Lafayette County | 32 | 28.1% | 19.3% | 8.6% | 7.4% | 7.8% | 1.8% | $14,094 |
| Stone County | 33 | 30% | 32% | 13.2% | 7.8% | 3.4% | 1.9% | $14,071 |
| Lawrence County | 34 | 28.2% | 17.8% | 10% | 6.4% | 5.6% | 3% | $11,377 |
| Webster County | 35 | 26% | 15.7% | 9.2% | 7.3% | 3.8% | 2.4% | $10,868 |
| Marion County | 36 | 30.6% | 18.9% | 8.5% | 7.8% | 8.6% | 2.4% | $14,952 |
| Stoddard County | 37 | 31.3% | 20.8% | 9.7% | 7.7% | 7.4% | 2.8% | $14,942 |
| Barry County | 38 | 26.9% | 21.9% | 10.2% | 6.8% | 3.5% | 3% | $11,785 |
| Warren County | 39 | 21.1% | 18.4% | 8.3% | 5.9% | 3.5% | 1.5% | $10,835 |
| Polk County | 40 | 29.1% | 18.3% | 8.4% | 6.6% | 7.7% | 2.8% | $12,270 |
| Henry County | 41 | 31.9% | 22.6% | 10.8% | 9.5% | 5.9% | 2.4% | $15,617 |
| Randolph County | 42 | 27.9% | 17.2% | 7.7% | 6.8% | 7% | 2.4% | $13,459 |
| Crawford County | 43 | 33.3% | 20.8% | 11.1% | 8.3% | 7.7% | 2.9% | $14,595 |
| Washington County | 44 | 37.3% | 18.1% | 11% | 8.6% | 10.8% | 4.1% | $14,034 |
| Benton County | 45 | 36.8% | 31.3% | 14.8% | 10.3% | 4.1% | 2.5% | $16,109 |
| Texas County | 46 | 35.5% | 21.2% | 10.9% | 8.6% | 6.2% | 3.4% | $12,789 |
| Morgan County | 47 | 29.5% | 23.6% | 11% | 7.2% | 5.2% | 2.4% | $14,056 |
| Saline County | 48 | 28.8% | 18% | 8.2% | 7.1% | 8.5% | 2.5% | $13,287 |
| Miller County | 49 | 26.7% | 19.9% | 9.4% | 5.5% | 5.9% | 2.6% | $11,599 |
| Vernon County | 50 | 33.7% | 20.6% | 9.6% | 7.3% | 11% | 3% | $14,436 |
| Audrain County | 51 | 25.5% | 19% | 9.8% | 6.8% | 4% | 2.5% | $11,256 |
| Ray County | 52 | 24.8% | 19.2% | 9.2% | 6.7% | 4.6% | 1.7% | $11,801 |
| Adair County | 53 | 28.3% | 15.5% | 9% | 8% | 5.4% | 2.5% | $10,420 |
| Pemiscot County | 54 | 37.7% | 18.3% | 8.9% | 8% | 13% | 5.2% | $17,608 |
| Wright County | 55 | 35.7% | 19.5% | 11.5% | 8.1% | 7.7% | 4% | $13,583 |
| New Madrid County | 56 | 30% | 20% | 8.1% | 6.3% | 9.3% | 3.4% | $15,278 |
| Clinton County | 57 | 23.2% | 18.7% | 8.3% | 6.6% | 3.6% | 1.6% | $11,132 |
| McDonald County | 58 | 26% | 16.2% | 8.1% | 6.2% | 5.3% | 3.7% | $9,716 |
| Perry County | 59 | 24.8% | 20.2% | 8.9% | 6.3% | 5.4% | 1.8% | $12,145 |
| Dallas County | 60 | 32.7% | 20.5% | 10.9% | 8.3% | 6.2% | 2.9% | $12,883 |
| Dent County | 61 | 37.9% | 22.3% | 11.7% | 9.3% | 9.2% | 3.4% | $15,593 |
| Pike County | 62 | 29.7% | 19.3% | 9.9% | 7.7% | 6.7% | 2.4% | $12,299 |
| Ste. Genevieve County | 63 | 24.5% | 21% | 9.5% | 7.8% | 3.4% | 1.6% | $11,559 |
| Nodaway County | 64 | 25.2% | 18.1% | 8.6% | 8.2% | 3.4% | 1.7% | $10,410 |
| Cedar County | 65 | 40% | 23.2% | 13.2% | 10.7% | 8.7% | 3.4% | $14,592 |
| Ripley County | 66 | 43.6% | 19.9% | 11.3% | 9.4% | 13.4% | 4.7% | $19,834 |
| Madison County | 67 | 39.8% | 19.5% | 11.5% | 8.3% | 13% | 3.3% | $16,292 |
| Cooper County | 68 | 24.7% | 19.7% | 8.4% | 6.3% | 5.7% | 1.8% | $12,385 |
| Gasconade County | 69 | 29.9% | 23.4% | 11.3% | 8.4% | 5% | 1.9% | $14,045 |
| Bates County | 70 | 27% | 19.8% | 9.5% | 7.8% | 4.6% | 2.2% | $12,798 |
| Macon County | 71 | 27.1% | 22.4% | 9.5% | 7.7% | 4.9% | 1.9% | $13,666 |
| Wayne County | 72 | 43.3% | 24.7% | 13.2% | 7.9% | 11.4% | 4.3% | $18,323 |
| Livingston County | 73 | 27.5% | 20.3% | 9.1% | 7.8% | 6% | 2.1% | $13,130 |
| Mississippi County | 74 | 37.3% | 19.2% | 10% | 9% | 11.2% | 4.3% | $15,860 |
| Iron County | 75 | 46.7% | 22.1% | 12.6% | 11.5% | 14% | 4% | $19,467 |
| Linn County | 76 | 33.1% | 21.2% | 9.7% | 10% | 5.9% | 2.5% | $14,963 |
| Bollinger County | 77 | 34.2% | 21.5% | 11.1% | 7.3% | 8.5% | 3.1% | $15,642 |
| Oregon County | 78 | 44% | 22.9% | 12.1% | 8.8% | 11.8% | 4.6% | $18,751 |
| Andrew County | 79 | 17.5% | 20.3% | 7.4% | 5% | 1.9% | 1.2% | $8,954 |
| Douglas County | 80 | 36.5% | 24.7% | 13.7% | 7.3% | 6.8% | 3.9% | $13,405 |
| Moniteau County | 81 | 21.1% | 16.8% | 7.8% | 5.2% | 3.9% | 1.9% | $10,047 |
| Montgomery County | 82 | 26.5% | 20.6% | 9.6% | 6.6% | 5.6% | 2.1% | $13,158 |
| Hickory County | 83 | 44.6% | 32.3% | 17.6% | 12.4% | 6.6% | 2.9% | $17,437 |
| Ozark County | 84 | 42.1% | 28.6% | 15.2% | 11.4% | 6.9% | 3.4% | $16,621 |
| Grundy County | 85 | 37% | 22% | 10.4% | 12% | 8.3% | 2.6% | $15,038 |
| St. Clair County | 86 | 41.6% | 25.8% | 14.3% | 13.2% | 6.8% | 3.2% | $15,295 |
| Barton County | 87 | 28% | 21% | 10.4% | 8.5% | 3.6% | 2.8% | $12,278 |
| Howard County | 88 | 26.9% | 19.9% | 8.5% | 5.2% | 7.4% | 1.9% | $12,852 |
| Osage County | 89 | 18.2% | 18.1% | 7.2% | 4.6% | 2.6% | 1.2% | $9,630 |
| Monroe County | 90 | 29.2% | 24.9% | 10.2% | 8.2% | 5% | 1.9% | $13,837 |
| Carroll County | 91 | 24.1% | 22.7% | 8% | 7.8% | 4.4% | 1.7% | $14,169 |
| Ralls County | 92 | 23.5% | 23.3% | 9.8% | 5.3% | 4.3% | 1.5% | $11,127 |
| Harrison County | 93 | 32.5% | 22.7% | 9.9% | 10% | 7.1% | 2.6% | $14,138 |
| Lewis County | 94 | 27.9% | 19.2% | 10.3% | 7.5% | 4.7% | 2% | $11,550 |
| Shannon County | 95 | 38.1% | 22.9% | 11.9% | 7.5% | 8% | 4.6% | $15,286 |
| DeKalb County | 96 | 26.1% | 18.6% | 10% | 6.9% | 4.8% | 1.7% | $9,692 |
| Caldwell County | 97 | 26.8% | 20.2% | 9.6% | 8.1% | 4% | 2% | $12,181 |
| Maries County | 98 | 31.4% | 21.8% | 11.2% | 8.7% | 5.4% | 2.2% | $12,849 |
| Reynolds County | 99 | 42.8% | 23.9% | 14.1% | 8.4% | 11.3% | 3.7% | $17,320 |
| Chariton County | 100 | 27.5% | 24.9% | 8.9% | 6.9% | 6.4% | 1.7% | $14,043 |
| Gentry County | 101 | 33.2% | 18.5% | 8.9% | 10.2% | 9.1% | 2.2% | $16,281 |
| Carter County | 102 | 40.5% | 20.8% | 11.7% | 9.4% | 9.9% | 4% | $18,774 |
| Dade County | 103 | 30.3% | 24.5% | 11.4% | 7.6% | 4.7% | 2.6% | $12,828 |
| Daviess County | 104 | 30.1% | 22% | 11.3% | 8.4% | 4.7% | 2.5% | $11,115 |
| Sullivan County | 105 | 34% | 21.1% | 9.4% | 9.3% | 9.3% | 2.9% | $14,584 |
| Shelby County | 106 | 28.6% | 22.2% | 9% | 8.3% | 5.3% | 2% | $14,049 |
| Clark County | 107 | 26.3% | 21.3% | 9.3% | 7.5% | 4% | 2.2% | $11,648 |
| Atchison County | 108 | 23.8% | 25.5% | 9.3% | 8.6% | 2.4% | 1.5% | $13,120 |
| Putnam County | 109 | 35% | 23.8% | 11% | 11.3% | 6.4% | 2.5% | $14,270 |
| Holt County | 110 | 22.7% | 25.2% | 8.4% | 7.4% | 3.2% | 1.5% | $13,707 |
| Scotland County | 111 | 23.3% | 19.1% | 7.2% | 7.5% | 3.8% | 1.7% | $11,004 |
| Knox County | 112 | 31.3% | 21.3% | 9.3% | 8.9% | 6% | 2.5% | $13,526 |
| Schuyler County | 113 | 29.2% | 19.4% | 9.3% | 8.4% | 5.6% | 2.7% | $11,713 |
| Mercer County | 114 | 36.4% | 22.8% | 11.9% | 12.2% | 6.4% | 2% | $13,617 |
| Worth County | 115 | 33.6% | 26.7% | 11.3% | 11.5% | 3.9% | 2.1% | $14,021 |
