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Friday, March 14, 2025

Oconee County ranks 22nd highest in South Carolina for per capita government transfer income at $13,905 in 2022

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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, Oconee County ranked 22nd highest per capita recipient of government transfers in South Carolina, with residents receiving $13,905 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 Oconee County received $1.1 billion in government transfers, which accounted for 25.6% of total county income.

Comparatively, across all counties in South Carolina, government transfer payments totaled $63.5 billion, making up 22.4% of the state residents’ total income, with an average of $12,028 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 Oconee County at the time, Social Security transfers totaled $466.6 million, amounting to $5,820 per capita, or 41.9% of total government transfers. Medicare transfers accounted for $314.9 million ($3,927 per capita), representing 28.2% of the total. Medicaid contributed $116.1 million ($1,448 per capita), making up 10.4% of total transfers. Income maintenance programs, including assistance such as SNAP or TANF, added another $93.6 million ($1,168 per capita), or 8.4% of the total.

With 24.8% of the population aged 65 and older, Oconee County has a significant demand for programs like Social Security and Medicare. Total per capita income excluding government transfers in Oconee County was $40,509, far below the county’s total income of $54,415, emphasizing the role of government transfers in overall income.

When comparing 2022 to the previous year, Oconee County saw a decrease of 13.1% in per capita government transfers, from $16,179 to $13,905 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 Oconee County, reliance on government transfers has similarly increased from 8.35% (or $1,553 per capita) in 1970 to 25.6% (or $13,905 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 Oconee County, 2022

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

2022 South Carolina 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 ($)
McCormick County1$19,29041.85%39.12%$82,019,000$54,266,000$19,099,000$12,445,000
Allendale County2$17,19142.31%22.8%$35,678,000$33,982,000$29,658,000$21,004,000
Clarendon County3$16,88937.28%25%$168,211,000$142,326,000$84,981,000$64,988,000
Georgetown County4$16,29528.5%30.83%$453,332,000$295,187,000$106,884,000$90,738,000
Marion County5$16,22139.46%21.65%$138,703,000$113,045,000$89,404,000$74,808,000
Fairfield County6$16,21732.39%24.24%$110,910,000$79,708,000$60,219,000$41,824,000
Bamberg County7$15,90639.77%24.25%$62,657,000$47,797,000$41,211,000$29,882,000
Colleton County8$15,65537.25%20.56%$184,674,000$177,925,000$94,548,000$78,273,000
Lee County9$15,59338%20.72%$76,330,000$57,571,000$55,111,000$38,081,000
Dillon County10$15,53239.71%17.8%$117,589,000$108,955,000$86,924,000$77,545,000
Laurens County11$15,19335.56%18.98%$323,612,000$309,629,000$191,096,000$114,910,000
Orangeburg County12$15,04336.61%21%$383,690,000$314,937,000$220,848,000$181,180,000
Union County13$14,88539%21.64%$142,961,000$108,837,000$61,135,000$49,753,000
Williamsburg County14$14,76538.41%22.74%$143,739,000$85,588,000$90,974,000$73,168,000
Hampton County15$14,73536.49%19.82%$83,329,000$64,433,000$48,430,000$39,664,000
Barnwell County16$14,68537.47%19.52%$87,228,000$76,238,000$59,646,000$48,631,000
Horry County17$14,63731.15%26.28%$2,387,577,000$1,644,359,000$392,972,000$418,398,000
Darlington County18$14,58330.57%19.74%$306,459,000$221,309,000$154,828,000$131,994,000
Marlboro County19$14,38738%19.41%$114,034,000$97,743,000$67,089,000$59,969,000
Chester County20$13,98733.78%19.59%$153,736,000$117,190,000$67,156,000$63,069,000
Sumter County21$13,98230%17.74%$416,531,000$314,920,000$214,065,000$208,228,000
Oconee County22$13,90525.55%24.78%$466,647,000$314,892,000$116,102,000$93,627,000
Kershaw County23$13,85326.25%19%$309,432,000$229,503,000$103,518,000$95,981,000
Florence County24$13,79126.5%17.93%$572,363,000$472,130,000$361,116,000$259,655,000
Beaufort County25$13,68518.97%28.48%$1,230,449,000$781,033,000$151,823,000$165,665,000
Newberry County26$13,66128.78%20.69%$189,105,000$141,433,000$72,867,000$59,552,000
Abbeville County27$13,58834.11%22.99%$124,104,000$81,300,000$45,345,000$36,958,000
Edgefield County28$13,48627.45%20.25%$120,747,000$116,162,000$36,101,000$37,942,000
Greenwood County29$13,42130.66%19.46%$327,289,000$237,787,000$125,777,000$114,300,000
Calhoun County30$13,34126.87%24.66%$74,381,000$40,276,000$31,148,000$22,273,000
Chesterfield County31$13,08333.54%19.46%$193,598,000$138,550,000$96,747,000$81,402,000
Aiken County32$12,53424.29%20.86%$858,113,000$532,184,000$265,726,000$241,017,000
Cherokee County33$12,44232.12%17.5%$251,590,000$180,048,000$97,255,000$95,735,000
Lancaster County34$12,23622.22%21.64%$527,132,000$374,808,000$115,331,000$116,034,000
Jasper County35$12,16229.56%23.37%$173,432,000$78,666,000$41,950,000$48,517,000
Anderson County36$12,03425.23%18.35%$946,057,000$681,878,000$301,108,000$280,165,000
Dorchester County37$11,83024.76%15.17%$585,938,000$639,028,000$203,843,000$191,673,000
Saluda County38$11,39725.97%20.84%$88,919,000$37,044,000$38,469,000$28,847,000
Pickens County39$11,18324.4%17.31%$553,346,000$434,699,000$165,306,000$137,663,000
Richland County40$11,01520.41%14%$1,427,231,000$917,759,000$653,385,000$575,931,000
Lexington County41$10,91619.13%17%$1,237,286,000$848,472,000$357,736,000$347,493,000
Spartanburg County42$10,81020.54%16.24%$1,373,940,000$951,921,000$473,787,000$467,347,000
Greenville County43$10,26818.12%16.71%$2,177,171,000$1,444,673,000$676,466,000$589,089,000
Charleston County44$10,15213.26%17.94%$1,594,503,000$1,098,057,000$540,279,000$399,071,000
York County45$9,43215.99%15.39%$1,095,510,000$705,444,000$287,384,000$285,155,000
Berkeley County46$9,08017.91%14.97%$813,339,000$447,869,000$219,606,000$268,081,000

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