In 2022, government transfers made up 37% of total income in Smyth County, Virginia—an alarming 26.4% surge from 10.6% in 1970 and a 6.4% increase from 2012’s 30.6%. This marks the 18th largest increase among all Virginia counties over the past decade, according to information from the Economic Innovation Group.
On a per capita basis, this translates to $16,428 per resident in 2022, up from $11,457 in 2012 and $1,670 in 1970, ranking Smyth County as the 21st fastest-growing in per capita government transfers among Virginia counties over the past 10 years.
Meanwhile, Smyth County had the 16th largest share of income derived from government transfers, making it one of the largest dependent counties in the state.
Among Virginia’s counties, Dickenson County saw the largest increase in transfer dependency over the past 10 years, surging 9.8% from 38.9% in 2012 to 48.7% in 2022, and up 32.6 percentage points from just 16.1% in 1970. In dollar terms, government transfers per capita in Dickenson County jumped from $13,416 in 2012 to $19,994 in 2022, contrasting to the $2,494 recorded in 1970.
For comparison, the statewide average was 13.3% in 2022, showing a lower dependency than the national average of 17.6%. On a per capita level, this translates to $10,014 per resident, compared to $11,542 nationwide.
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).
In Smyth County, reliance on government transfers was just 10.6% (or $1,670 per capita in inflation-adjusted 2022 dollars) in 1970. This has since increased to a total of 26.4% since 1970. This shift is largely influenced by an aging population increased healthcare costs, and economic transformations that have reshaped income sources across the U.S.
In 2022, the primary government transfer programs in Smyth County included:
- Social Security: $5,418 per capita (33% of total transfers)
- Medicare: $3,799 per capita (23.1% of total transfers)
- Medicaid: $4,152 per capita (25.3% of total transfers)
- Income Maintenance Programs: $1,901 per capita (11.6% of total transfers)
With 22.9% of the population aged 65 and older, Smyth County has a significant demand for Social Security and Medicare. However, counties with higher poverty rates also show elevated Medicaid and income maintenance participation.
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.
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 | Dependency on Transfers (%) | Change Since 2012 | Change Since 1970 | Per Capita Amount (2022) | Per Capita Since 2012 | Per Capita Since 1970 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dickenson County | 48.7% | +9.8% | +32.6% | $19,994 | $6,578 | $17,500 |
| Lee County | 47% | +10.6% | +23.7% | $18,105 | $6,220 | $15,346 |
| Buchanan County | 44.7% | +9.8% | +34.1% | $20,234 | $6,457 | $18,610 |
| Russell County | 43% | +10.6% | +30% | $17,290 | $5,372 | $15,457 |
| Scott County | 41.8% | +8.2% | +30.9% | $16,552 | $4,781 | $14,969 |
| Brunswick County | 41.1% | +7.8% | +32.5% | $16,903 | $5,593 | $15,600 |
| Patrick County | 39.5% | +6.8% | +30.2% | $15,903 | $4,687 | $14,428 |
| Tazewell County | 39.3% | +10.3% | +26.6% | $17,291 | $5,314 | $15,078 |
| Sussex County | 38.2% | +9.6% | +29.6% | $14,413 | $4,912 | $13,072 |
| Grayson County | 38.1% | +3.8% | +25.3% | $14,843 | $3,178 | $13,115 |
| Dinwiddie County | 37.9% | +8.7% | +29.7% | $17,388 | $4,644 | $15,931 |
| Halifax County | 37.7% | +7.1% | +28.5% | $16,787 | $5,512 | $15,308 |
| Charlotte County | 37.5% | +5.4% | +28.3% | $16,976 | $5,662 | $15,577 |
| Mecklenburg County | 37.4% | +6.4% | +28.8% | $17,040 | $5,110 | $15,727 |
| Nottoway County | 37.3% | +4% | +27.5% | $16,770 | $4,941 | $15,004 |
| Smyth County | 37% | +6.4% | +26.4% | $16,428 | $4,972 | $14,758 |
| Buckingham County | 36.5% | +9.3% | +25.4% | $13,823 | $5,384 | $12,425 |
| Lunenburg County | 35.7% | +5.6% | +25.6% | $13,916 | $3,794 | $12,384 |
| Bland County | 35.5% | +7.8% | +23% | $15,123 | $4,846 | $13,490 |
| Prince Edward County | 35.2% | +7.4% | +26.5% | $13,925 | $5,021 | $12,503 |
| Wythe County | 34.2% | +4.6% | +23.2% | $15,223 | $4,376 | $13,414 |
| Amherst County | 32.4% | +7.4% | +24.4% | $14,496 | $4,917 | $13,237 |
| Essex County | 32% | +6.8% | +21.5% | $16,528 | $5,525 | $14,885 |
| Giles County | 31.3% | +4.8% | +20.3% | $15,487 | $4,627 | $13,610 |
| Northampton County | 30.9% | +4.3% | +18.2% | $19,870 | $7,147 | $17,929 |
| Appomattox County | 30.8% | +4.7% | +21.2% | $14,139 | $4,023 | $12,430 |
| Northumberland County | 30.7% | +4.6% | +17.3% | $18,848 | $5,509 | $16,632 |
| Pulaski County | 30.4% | +3.3% | +22% | $14,611 | $3,506 | $13,106 |
| Richmond County | 30% | +4.4% | +19.1% | $12,814 | $3,487 | $10,981 |
| Middlesex County | 29.7% | +5.6% | +14.1% | $17,882 | $5,517 | $15,351 |
| Westmoreland County | 29.3% | +5.2% | +17.8% | $14,822 | $4,158 | $12,990 |
| Accomack County | 29.1% | +3.5% | +17.5% | $15,776 | $4,721 | $13,904 |
| Highland County | 29% | +4.4% | +15.1% | $14,651 | $3,471 | $12,665 |
| Cumberland County | 28.9% | +2.4% | +18% | $13,408 | $3,460 | $11,794 |
| Craig County | 28.8% | +4.3% | +17.1% | $13,628 | $3,789 | $11,768 |
| Floyd County | 28.7% | +5% | +18% | $14,012 | $4,662 | $12,283 |
| Surry County | 28.3% | +6.7% | +18.8% | $14,837 | $5,545 | $13,423 |
| Page County | 28.2% | +2.9% | +17.7% | $13,840 | $3,962 | $11,998 |
| Nelson County | 26.9% | +5.4% | +15.1% | $17,399 | $6,406 | $15,645 |
| Rockbridge County | 26.7% | +3.7% | +17.7% | $12,931 | $3,424 | $11,420 |
| Franklin County | 26.4% | +3.2% | +18.1% | $13,880 | $4,055 | $12,506 |
| King and Queen County | 26.1% | +3.6% | +16.9% | $14,439 | $4,813 | $12,963 |
| Amelia County | 25.8% | +3.8% | +16.2% | $13,668 | $4,108 | $12,174 |
| Lancaster County | 25.6% | +1.4% | +13.5% | $18,546 | $4,476 | $16,304 |
| Charles City County | 25.5% | +4.8% | +17.9% | $14,560 | $5,146 | $13,427 |
| Mathews County | 25.3% | +5.6% | +11.7% | $17,198 | $5,728 | $14,645 |
| Bedford County | 23.6% | +4.5% | +15% | $12,940 | $3,787 | $11,361 |
| Louisa County | 23.6% | +4.7% | +14.3% | $11,963 | $3,538 | $10,394 |
| Augusta County | 23.4% | +2.9% | +17.2% | $12,368 | $3,123 | $11,093 |
| Bath County | 22.9% | +3.4% | +10.6% | $17,143 | $5,690 | $15,105 |
| Orange County | 22.9% | +4.2% | +15.2% | $13,473 | $3,789 | $11,776 |
| Caroline County | 22.6% | +4.1% | +15.1% | $11,660 | $3,444 | $10,354 |
| Shenandoah County | 22.3% | +1.9% | +13.2% | $12,657 | $3,643 | $10,963 |
| Gloucester County | 22.2% | +5.6% | +15.1% | $12,743 | $4,149 | $11,112 |
| Botetourt County | 21.5% | +4.6% | +12% | $12,819 | $3,999 | $11,077 |
| Greene County | 20.6% | +4.5% | +11.3% | $10,623 | $3,436 | $9,274 |
| King William County | 20.5% | +4.1% | +13.5% | $11,196 | $3,290 | $9,777 |
| Madison County | 20.4% | +3.7% | +11.3% | $11,540 | $3,310 | $9,947 |
| Fluvanna County | 20.3% | +3.6% | +11.3% | $10,816 | $3,247 | $9,327 |
| Warren County | 19.9% | +4.2% | +11.3% | $11,183 | $3,537 | $9,348 |
| Isle of Wight County | 19.5% | +4.4% | +13.4% | $12,467 | $3,550 | $11,222 |
| Culpeper County | 19.4% | +4.4% | +11.5% | $10,828 | $3,379 | $9,310 |
| Chesterfield County | 15.9% | +3.7% | +11.6% | $10,184 | $3,341 | $9,059 |
| Clarke County | 14.8% | +3.6% | +8% | $11,532 | $4,247 | $9,946 |
| King George County | 14.8% | +4.5% | +11.3% | $9,471 | $3,470 | $8,491 |
| Rappahannock County | 14.8% | +2% | +6.2% | $11,764 | $3,238 | $10,178 |
| Powhatan County | 14.5% | +1.7% | +7.2% | $9,860 | $2,968 | $8,684 |
| Hanover County | 14.2% | +2.4% | +9.4% | $10,262 | $3,234 | $9,118 |
| Stafford County | 13.9% | +4.8% | +10.3% | $9,052 | $3,516 | $8,186 |
| Henrico County | 13.5% | +2.4% | +10.3% | $10,380 | $3,269 | $9,521 |
| Prince William County | 12% | +4% | +9.6% | $7,645 | $2,901 | $6,994 |
| Fauquier County | 11.5% | +2.9% | +6.3% | $9,494 | $3,073 | $8,201 |
| New Kent County | 10.9% | +1% | +3.7% | $11,160 | $3,770 | $9,750 |
| Goochland County | 9.8% | +0.6% | +2.9% | $11,441 | $2,241 | $10,160 |
| Fairfax County | 7.6% | +1.9% | +5.7% | $7,726 | $2,675 | $7,026 |
| Loudoun County | 5.7% | +1.6% | +1.9% | $5,534 | $2,080 | $4,426 |
| Arlington County | 5.4% | +1.4% | +2.7% | $6,090 | $1,985 | $4,872 |
