In 2022, Smyth County ranked as the 22nd most government transfer-dependent county in Virginia, with 37% of total income coming from programs such as Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and income maintenance, according to information from the Economic Innovation Group.
In total, residents in Smyth County received $483.8 million, equivalent to $16,428 per capita.
For comparison, the average across Virginia was $894.06 million, or $11,542 per capita.
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 Smyth County at the time, Social Security transfers made up $159.56 million, a 33% share of the total. Medicare transfers accounted for $111.88 million (23.1%), while Medicaid contributed $122.27 million (25.3%). Income maintenance programs, including assistance such as SNAP or TANF, added another $55.97 million, or 11.6% of the total.
With 22.9% of the population aged 65 and older, Smyth County has a significant demand for programs like Social Security and Medicare. Despite this aid, the total per capita income in Smyth County, excluding government transfers was $28,033, which is far below the county’s total income of $44,461, emphasizing the role of government transfers in overall income.
When comparing 2022 to the previous year, Smyth County saw a decrease in its government transfer dependency by 2.5%.
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 Smyth County, reliance on government transfers has similarly increased from virtually none in 1970 to 37% (or $16,428 per capita) in 2022, reflecting broader national trends.
According to the Economic Innovation Group’s analysis, these trends are not merely short-term responses to economic pressures but rather reflect a profound, long-term transformation in how government support is integrated into American life. The study illustrates that structural shifts—from rising healthcare expenses and demographic changes to stagnant wages—have significantly increased dependency on government transfers.
| County | State Rank | Dependency on Transfers (%) | % Population 65+ | Social Security Transfers (%) | Medicare Transfers (%) | Medicaid Transfers (%) | Income Maintenance Transfers (%) | Per Capita Transfers ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dickenson County | 1 | 48.7% | 24.6% | 16.4% | 11.8% | 12.1% | 5% | $19,994 |
| Lee County | 2 | 47% | 23.2% | 13.7% | 8.9% | 14.5% | 6.3% | $18,105 |
| Wise + Norton | 3 | 45.1% | 20% | 14.4% | 9.7% | 11.3% | 5.2% | $18,549 |
| Buchanan County | 4 | 44.7% | 24.3% | 15.9% | 9.3% | 11.1% | 5.4% | $20,234 |
| Russell County | 5 | 43% | 23.7% | 14.7% | 10.1% | 10.1% | 4.8% | $17,290 |
| Scott County | 6 | 41.8% | 25.4% | 14.3% | 10.3% | 9.9% | 4.3% | $16,552 |
| Brunswick County | 7 | 41.1% | 22.3% | 11.6% | 8.7% | 12.7% | 4.6% | $16,903 |
| Carroll + Galax | 8 | 40.1% | 26.4% | 11.9% | 9.1% | 12.5% | 3.7% | $17,957 |
| Patrick County | 9 | 39.5% | 27.3% | 13.8% | 9.4% | 8.9% | 3.9% | $15,903 |
| Tazewell County | 10 | 39.3% | 23.6% | 13.4% | 9% | 8.1% | 4.3% | $17,291 |
| Greensville + Emporia | 11 | 39% | 16.5% | 10.5% | 7.8% | 13.1% | 5.1% | $15,317 |
| Henry + Martinsville | 12 | 38.4% | 24.8% | 11.8% | 8.7% | 10.9% | 4.2% | $18,234 |
| Sussex County | 13 | 38.2% | 19.5% | 11.4% | 8.8% | 10.8% | 4.4% | $14,413 |
| Grayson County | 14 | 38.1% | 25.9% | 14.2% | 7.7% | 9.5% | 3.7% | $14,843 |
| Alleghany + Covington | 15 | 38% | 26.2% | 12.4% | 9.3% | 8.6% | 3.5% | $17,584 |
| Dinwiddie County | 16 | 37.9% | 19.2% | 9.2% | 8.7% | 10.8% | 4.6% | $17,388 |
| Pittsylvania + Danville | 17 | 37.7% | 24.7% | 11.5% | 7.9% | 11% | 4.3% | $16,975 |
| Halifax County | 18 | 37.7% | 25.8% | 12.2% | 8.1% | 10.4% | 4.1% | $16,787 |
| Charlotte County | 19 | 37.5% | 22.7% | 11.7% | 9.9% | 8.6% | 4% | $16,976 |
| Mecklenburg County | 20 | 37.4% | 27.1% | 13% | 9.2% | 8.6% | 3.7% | $17,040 |
| Nottoway County | 21 | 37.3% | 18.5% | 9.3% | 7.5% | 13.4% | 3.8% | $16,770 |
| Smyth County | 22 | 37% | 22.9% | 12.2% | 8.5% | 9.3% | 4.3% | $16,428 |
| Buckingham County | 23 | 36.5% | 20.5% | 10.6% | 10.4% | 9.1% | 3.9% | $13,823 |
| Lunenburg County | 24 | 35.7% | 23.6% | 11.8% | 6.9% | 9.4% | 4.3% | $13,916 |
| Bland County | 25 | 35.5% | 25.5% | 13.7% | 8.7% | 6.8% | 2.4% | $15,123 |
| Prince Edward County | 26 | 35.2% | 16.9% | 10.3% | 8.6% | 8.9% | 3.8% | $13,925 |
| Wythe County | 27 | 34.2% | 22.3% | 11.8% | 8.5% | 7.4% | 3.4% | $15,223 |
| Campbell + Lynchburg | 28 | 32.6% | 21.5% | 9.1% | 6.4% | 9.6% | 3.2% | $14,798 |
| Amherst County | 29 | 32.4% | 22.2% | 11.4% | 7.8% | 7.6% | 3% | $14,496 |
| Washington + Bristol | 30 | 32.1% | 24.7% | 11.8% | 7.7% | 6.4% | 3.3% | $14,979 |
| Essex County | 31 | 32% | 24.3% | 11% | 8.3% | 7% | 3.3% | $16,528 |
| Southampton + Franklin | 32 | 31.3% | 22.1% | 9.4% | 6.7% | 9.2% | 3.6% | $15,739 |
| Giles County | 33 | 31.3% | 22.3% | 10.8% | 7.8% | 7.2% | 2.8% | $15,487 |
| Portsmouth (Independent City) | 34 | 31.3% | 15.4% | 7.1% | 5.7% | 9.8% | 4.6% | $14,382 |
| Northampton County | 35 | 30.9% | 29.9% | 9.6% | 6.5% | 9.5% | 3.1% | $19,870 |
| Appomattox County | 36 | 30.8% | 21% | 10.2% | 7% | 7.6% | 3.3% | $14,139 |
| Northumberland County | 37 | 30.7% | 37.2% | 12.8% | 9.5% | 4.2% | 2% | $18,848 |
| Pulaski County | 38 | 30.4% | 23.4% | 11.1% | 6.8% | 7.1% | 3% | $14,611 |
| Roanoke (Independent City) | 39 | 30.2% | 17.9% | 7.6% | 5.9% | 9.2% | 4% | $15,349 |
| Richmond County | 40 | 30% | 21.7% | 10.5% | 7% | 7.1% | 3.2% | $12,814 |
| Middlesex County | 41 | 29.7% | 33.1% | 11.9% | 7.7% | 5.3% | 2.2% | $17,882 |
| Westmoreland County | 42 | 29.3% | 27.5% | 10.6% | 7.7% | 5.4% | 3% | $14,822 |
| Accomack County | 43 | 29.1% | 26% | 10% | 6.8% | 6.9% | 3.2% | $15,776 |
| Highland County | 44 | 29% | 38.2% | 13.7% | 6.8% | 4.1% | 1.7% | $14,651 |
| Cumberland County | 45 | 28.9% | 23.6% | 9.8% | 4.5% | 9% | 3.6% | $13,408 |
| Craig County | 46 | 28.8% | 25% | 11.5% | 6.1% | 5.4% | 2.6% | $13,628 |
| Floyd County | 47 | 28.7% | 24.7% | 10.7% | 6.5% | 6.3% | 2.4% | $14,012 |
| Prince George + Hopewell | 48 | 28.5% | 13.2% | 8.4% | 5.6% | 6.5% | 3.8% | $11,315 |
| Surry County | 49 | 28.3% | 25.7% | 10.6% | 6.2% | 6.1% | 2.7% | $14,837 |
| Page County | 50 | 28.2% | 22.4% | 10.4% | 7% | 5.8% | 2.6% | $13,840 |
| Hampton (Independent City) | 51 | 27.6% | 16.6% | 7.5% | 5% | 6.5% | 3.4% | $13,406 |
| Nelson County | 52 | 26.9% | 29.5% | 10.6% | 7.2% | 5% | 2% | $17,399 |
| Rockbridge County | 53 | 26.7% | 27.5% | 10.4% | 6.3% | 5% | 2.3% | $12,931 |
| Franklin County | 54 | 26.4% | 24.8% | 10.3% | 5.7% | 5.2% | 2.3% | $13,880 |
| King and Queen County | 55 | 26.1% | 24.2% | 10% | 5.9% | 5.5% | 2.6% | $14,439 |
| Amelia County | 56 | 25.8% | 21.2% | 9.3% | 6.1% | 5.7% | 2.3% | $13,668 |
| Lancaster County | 57 | 25.6% | 38.6% | 11.7% | 6.2% | 3.9% | 1.9% | $18,546 |
| Newport News (Independent City) | 58 | 25.5% | 14.1% | 6.6% | 4.7% | 6.4% | 3.8% | $11,968 |
| Charles City County | 59 | 25.5% | 27% | 10.6% | 5.2% | 5.5% | 2.2% | $14,560 |
| Norfolk (Independent City) | 60 | 25.4% | 13% | 5.5% | 4.2% | 8.1% | 3.5% | $12,186 |
| Mathews County | 61 | 25.3% | 32.6% | 10.2% | 6.7% | 4.6% | 1.5% | $17,198 |
| Bedford County | 62 | 23.6% | 23.2% | 9.7% | 5.5% | 3.9% | 1.7% | $12,940 |
| Louisa County | 63 | 23.6% | 21% | 9.2% | 5.5% | 4.6% | 2.1% | $11,963 |
| Augusta County | 64 | 23.4% | 22.6% | 9.2% | 5.6% | 4.4% | 2.1% | $12,368 |
| Bath County | 65 | 22.9% | 29.7% | 8.4% | 7.1% | 3.9% | 1.6% | $17,143 |
| Orange County | 66 | 22.9% | 20.5% | 8.5% | 6.2% | 3.4% | 1.8% | $13,473 |
| Caroline County | 67 | 22.6% | 17.1% | 7.5% | 5.5% | 4.6% | 2.5% | $11,660 |
| Shenandoah County | 68 | 22.3% | 22.2% | 8.5% | 5.5% | 4.3% | 2% | $12,657 |
| Gloucester County | 69 | 22.2% | 21.1% | 8.1% | 5.1% | 3.8% | 1.8% | $12,743 |
| Botetourt County | 70 | 21.5% | 24.1% | 8.8% | 5.1% | 3.3% | 1.4% | $12,819 |
| Roanoke + Salem | 71 | 21.3% | 22.1% | 8.5% | 5.7% | 3.3% | 1.4% | $12,598 |
| Suffolk (Independent City) | 72 | 21.1% | 15.3% | 5.7% | 4.1% | 5% | 2.2% | $12,831 |
| Greene County | 73 | 20.6% | 19% | 7.7% | 4.6% | 3.9% | 2% | $10,623 |
| King William County | 74 | 20.5% | 17% | 7.8% | 5.2% | 3.7% | 1.8% | $11,196 |
| Madison County | 75 | 20.4% | 23.2% | 8% | 4.5% | 4.4% | 1.8% | $11,540 |
| Fluvanna County | 76 | 20.3% | 21.5% | 9% | 4.9% | 2.8% | 1.5% | $10,816 |
| Warren County | 77 | 19.9% | 17.3% | 6.9% | 4.9% | 4.2% | 1.9% | $11,183 |
| Isle of Wight County | 78 | 19.5% | 20% | 7.2% | 4.3% | 3.3% | 1.5% | $12,467 |
| Culpeper County | 79 | 19.4% | 16.8% | 6.9% | 4.5% | 4.1% | 1.8% | $10,828 |
| Rockingham + Harrisonburg | 80 | 18.5% | 20.2% | 6.8% | 4.5% | 3.4% | 1.9% | $9,496 |
| Montgomery + Radford | 81 | 18.3% | 14.1% | 6.4% | 4.2% | 3.5% | 1.8% | $8,323 |
| Chesapeake (Independent City) | 82 | 18.3% | 14.5% | 5.5% | 3.6% | 3.2% | 1.8% | $10,688 |
| Richmond (Independent City) | 83 | 17.5% | 14.1% | 4% | 3.1% | 6.7% | 2.3% | $12,417 |
| James City + Williamsburg | 84 | 17.4% | 26.7% | 7.4% | 4.7% | 1.4% | 1% | $13,205 |
| Frederick + Winchester | 85 | 16.5% | 18.8% | 6.4% | 3.8% | 3.1% | 1.5% | $10,260 |
| Spotsylvania + Fredericksburg | 86 | 16.4% | 15.2% | 5.1% | 3.6% | 3.1% | 1.7% | $10,267 |
| Virginia Beach (Independent City) | 87 | 16.3% | 15.9% | 5.2% | 3.2% | 2.6% | 1.4% | $10,750 |
| Chesterfield County | 88 | 15.9% | 16.1% | 6% | 3.6% | 2.9% | 1.5% | $10,184 |
| Rappahannock County | 89 | 14.8% | 28.9% | 7.3% | 3.4% | 1.7% | 1% | $11,764 |
| Clarke County | 90 | 14.8% | 23% | 6.4% | 3.9% | 2% | 0.8% | $11,532 |
| King George County | 90 | 14.8% | 14.4% | 4.6% | 3.5% | 2.4% | 1.4% | $9,471 |
| Powhatan County | 92 | 14.5% | 20% | 6.9% | 3.6% | 1.6% | 0.9% | $9,860 |
| York + Poquoson | 93 | 14.3% | 17.7% | 5.6% | 2.8% | 1.4% | 1% | $9,728 |
| Hanover County | 94 | 14.2% | 19.2% | 6.3% | 3.9% | 1.8% | 0.9% | $10,262 |
| Stafford County | 95 | 13.9% | 11.4% | 3.7% | 2.5% | 2% | 1.2% | $9,052 |
| Henrico County | 96 | 13.5% | 17% | 5% | 3.1% | 2.8% | 1.5% | $10,380 |
| Prince William County | 97 | 12% | 11.3% | 3.5% | 2.2% | 2.3% | 1.4% | $7,645 |
| Fauquier County | 98 | 11.5% | 17.4% | 4.7% | 2.8% | 1.9% | 0.8% | $9,494 |
| New Kent County | 99 | 10.9% | 18.4% | 4.5% | 3% | 1.1% | 0.7% | $11,160 |
| Albemarle + Charlottesville | 100 | 10.5% | 20.5% | 4.3% | 2.4% | 1.9% | 0.9% | $9,527 |
| Goochland County | 101 | 9.8% | 24.5% | 5% | 2.3% | 1% | 0.5% | $11,441 |
| Fairfax County | 102 | 7.6% | 15.1% | 2.7% | 1.6% | 1.2% | 0.6% | $7,726 |
| Alexandria (Independent City) | 103 | 7.4% | 13% | 2.3% | 1.5% | 1.5% | 0.8% | $7,739 |
| Loudoun County | 104 | 5.7% | 10.8% | 2.1% | 1.3% | 0.7% | 0.5% | $5,534 |
| Arlington County | 105 | 5.4% | 12.1% | 1.8% | 1.2% | 1% | 0.5% | $6,090 |
