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 Cook County received $58.2 billion in government transfers, which accounted for 15.6% of total county income.
Comparatively, across all counties in Illinois, government transfer payments totaled $136.5 billion, making up 16% of the state residents’ total income, with an average of $10,848 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 Cook County at the time, Social Security transfers totaled $15 billion, amounting to $2,942 per capita, or 25.8% of total government transfers. Medicare transfers accounted for $13.1 billion ($2,559 per capita), representing 22.5% of the total. Medicaid contributed $16.2 billion ($3,168 per capita), making up 27.8% of total transfers. Income maintenance programs, including assistance such as SNAP or TANF, added another $10.2 billion ($1,994 per capita), or 17.5% of the total.
With 16.1% of the population aged 65 and older, Cook County has a significant demand for programs like Social Security and Medicare. Total per capita income excluding government transfers in Cook County was $61,459, noticeably below the county’s total income of $72,847, emphasizing the role of government transfers in overall income.
When comparing 2022 to the previous year, Cook County saw a decrease of 22.7% in per capita government transfers, from $14,531 to $11,388 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 Cook County, reliance on government transfers has similarly increased from 6.94% (or $2,059 per capita) in 1970 to 15.6% (or $11,388 per capita) in 2022, reflecting broader national trends.
According to the Economic Innovation Group’s analysis, these trends are not merely short-term responses to economic pressures but rather reflect a profound, long-term transformation in how government support is integrated into American life. The study illustrates that structural shifts—from rising healthcare expenses and demographic changes to stagnant wages—have significantly increased dependency on government transfers.
| County | State Rank (Per Capita Transfers) | Per Capita Transfers ($) | Dependency on Transfers (%) | % Population 65+ | Social Security Transfers ($) | Medicare Transfers ($) | Medicaid Transfers ($) | Income Maintenance Transfers ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alexander County | 1 | $24,592 | 50.45% | 24.97% | $24,875,000 | $18,594,000 | $37,766,000 | $30,075,000 |
| Pulaski County | 2 | $19,657 | 42.83% | 23.27% | $24,677,000 | $20,256,000 | $26,596,000 | $17,035,000 |
| Hardin County | 3 | $18,945 | 41.17% | 27.21% | $20,109,000 | $17,354,000 | $17,492,000 | $8,215,000 |
| Gallatin County | 4 | $17,397 | 31.87% | 25.54% | $26,067,000 | $22,324,000 | $17,820,000 | $10,626,000 |
| Marion County | 5 | $17,107 | 34.19% | 20% | $163,386,000 | $167,644,000 | $149,488,000 | $87,129,000 |
| Saline County | 6 | $17,090 | 36.55% | 21.48% | $110,235,000 | $86,463,000 | $105,576,000 | $55,252,000 |
| Union County | 7 | $16,320 | 33.89% | 22.49% | $76,086,000 | $56,089,000 | $83,735,000 | $36,332,000 |
| Massac County | 8 | $15,812 | 35.18% | 21.98% | $68,728,000 | $52,743,000 | $47,481,000 | $31,714,000 |
| White County | 9 | $15,608 | 27.45% | 23.15% | $68,322,000 | $55,543,000 | $43,554,000 | $25,407,000 |
| Clay County | 10 | $15,563 | 31.62% | 21.11% | $57,794,000 | $47,245,000 | $59,221,000 | $23,073,000 |
| Franklin County | 11 | $15,398 | 34% | 20.92% | $176,126,000 | $138,232,000 | $114,855,000 | $82,152,000 |
| Knox County | 12 | $14,923 | 31.76% | 22.54% | $215,888,000 | $153,723,000 | $183,499,000 | $85,842,000 |
| Mason County | 13 | $14,794 | 26.34% | 22.84% | $64,650,000 | $53,442,000 | $31,291,000 | $23,087,000 |
| Edgar County | 14 | $14,731 | 26.17% | 24.45% | $79,833,000 | $66,018,000 | $46,361,000 | $30,997,000 |
| Pike County | 15 | $14,458 | 26.23% | 21.9% | $64,220,000 | $59,211,000 | $41,783,000 | $25,639,000 |
| Pope County | 16 | $14,432 | 39.53% | 31.34% | $20,993,000 | $10,730,000 | $8,966,000 | $8,610,000 |
| Vermilion County | 17 | $14,318 | 29.16% | 20.39% | $320,424,000 | $249,955,000 | $174,679,000 | $195,275,000 |
| Hamilton County | 18 | $14,269 | 26.72% | 22.22% | $33,608,000 | $26,765,000 | $30,493,000 | $12,996,000 |
| Lawrence County | 19 | $14,211 | 36.1% | 18.82% | $59,405,000 | $49,164,000 | $62,784,000 | $24,170,000 |
| Greene County | 20 | $14,050 | 26.33% | 21% | $52,021,000 | $46,007,000 | $27,677,000 | $22,826,000 |
| Jefferson County | 21 | $13,930 | 29.54% | 20% | $156,717,000 | $122,470,000 | $97,578,000 | $77,574,000 |
| Iroquois County | 22 | $13,810 | 24% | 22.69% | $130,196,000 | $98,714,000 | $63,102,000 | $43,610,000 |
| Richland County | 23 | $13,718 | 26.37% | 21% | $66,504,000 | $52,502,000 | $40,971,000 | $28,497,000 |
| Macon County | 24 | $13,606 | 23.97% | 21.14% | $465,864,000 | $322,915,000 | $249,380,000 | $210,660,000 |
| Whiteside County | 25 | $13,588 | 25.96% | 22% | $269,556,000 | $183,378,000 | $145,923,000 | $80,503,000 |
| Fulton County | 26 | $13,558 | 28.27% | 21.37% | $156,803,000 | $105,427,000 | $93,860,000 | $53,618,000 |
| Stephenson County | 27 | $13,544 | 25.63% | 24.19% | $222,719,000 | $158,232,000 | $77,222,000 | $82,907,000 |
| Calhoun County | 28 | $13,500 | 24.35% | 25% | $23,524,000 | $15,993,000 | $8,714,000 | $5,717,000 |
| Wabash County | 29 | $13,470 | 25.82% | 22.64% | $53,323,000 | $39,979,000 | $25,038,000 | $17,253,000 |
| Hancock County | 30 | $13,443 | 23.95% | 24.46% | $88,664,000 | $61,554,000 | $32,337,000 | $25,275,000 |
| Morgan County | 31 | $13,419 | 26.82% | 21.18% | $148,719,000 | $107,802,000 | $85,438,000 | $53,579,000 |
| St. Clair County | 32 | $13,353 | 24.43% | 17.33% | $932,893,000 | $700,838,000 | $643,227,000 | $567,775,000 |
| Montgomery County | 33 | $13,336 | 30.69% | 21% | $127,887,000 | $93,602,000 | $76,470,000 | $42,900,000 |
| Macoupin County | 34 | $13,295 | 26% | 21.78% | $218,762,000 | $155,122,000 | $90,856,000 | $65,774,000 |
| Clark County | 35 | $13,295 | 26% | 20% | $70,178,000 | $57,650,000 | $33,262,000 | $23,086,000 |
| Marshall County | 36 | $13,256 | 23.3% | 24% | $62,770,000 | $38,574,000 | $24,422,000 | $16,192,000 |
| Stark County | 37 | $13,238 | 21.12% | 23% | $25,723,000 | $19,617,000 | $12,921,000 | $6,992,000 |
| Henderson County | 38 | $13,204 | 22.96% | 27.72% | $31,348,000 | $21,043,000 | $9,012,000 | $8,574,000 |
| Carroll County | 39 | $13,184 | 25.46% | 24.65% | $75,705,000 | $54,509,000 | $31,536,000 | $21,021,000 |
| Christian County | 40 | $13,111 | 26.73% | 20% | $152,393,000 | $112,826,000 | $84,726,000 | $50,350,000 |
| Jersey County | 41 | $13,060 | 24.91% | 20.69% | $104,818,000 | $82,106,000 | $42,842,000 | $25,956,000 |
| Wayne County | 42 | $12,992 | 26.39% | 22.3% | $68,444,000 | $51,086,000 | $44,362,000 | $25,174,000 |
| Jasper County | 43 | $12,986 | 22.98% | 21% | $42,415,000 | $35,591,000 | $17,317,000 | $12,006,000 |
| Randolph County | 44 | $12,984 | 27.96% | 20.97% | $135,835,000 | $106,272,000 | $66,843,000 | $45,497,000 |
| Kankakee County | 45 | $12,783 | 25% | 17.79% | $430,399,000 | $348,058,000 | $268,511,000 | $206,695,000 |
| Shelby County | 46 | $12,657 | 24% | 23.72% | $97,681,000 | $74,477,000 | $36,737,000 | $26,419,000 |
| Williamson County | 47 | $12,651 | 24.41% | 20.11% | $277,934,000 | $199,063,000 | $142,712,000 | $123,292,000 |
| Crawford County | 48 | $12,626 | 24.19% | 19.99% | $86,085,000 | $65,541,000 | $34,418,000 | $27,551,000 |
| Adams County | 49 | $12,604 | 22.42% | 20.77% | $278,843,000 | $221,684,000 | $126,972,000 | $105,523,000 |
| Perry County | 50 | $12,597 | 29.35% | 20.32% | $88,996,000 | $71,135,000 | $38,403,000 | $33,978,000 |
| Jo Daviess County | 51 | $12,579 | 21.65% | 30% | $127,960,000 | $79,633,000 | $17,248,000 | $21,850,000 |
| Mercer County | 52 | $12,576 | 21.25% | 21.81% | $78,309,000 | $56,180,000 | $23,055,000 | $17,447,000 |
| Coles County | 53 | $12,430 | 23.83% | 18.59% | $170,831,000 | $146,071,000 | $108,066,000 | $81,779,000 |
| Ford County | 54 | $12,408 | 19.28% | 19.49% | $56,702,000 | $45,206,000 | $30,270,000 | $17,868,000 |
| Bond County | 55 | $12,338 | 27.2% | 18.75% | $68,752,000 | $56,287,000 | $33,337,000 | $25,812,000 |
| De Witt County | 56 | $12,327 | 21.52% | 20.57% | $70,804,000 | $46,171,000 | $32,953,000 | $21,542,000 |
| Washington County | 57 | $12,246 | 20.21% | 21.69% | $63,114,000 | $47,797,000 | $24,748,000 | $13,656,000 |
| Fayette County | 58 | $12,226 | 27.44% | 18.93% | $82,829,000 | $63,941,000 | $54,786,000 | $36,816,000 |
| Lee County | 59 | $12,225 | 23.46% | 21.1% | $157,159,000 | $110,617,000 | $77,476,000 | $35,456,000 |
| Schuyler County | 60 | $12,216 | 22.87% | 23.69% | $28,793,000 | $24,482,000 | $9,607,000 | $9,059,000 |
| Jackson County | 61 | $12,095 | 26.14% | 16.75% | $167,711,000 | $146,206,000 | $114,820,000 | $126,303,000 |
| Madison County | 62 | $12,071 | 21.56% | 18.45% | $1,102,214,000 | $808,490,000 | $526,590,000 | $420,998,000 |
| Winnebago County | 63 | $12,038 | 24.12% | 18.57% | $1,191,235,000 | $775,458,000 | $562,548,000 | $609,560,000 |
| Logan County | 64 | $11,890 | 24.63% | 19.63% | $119,643,000 | $79,954,000 | $60,944,000 | $41,669,000 |
| Menard County | 65 | $11,855 | 20.67% | 20.63% | $55,952,000 | $40,899,000 | $19,127,000 | $13,514,000 |
| Cumberland County | 66 | $11,661 | 13% | 21.19% | $43,608,000 | $32,440,000 | $18,271,000 | $13,647,000 |
| Cass County | 67 | $11,658 | 23.3% | 18.25% | $46,309,000 | $35,583,000 | $29,315,000 | $19,805,000 |
| LaSalle County | 68 | $11,653 | 21.85% | 19.95% | $498,882,000 | $327,318,000 | $166,954,000 | $159,757,000 |
| Peoria County | 69 | $11,651 | 20.31% | 18.36% | $721,932,000 | $462,531,000 | $350,991,000 | $363,957,000 |
| Moultrie County | 70 | $11,637 | 15.47% | 19% | $59,920,000 | $43,360,000 | $31,575,000 | $16,815,000 |
| Scott County | 71 | $11,631 | 20.9% | 21.4% | $19,139,000 | $16,177,000 | $8,495,000 | $6,275,000 |
| Warren County | 72 | $11,619 | 20.98% | 20.31% | $63,839,000 | $47,819,000 | $31,084,000 | $26,678,000 |
| Bureau County | 73 | $11,610 | 22.51% | 23% | $156,078,000 | $94,218,000 | $52,297,000 | $44,687,000 |
| McDonough County | 74 | $11,598 | 24.12% | 19% | $94,770,000 | $82,848,000 | $48,858,000 | $44,742,000 |
| Sangamon County | 75 | $11,592 | 20.28% | 19.39% | $832,154,000 | $580,928,000 | $295,847,000 | $325,896,000 |
| Effingham County | 76 | $11,579 | 18.58% | 18.82% | $144,088,000 | $109,719,000 | $57,131,000 | $41,458,000 |
| Rock Island County | 77 | $11,541 | 23.66% | 20.48% | $598,540,000 | $397,835,000 | $246,614,000 | $240,099,000 |
| Putnam County | 78 | $11,530 | 17.22% | 24.85% | $30,034,000 | $17,626,000 | $4,862,000 | $5,640,000 |
| Edwards County | 79 | $11,482 | 23% | 22.66% | $28,377,000 | $18,707,000 | $7,872,000 | $7,871,000 |
| Cook County | 80 | $11,388 | 15.63% | 16% | $15,031,027,000 | $13,072,586,000 | $16,188,208,000 | $10,190,009,000 |
| Livingston County | 81 | $11,269 | 19.85% | 20% | $158,585,000 | $100,063,000 | $64,364,000 | $46,603,000 |
| Tazewell County | 82 | $11,262 | 19.93% | 19.87% | $599,463,000 | $365,007,000 | $211,210,000 | $156,426,000 |
| Johnson County | 83 | $11,238 | 28.55% | 19.74% | $54,307,000 | $41,366,000 | $20,661,000 | $17,402,000 |
| Clinton County | 84 | $11,193 | 19% | 18.61% | $146,718,000 | $100,975,000 | $77,670,000 | $35,886,000 |
| Piatt County | 85 | $10,973 | 16.37% | 21.22% | $71,344,000 | $60,950,000 | $21,177,000 | $13,683,000 |
| Henry County | 86 | $10,939 | 19.5% | 21.67% | $221,758,000 | $134,847,000 | $62,745,000 | $58,615,000 |
| Ogle County | 87 | $10,783 | 19.69% | 19.71% | $223,811,000 | $143,093,000 | $68,728,000 | $69,442,000 |
| Douglas County | 88 | $10,542 | 16.74% | 18.79% | $74,772,000 | $54,413,000 | $33,545,000 | $24,212,000 |
| Monroe County | 89 | $10,035 | 14.59% | 19.71% | $153,756,000 | $98,704,000 | $33,957,000 | $18,234,000 |
| Woodford County | 90 | $9,752 | 15.43% | 19.23% | $166,852,000 | $93,691,000 | $45,689,000 | $31,291,000 |
| Boone County | 91 | $9,468 | 17% | 16.96% | $210,397,000 | $125,678,000 | $54,051,000 | $65,764,000 |
| DeKalb County | 92 | $9,349 | 18.33% | 13.89% | $314,809,000 | $253,468,000 | $112,546,000 | $135,077,000 |
| McHenry County | 93 | $8,989 | 13.66% | 16.42% | $1,185,597,000 | $906,385,000 | $172,465,000 | $241,824,000 |
| DuPage County | 94 | $8,865 | 10% | 17.42% | $3,427,550,000 | $2,221,195,000 | $922,822,000 | $740,853,000 |
| Grundy County | 95 | $8,778 | 14.4% | 15.12% | $201,318,000 | $140,886,000 | $35,235,000 | $45,377,000 |
| Brown County | 96 | $8,751 | 18.71% | 14.93% | $19,532,000 | $13,893,000 | $11,440,000 | $5,852,000 |
| Lake County | 97 | $8,746 | 9.3% | 15.82% | $2,424,109,000 | $1,718,601,000 | $727,673,000 | $724,376,000 |
| Kane County | 98 | $8,539 | 13.37% | 15.56% | $1,707,854,000 | $1,129,633,000 | $524,348,000 | $652,353,000 |
| Will County | 99 | $8,251 | 12.96% | 14.54% | $2,259,139,000 | $1,614,025,000 | $553,855,000 | $718,368,000 |
| McLean County | 100 | $8,250 | 14.18% | 14.58% | $555,990,000 | $343,487,000 | $137,908,000 | $207,721,000 |
| Champaign County | 101 | $7,920 | 14.5% | 14% | $507,259,000 | $401,026,000 | $216,423,000 | $303,812,000 |
| Kendall County | 102 | $5,985 | 10.2% | 11.2% | $369,423,000 | $220,423,000 | $29,486,000 | $101,343,000 |
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