In 2022, Columbia County ranked as the 11th least government transfer-dependent county in Wisconsin, with 17% 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 Columbia County received $607.38 million, equivalent to $10,437 per capita.
For comparison, the average across Wisconsin was $911.48 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 Columbia County at the time, Social Security transfers made up $269.36 million, a 44.3% share of the total. Medicare transfers accounted for $146.35 million (24.1%), while Medicaid contributed $82.18 million (13.5%). Income maintenance programs, including assistance such as SNAP or TANF, added another $42.74 million, or 7% of the total.
With 19.7% of the population aged 65 and older, Columbia County has a significant demand for programs like Social Security and Medicare. Despite this aid, the total per capita income in Columbia County, excluding government transfers was $51,105, which is noticeably below the county’s total income of $61,542, emphasizing the role of government transfers in overall income.
When comparing 2022 to the previous year, Columbia County saw a decrease in its government transfer dependency by 17.8%.
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 Columbia County, reliance on government transfers has similarly increased from virtually none in 1970 to 17% (or $10,437 per capita) in 2022, reflecting broader national trends.
According to the Economic Innovation Group’s analysis, these trends are not merely short-term responses to economic pressures but rather reflect a profound, long-term transformation in how government support is integrated into American life. The study illustrates that structural shifts—from rising healthcare expenses and demographic changes to stagnant wages—have significantly increased dependency on government transfers.
| County | State Rank | Dependency on Transfers (%) | % Population 65+ | Social Security Transfers (%) | Medicare Transfers (%) | Medicaid Transfers (%) | Income Maintenance Transfers (%) | Per Capita Transfers ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Menominee County | 1 | 36.6% | 15.7% | 9.6% | 6.3% | 9.4% | 8.7% | $15,176 |
| Ashland County | 2 | 34.5% | 21.8% | 10.9% | 9.1% | 7.9% | 3% | $15,884 |
| Forest County | 3 | 34.1% | 25.3% | 12.1% | 8.4% | 6.8% | 2.7% | $15,420 |
| Price County | 4 | 33.3% | 28.5% | 12.3% | 8.6% | 6.2% | 2.1% | $17,263 |
| Burnett County | 5 | 33.2% | 32% | 14.2% | 8.7% | 4.7% | 2.1% | $15,942 |
| Iron County | 6 | 32.4% | 33% | 12.3% | 8.2% | 6.1% | 1.9% | $17,398 |
| Adams County | 7 | 32.4% | 32.1% | 15.3% | 6.8% | 4.8% | 2.5% | $14,485 |
| Washburn County | 8 | 32.1% | 28.1% | 11.3% | 9.4% | 5.2% | 1.9% | $17,768 |
| Sawyer County | 9 | 31.8% | 28.1% | 12.1% | 8.8% | 5.3% | 2.1% | $16,196 |
| Langlade County | 10 | 30.7% | 25.8% | 11.2% | 8.1% | 5.5% | 2.5% | $15,600 |
| Marinette County | 11 | 29.7% | 25.2% | 11.2% | 7.8% | 5.4% | 2% | $15,525 |
| Rusk County | 12 | 29.2% | 26.1% | 10.2% | 7.8% | 5.5% | 2.5% | $15,400 |
| Marquette County | 13 | 28.8% | 26.7% | 12.3% | 7.9% | 3.5% | 2% | $14,129 |
| Vilas County | 14 | 28.6% | 31.7% | 12.5% | 8.9% | 2.6% | 1.4% | $17,111 |
| Juneau County | 15 | 28.1% | 22.2% | 10.4% | 7% | 5.1% | 2.6% | $13,132 |
| Douglas County | 16 | 28% | 20.8% | 8.8% | 7% | 5.7% | 2.2% | $13,845 |
| Crawford County | 17 | 27.2% | 25.4% | 9.9% | 7.8% | 4.9% | 2.1% | $13,798 |
| Waushara County | 18 | 27.1% | 26.1% | 12% | 6.6% | 3.4% | 2% | $12,670 |
| Bayfield County | 19 | 27.1% | 31.1% | 11.5% | 6.9% | 3.7% | 1.7% | $14,349 |
| Oneida County | 20 | 27% | 28.3% | 11.7% | 6.3% | 4.4% | 1.5% | $15,125 |
| Lincoln County | 21 | 26.7% | 23.7% | 10.4% | 7.3% | 4.3% | 1.7% | $14,171 |
| Richland County | 22 | 26.2% | 24.9% | 9.1% | 6.4% | 6.6% | 2.1% | $13,438 |
| Waupaca County | 23 | 26% | 21.2% | 9.6% | 6.4% | 5.9% | 1.6% | $14,209 |
| Wood County | 24 | 25.4% | 22% | 9.6% | 6.9% | 3.9% | 2.1% | $13,504 |
| Pepin County | 25 | 24.7% | 24.1% | 8.4% | 8.1% | 4.2% | 1.3% | $14,870 |
| Green Lake County | 26 | 24.6% | 23.7% | 10.5% | 6.4% | 3.9% | 1.7% | $12,723 |
| Jackson County | 27 | 24.5% | 20.7% | 8.5% | 6.7% | 4.2% | 2.1% | $12,275 |
| Shawano County | 28 | 24.4% | 22% | 9.5% | 6.3% | 4.1% | 2% | $12,311 |
| Polk County | 29 | 24.1% | 22.6% | 9.4% | 7.1% | 3.5% | 1.5% | $13,059 |
| Barron County | 30 | 24% | 23.4% | 8.6% | 6.5% | 4.4% | 1.8% | $13,933 |
| Vernon County | 31 | 24% | 21.1% | 8.7% | 7.1% | 4.3% | 1.7% | $12,144 |
| Florence County | 32 | 23.8% | 29.6% | 10.6% | 4.9% | 3.7% | 1.5% | $14,800 |
| Milwaukee County | 33 | 23.2% | 14.8% | 5.9% | 4.6% | 7% | 4.2% | $13,056 |
| Buffalo County | 34 | 23.2% | 23.8% | 8.4% | 6.4% | 4.1% | 1.5% | $12,825 |
| Taylor County | 35 | 23.1% | 21.2% | 8.5% | 5.6% | 4.2% | 1.7% | $11,576 |
| Trempealeau County | 36 | 22.8% | 18.9% | 7.8% | 5.4% | 5.6% | 1.6% | $11,677 |
| Manitowoc County | 37 | 22.4% | 22.5% | 9.4% | 5.9% | 3.5% | 1.6% | $12,253 |
| Clark County | 38 | 22.3% | 17.4% | 7.1% | 6.5% | 4.6% | 1.6% | $11,465 |
| Monroe County | 39 | 22.3% | 18.1% | 7.3% | 5% | 3.8% | 2.1% | $11,153 |
| Oconto County | 40 | 21.8% | 22.5% | 9.4% | 5.6% | 2.7% | 1.5% | $11,724 |
| Grant County | 41 | 21.7% | 18.5% | 7.9% | 5.7% | 4.4% | 1.5% | $11,354 |
| Dunn County | 42 | 21.7% | 16.7% | 7.8% | 5.9% | 3.6% | 1.7% | $10,710 |
| Chippewa County | 43 | 21.4% | 19.6% | 7.8% | 5.3% | 4.2% | 1.6% | $11,657 |
| Rock County | 44 | 21.3% | 17.9% | 8.2% | 5.5% | 3.6% | 2.3% | $11,186 |
| Racine County | 45 | 20.7% | 18.1% | 7.8% | 5.6% | 3.5% | 2.2% | $11,909 |
| Door County | 46 | 20.3% | 32.3% | 9.6% | 6% | 1.9% | 0.9% | $14,465 |
| Kewaunee County | 47 | 19.9% | 22% | 8.1% | 5.9% | 2.6% | 1.2% | $11,473 |
| Portage County | 48 | 19.8% | 18.3% | 7.7% | 4.8% | 3.5% | 1.4% | $10,759 |
| Fond du Lac County | 49 | 19.8% | 19.8% | 7.6% | 5.2% | 3.7% | 1.4% | $11,502 |
| Dodge County | 50 | 19.4% | 19% | 8.4% | 4.6% | 3.3% | 1.4% | $10,181 |
| Lafayette County | 51 | 19.1% | 20.1% | 7.6% | 5.3% | 2.8% | 1.6% | $9,962 |
| Jefferson County | 52 | 18.8% | 18.6% | 7.9% | 4.4% | 3.6% | 1.3% | $10,358 |
| Eau Claire County | 53 | 18.4% | 17.2% | 6.7% | 4.7% | 3.4% | 1.4% | $10,541 |
| La Crosse County | 54 | 18% | 18% | 6.5% | 4.2% | 3.8% | 1.3% | $10,884 |
| Kenosha County | 55 | 17.9% | 15.9% | 6.7% | 4.2% | 3.2% | 1.9% | $10,440 |
| Sauk County | 56 | 17.8% | 20% | 7.2% | 5% | 2.5% | 1.5% | $11,060 |
| Winnebago County | 57 | 17.8% | 17.6% | 7.5% | 4.4% | 2.6% | 1.4% | $10,113 |
| Sheboygan County | 58 | 17.6% | 19.7% | 7.7% | 4.4% | 2.6% | 1.5% | $10,598 |
| Green County | 59 | 17.4% | 20.6% | 7.5% | 4.4% | 2.6% | 1.2% | $10,659 |
| Pierce County | 60 | 17.3% | 16.6% | 6.8% | 5.3% | 2.2% | 0.9% | $10,080 |
| Iowa County | 61 | 17% | 20.8% | 7.7% | 4.3% | 2.3% | 1.3% | $10,012 |
| Columbia County | 62 | 17% | 19.7% | 7.5% | 4.1% | 2.3% | 1.2% | $10,437 |
| Marathon County | 63 | 16.7% | 19.2% | 7% | 4% | 2.5% | 1.4% | $10,023 |
| Walworth County | 64 | 16.7% | 19.9% | 7.3% | 4.5% | 2.2% | 1.2% | $10,491 |
| Outagamie County | 65 | 15.2% | 16.5% | 6.6% | 4% | 1.8% | 1.2% | $9,177 |
| Brown County | 66 | 15% | 16.4% | 6.1% | 3.7% | 2.1% | 1.4% | $9,355 |
| Washington County | 67 | 14.7% | 19.8% | 6.9% | 4.3% | 1.5% | 0.7% | $10,095 |
| St. Croix County | 68 | 12.6% | 15.9% | 5.5% | 3.5% | 1.5% | 0.7% | $8,500 |
| Calumet County | 69 | 12.1% | 17.3% | 6.1% | 2.7% | 1.2% | 0.8% | $7,140 |
| Waukesha County | 70 | 11.5% | 20.4% | 5.7% | 3.4% | 1% | 0.5% | $10,097 |
| Dane County | 71 | 11% | 15.2% | 4.7% | 2.5% | 1.7% | 0.9% | $8,073 |
| Ozaukee County | 72 | 10.2% | 21.6% | 5.2% | 3% | 0.8% | 0.4% | $10,217 |
