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 Choctaw County received $237 million in government transfers, which accounted for 41.8% of total county income.
Comparatively, across all counties in Oklahoma, government transfer payments totaled $46.8 billion, making up 20.7% of the state residents’ total income, with an average of $11,654 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 Choctaw County at the time, Social Security transfers totaled $65 million, amounting to $4,526 per capita, or 27.4% of total government transfers. Medicare transfers accounted for $67.6 million ($4,706 per capita), representing 28.5% of the total. Medicaid contributed $42.8 million ($2,978 per capita), making up 18% of total transfers. Income maintenance programs, including assistance such as SNAP or TANF, added another $34.9 million ($2,434 per capita), or 14.7% of the total.
With 20.8% of the population aged 65 and older, Choctaw County has a significant demand for programs like Social Security and Medicare. Total per capita income excluding government transfers in Choctaw County was $22,952, far below the county’s total income of $39,459, emphasizing the role of government transfers in overall income.
When comparing 2022 to the previous year, Choctaw County saw a decrease of 11.5% in per capita government transfers, from $18,702 to $16,507 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 Choctaw County, reliance on government transfers has similarly increased from 25% (or $3,463 per capita) in 1970 to 41.8% (or $16,507 per capita) in 2022, reflecting broader national trends.
According to the Economic Innovation Group’s analysis, these trends are not merely short-term responses to economic pressures but rather reflect a profound, long-term transformation in how government support is integrated into American life. The study illustrates that structural shifts—from rising healthcare expenses and demographic changes to stagnant wages—have significantly increased dependency on government transfers.
| County | State Rank (Per Capita Transfers) | Per Capita Transfers ($) | Dependency on Transfers (%) | % Population 65+ | Social Security Transfers ($) | Medicare Transfers ($) | Medicaid Transfers ($) | Income Maintenance Transfers ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| McIntosh County | 1 | $18,476 | 43.13% | 25% | $110,944,000 | $95,772,000 | $60,689,000 | $36,684,000 |
| Haskell County | 2 | $16,964 | 38.43% | 20.66% | $57,999,000 | $52,788,000 | $33,589,000 | $25,490,000 |
| Pushmataha County | 3 | $16,919 | 43% | 22.91% | $54,240,000 | $50,991,000 | $30,128,000 | $21,436,000 |
| Jefferson County | 4 | $16,781 | 41.1% | 20.91% | $26,523,000 | $28,138,000 | $13,330,000 | $12,837,000 |
| Choctaw County | 5 | $16,507 | 41.83% | 20.82% | $64,988,000 | $67,564,000 | $42,752,000 | $34,945,000 |
| Okmulgee County | 6 | $16,347 | 38.36% | 18.49% | $172,624,000 | $152,964,000 | $133,077,000 | $76,617,000 |
| Muskogee County | 7 | $16,264 | 36.36% | 17.14% | $289,142,000 | $260,381,000 | $229,190,000 | $138,629,000 |
| Craig County | 8 | $16,214 | 37.15% | 19.58% | $69,070,000 | $49,314,000 | $58,277,000 | $27,497,000 |
| Latimer County | 9 | $16,001 | 40.86% | 21.53% | $45,806,000 | $27,351,000 | $37,072,000 | $14,570,000 |
| Sequoyah County | 10 | $15,906 | 36.4% | 18.58% | $178,895,000 | $152,027,000 | $124,389,000 | $84,430,000 |
| Okfuskee County | 11 | $15,727 | 41% | 18.24% | $45,047,000 | $44,912,000 | $44,331,000 | $21,491,000 |
| Johnston County | 12 | $15,674 | 34.48% | 18.65% | $46,005,000 | $46,103,000 | $31,037,000 | $19,941,000 |
| Adair County | 13 | $15,523 | 37.26% | 15.75% | $75,390,000 | $67,516,000 | $77,901,000 | $54,627,000 |
| Ottawa County | 14 | $15,522 | 33.48% | 17.98% | $149,335,000 | $104,582,000 | $94,944,000 | $60,597,000 |
| Kiowa County | 15 | $15,480 | 34.7% | 20.94% | $39,575,000 | $32,767,000 | $24,695,000 | $17,273,000 |
| Seminole County | 16 | $15,312 | 35.48% | 18.43% | $96,787,000 | $86,731,000 | $81,489,000 | $52,351,000 |
| Harmon County | 17 | $15,041 | 31.48% | 20.61% | $10,139,000 | $10,741,000 | $7,036,000 | $5,126,000 |
| Pawnee County | 18 | $14,964 | 34.42% | 20.27% | $80,389,000 | $60,793,000 | $43,600,000 | $25,960,000 |
| Caddo County | 19 | $14,926 | 33.68% | 15.92% | $106,540,000 | $115,129,000 | $71,851,000 | $48,787,000 |
| Le Flore County | 20 | $14,872 | 35.88% | 17.86% | $199,583,000 | $192,332,000 | $128,679,000 | $103,121,000 |
| Nowata County | 21 | $14,796 | 33.49% | 19.39% | $46,826,000 | $34,389,000 | $25,265,000 | $18,945,000 |
| Delaware County | 22 | $14,749 | 33.76% | 25.35% | $208,752,000 | $164,567,000 | $94,006,000 | $66,125,000 |
| Hughes County | 23 | $14,737 | 31.47% | 18.4% | $56,368,000 | $53,150,000 | $43,835,000 | $21,196,000 |
| Marshall County | 24 | $14,690 | 32.71% | 22% | $77,530,000 | $66,317,000 | $36,320,000 | $24,341,000 |
| McCurtain County | 25 | $14,636 | 33.37% | 17.57% | $131,160,000 | $109,629,000 | $90,063,000 | $72,297,000 |
| Garvin County | 26 | $14,609 | 29.46% | 18% | $120,063,000 | $102,879,000 | $63,605,000 | $44,809,000 |
| Mayes County | 27 | $14,569 | 32.52% | 18.84% | $180,250,000 | $140,875,000 | $117,257,000 | $65,313,000 |
| Coal County | 28 | $14,430 | 33.71% | 21.36% | $19,955,000 | $23,608,000 | $16,743,000 | $9,165,000 |
| Cotton County | 29 | $14,289 | 29.74% | 20.26% | $24,781,000 | $21,493,000 | $12,164,000 | $8,477,000 |
| Kay County | 30 | $14,266 | 29.46% | 19.37% | $200,802,000 | $160,945,000 | $111,440,000 | $80,529,000 |
| Blaine County | 31 | $14,072 | 27.89% | 20.62% | $38,814,000 | $35,788,000 | $17,566,000 | $15,055,000 |
| Pontotoc County | 32 | $13,941 | 26.3% | 17.22% | $149,547,000 | $137,572,000 | $123,747,000 | $60,414,000 |
| Greer County | 33 | $13,915 | 40.87% | 17.38% | $21,298,000 | $26,942,000 | $11,448,000 | $8,880,000 |
| Stephens County | 34 | $13,893 | 28.56% | 20.52% | $207,097,000 | $152,492,000 | $96,117,000 | $67,310,000 |
| Pittsburg County | 35 | $13,729 | 32.32% | 20% | $184,145,000 | $141,899,000 | $115,302,000 | $71,189,000 |
| Carter County | 36 | $13,721 | 27.17% | 16.97% | $215,793,000 | $182,762,000 | $115,826,000 | $82,880,000 |
| Murray County | 37 | $13,485 | 27.12% | 21% | $60,797,000 | $50,980,000 | $31,642,000 | $17,722,000 |
| Ellis County | 38 | $13,196 | 21.87% | 24.3% | $17,691,000 | $14,770,000 | $7,005,000 | $4,014,000 |
| Washington County | 39 | $13,032 | 13.52% | 20% | $248,474,000 | $168,546,000 | $118,887,000 | $84,721,000 |
| Creek County | 40 | $12,981 | 26.92% | 18.48% | $323,528,000 | $230,051,000 | $173,475,000 | $108,659,000 |
| Cherokee County | 41 | $12,969 | 31% | 17.79% | $179,367,000 | $133,145,000 | $149,929,000 | $75,771,000 |
| Pottawatomie County | 42 | $12,951 | 27.21% | 16.62% | $285,436,000 | $228,019,000 | $184,321,000 | $124,982,000 |
| Harper County | 43 | $12,915 | 19.91% | 20.22% | $16,571,000 | $12,803,000 | $3,930,000 | $3,200,000 |
| Tillman County | 44 | $12,860 | 37.49% | 20.67% | $27,892,000 | $23,631,000 | $13,156,000 | $13,666,000 |
| Dewey County | 45 | $12,754 | 25.49% | 18.8% | $20,588,000 | $17,318,000 | $8,274,000 | $4,607,000 |
| Lincoln County | 46 | $12,744 | 28% | 19.34% | $147,831,000 | $115,892,000 | $64,426,000 | $50,378,000 |
| Noble County | 47 | $12,639 | 25.83% | 21.25% | $48,581,000 | $37,467,000 | $25,414,000 | $13,164,000 |
| Atoka County | 48 | $12,592 | 35.15% | 19.29% | $55,173,000 | $47,894,000 | $32,338,000 | $23,955,000 |
| Washita County | 49 | $12,450 | 31% | 19.84% | $42,423,000 | $34,546,000 | $22,843,000 | $16,729,000 |
| Comanche County | 50 | $12,414 | 26% | 13.63% | $372,718,000 | $267,408,000 | $201,776,000 | $194,069,000 |
| Bryan County | 51 | $12,401 | 27.89% | 17.36% | $175,088,000 | $169,452,000 | $103,876,000 | $66,200,000 |
| Love County | 52 | $12,378 | 28.55% | 19% | $44,923,000 | $36,357,000 | $17,668,000 | $14,668,000 |
| Grant County | 53 | $12,207 | 24.63% | 22.49% | $19,942,000 | $14,244,000 | $6,066,000 | $3,958,000 |
| Jackson County | 54 | $11,927 | 24.39% | 15.7% | $79,222,000 | $69,078,000 | $40,130,000 | $40,008,000 |
| Garfield County | 55 | $11,807 | 24.16% | 16.79% | $235,363,000 | $184,906,000 | $123,157,000 | $97,003,000 |
| Cimarron County | 56 | $11,592 | 16.15% | 24.85% | $10,425,000 | $8,907,000 | $1,757,000 | $2,681,000 |
| Major County | 57 | $11,368 | 24.43% | 21.4% | $33,750,000 | $24,486,000 | $9,835,000 | $8,252,000 |
| Roger Mills County | 58 | $11,222 | 23.8% | 22.48% | $13,611,000 | $11,964,000 | $4,159,000 | $3,963,000 |
| Beckham County | 59 | $11,071 | 28.59% | 15.69% | $79,519,000 | $64,232,000 | $45,687,000 | $32,327,000 |
| Kingfisher County | 60 | $11,025 | 15.33% | 16.71% | $62,128,000 | $45,124,000 | $27,734,000 | $15,219,000 |
| Custer County | 61 | $10,869 | 22.94% | 14.67% | $93,701,000 | $73,693,000 | $54,183,000 | $38,161,000 |
| Oklahoma County | 62 | $10,843 | 15.93% | 14.44% | $2,623,494,000 | $2,029,269,000 | $1,581,807,000 | $1,234,073,000 |
| McClain County | 63 | $10,733 | 19.14% | 15.58% | $165,210,000 | $123,482,000 | $62,086,000 | $47,198,000 |
| Tulsa County | 64 | $10,697 | 15.27% | 15.13% | $2,426,147,000 | $1,759,597,000 | $1,270,232,000 | $895,989,000 |
| Rogers County | 65 | $10,559 | 19.98% | 17.23% | $408,720,000 | $235,070,000 | $150,133,000 | $99,884,000 |
| Woods County | 66 | $10,553 | 22% | 17.74% | $31,275,000 | $27,153,000 | $10,748,000 | $7,635,000 |
| Woodward County | 67 | $10,460 | 25.83% | 17% | $74,630,000 | $57,293,000 | $27,281,000 | $24,146,000 |
| Grady County | 68 | $10,445 | 21.7% | 16.88% | $210,256,000 | $151,508,000 | $80,606,000 | $68,341,000 |
| Wagoner County | 69 | $10,347 | 20.79% | 17% | $330,109,000 | $229,207,000 | $119,168,000 | $84,474,000 |
| Osage County | 70 | $10,249 | 23.57% | 21.45% | $202,631,000 | $117,963,000 | $44,692,000 | $55,911,000 |
| Alfalfa County | 71 | $9,941 | 23.72% | 19.99% | $21,411,000 | $17,121,000 | $6,028,000 | $4,545,000 |
| Beaver County | 72 | $9,672 | 14.73% | 20% | $18,562,000 | $16,025,000 | $4,617,000 | $4,516,000 |
| Cleveland County | 73 | $9,358 | 18% | 14.89% | $981,978,000 | $632,583,000 | $360,387,000 | $309,832,000 |
| Payne County | 74 | $9,307 | 20.49% | 13.2% | $253,028,000 | $181,225,000 | $135,248,000 | $81,044,000 |
| Logan County | 75 | $8,991 | 18.55% | 17.45% | $181,494,000 | $97,835,000 | $62,787,000 | $50,534,000 |
| Canadian County | 76 | $8,179 | 15.18% | 13.58% | $503,319,000 | $328,385,000 | $171,326,000 | $142,559,000 |
| Texas County | 77 | $7,491 | 12.39% | 12.55% | $51,951,000 | $38,797,000 | $18,423,000 | $25,237,000 |
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