In 2022, Muskegon County ranked 36th lowest per capita recipient of government transfers in Michigan, with residents receiving $13,189 per capita from programs such as Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and income maintenance, according to information from the Economic Innovation Group.
In total, residents in Muskegon County received $2.3 billion in government transfers, which accounted for 28.9% of total county income.
Comparatively, across all counties in Michigan, government transfer payments totaled $118.7 billion, making up 20.7% of the state residents’ total income, with an average of $11,834 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 Muskegon County at the time, Social Security transfers totaled $814.8 million, amounting to $4,615 per capita, or 35% of total government transfers. Medicare transfers accounted for $565.3 million ($3,201 per capita), representing 24.3% of the total. Medicaid contributed $467.9 million ($2,650 per capita), making up 20.1% of total transfers. Income maintenance programs, including assistance such as SNAP or TANF, added another $302.7 million ($1,715 per capita), or 13% of the total.
With 18.4% of the population aged 65 and older, Muskegon County has a significant demand for programs like Social Security and Medicare. Total per capita income excluding government transfers in Muskegon County was $32,383, far below the county’s total income of $45,571, emphasizing the role of government transfers in overall income.
When comparing 2022 to the previous year, Muskegon County saw a decrease of 21.7% in per capita government transfers, from $16,840 to $13,189 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 Muskegon County, reliance on government transfers has similarly increased from 10.96% (or $2,371 per capita) in 1970 to 28.9% (or $13,189 per capita) in 2022, reflecting broader national trends.
According to the Economic Innovation Group’s analysis, these trends are not merely short-term responses to economic pressures but rather reflect a profound, long-term transformation in how government support is integrated into American life. The study illustrates that structural shifts—from rising healthcare expenses and demographic changes to stagnant wages—have significantly increased dependency on government transfers.
| County | State Rank (Per Capita Transfers) | Per Capita Transfers ($) | Dependency on Transfers (%) | % Population 65+ | Social Security Transfers ($) | Medicare Transfers ($) | Medicaid Transfers ($) | Income Maintenance Transfers ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ontonagon County | 1 | $20,769 | 44.51% | 37.65% | $47,082,000 | $28,926,000 | $23,481,000 | $6,520,000 |
| Montmorency County | 2 | $20,425 | 49.29% | 32.79% | $81,278,000 | $57,126,000 | $24,802,000 | $13,366,000 |
| Roscommon County | 3 | $19,912 | 45.45% | 34.11% | $201,096,000 | $137,560,000 | $59,061,000 | $35,611,000 |
| Iron County | 4 | $19,204 | 40% | 31.61% | $76,490,000 | $46,998,000 | $58,242,000 | $13,652,000 |
| Alcona County | 5 | $19,074 | 38.6% | 36.27% | $88,627,000 | $56,319,000 | $22,037,000 | $11,804,000 |
| Schoolcraft County | 6 | $18,285 | 41.18% | 28.47% | $50,247,000 | $33,680,000 | $35,445,000 | $9,645,000 |
| Iosco County | 7 | $18,187 | 39.74% | 30.58% | $183,074,000 | $119,478,000 | $84,260,000 | $35,620,000 |
| Gogebic County | 8 | $18,005 | 37.86% | 29% | $82,989,000 | $55,543,000 | $70,375,000 | $20,354,000 |
| Luce County | 9 | $17,805 | 42.19% | 24% | $31,843,000 | $24,605,000 | $22,111,000 | $6,977,000 |
| Alpena County | 10 | $17,680 | 36.35% | 25% | $178,791,000 | $130,341,000 | $119,712,000 | $38,690,000 |
| Keweenaw County | 11 | $17,118 | 31.16% | 35.82% | $15,288,000 | $9,007,000 | $6,702,000 | $1,916,000 |
| Arenac County | 12 | $17,004 | 36.41% | 27.12% | $98,400,000 | $71,672,000 | $42,659,000 | $21,520,000 |
| Presque Isle County | 13 | $16,872 | 36.49% | 33.76% | $101,304,000 | $63,534,000 | $24,944,000 | $12,438,000 |
| Manistee County | 14 | $16,657 | 36.58% | 28.12% | $156,437,000 | $106,447,000 | $95,254,000 | $28,608,000 |
| Clare County | 15 | $16,531 | 41.18% | 25.15% | $191,310,000 | $153,262,000 | $71,537,000 | $51,778,000 |
| Ogemaw County | 16 | $16,423 | 39.94% | 27.66% | $140,017,000 | $84,687,000 | $53,586,000 | $33,145,000 |
| Huron County | 17 | $16,416 | 29.19% | 26.92% | $190,941,000 | $153,523,000 | $96,888,000 | $33,647,000 |
| Mackinac County | 18 | $16,351 | 31.4% | 29.86% | $71,258,000 | $48,828,000 | $28,322,000 | $10,105,000 |
| Oscoda County | 19 | $16,284 | 40.14% | 29% | $57,028,000 | $32,565,000 | $21,421,000 | $12,497,000 |
| Lake County | 20 | $16,083 | 44.14% | 26.98% | $78,053,000 | $51,503,000 | $35,187,000 | $20,931,000 |
| Gladwin County | 21 | $15,826 | 36.21% | 27.29% | $170,471,000 | $112,653,000 | $53,172,000 | $34,099,000 |
| Mason County | 22 | $15,660 | 33.28% | 26% | $174,618,000 | $121,540,000 | $88,885,000 | $35,375,000 |
| Antrim County | 23 | $15,489 | 27.54% | 28.53% | $161,276,000 | $95,242,000 | $64,871,000 | $23,920,000 |
| Dickinson County | 24 | $15,402 | 28% | 24.3% | $140,867,000 | $85,328,000 | $92,811,000 | $24,920,000 |
| Delta County | 25 | $15,159 | 34% | 26.14% | $213,724,000 | $128,687,000 | $84,144,000 | $40,482,000 |
| Cheboygan County | 26 | $15,057 | 32.25% | 28.77% | $166,678,000 | $94,887,000 | $56,264,000 | $32,897,000 |
| Sanilac County | 27 | $15,009 | 32.5% | 23.15% | $217,000,000 | $158,446,000 | $131,974,000 | $53,792,000 |
| Crawford County | 28 | $14,858 | 35.77% | 26.69% | $80,897,000 | $49,272,000 | $27,690,000 | $17,944,000 |
| Emmet County | 29 | $14,856 | 21.19% | 24.96% | $197,108,000 | $133,629,000 | $103,328,000 | $29,745,000 |
| Alger County | 30 | $14,726 | 35.77% | 27.24% | $55,773,000 | $34,186,000 | $16,008,000 | $7,449,000 |
| Tuscola County | 31 | $14,648 | 33.45% | 21.81% | $286,853,000 | $220,722,000 | $137,439,000 | $65,341,000 |
| Bay County | 32 | $14,494 | 29.18% | 21.8% | $562,911,000 | $379,550,000 | $281,120,000 | $131,581,000 |
| Saginaw County | 33 | $14,386 | 30.16% | 20.34% | $939,352,000 | $682,915,000 | $549,116,000 | $338,145,000 |
| Benzie County | 34 | $14,028 | 25.61% | 28.35% | $115,595,000 | $67,469,000 | $31,593,000 | $16,558,000 |
| Menominee County | 35 | $13,947 | 29.49% | 26.81% | $129,985,000 | $81,855,000 | $45,912,000 | $24,554,000 |
| Osceola County | 36 | $13,926 | 31.26% | 22.2% | $122,908,000 | $87,502,000 | $49,016,000 | $35,294,000 |
| Genesee County | 37 | $13,910 | 29.24% | 18.81% | $1,959,698,000 | $1,462,372,000 | $1,051,087,000 | $752,603,000 |
| Charlevoix County | 38 | $13,898 | 20.85% | 27.32% | $161,399,000 | $102,496,000 | $45,971,000 | $23,734,000 |
| Oceana County | 39 | $13,738 | 30.55% | 22.33% | $137,864,000 | $98,171,000 | $60,953,000 | $40,846,000 |
| Wexford County | 40 | $13,710 | 31.26% | 20.63% | $167,232,000 | $111,475,000 | $94,833,000 | $51,058,000 |
| Baraga County | 41 | $13,485 | 33.93% | 22.93% | $39,869,000 | $25,274,000 | $21,969,000 | $9,182,000 |
| Berrien County | 42 | $13,462 | 22.32% | 21.35% | $746,209,000 | $494,331,000 | $441,708,000 | $216,534,000 |
| Marquette County | 43 | $13,445 | 28.94% | 20.39% | $323,043,000 | $185,584,000 | $201,478,000 | $57,976,000 |
| Wayne County | 44 | $13,435 | 27.7% | 16.61% | $6,644,431,000 | $5,453,219,000 | $6,451,463,000 | $3,680,859,000 |
| Leelanau County | 45 | $13,243 | 16.19% | 33.8% | $165,411,000 | $75,011,000 | $26,263,000 | $11,354,000 |
| Shiawassee County | 46 | $13,235 | 27.91% | 19.94% | $338,688,000 | $250,839,000 | $148,085,000 | $81,061,000 |
| Kalkaska County | 47 | $13,192 | 31.27% | 21.87% | $94,116,000 | $60,993,000 | $37,539,000 | $23,496,000 |
| Muskegon County | 48 | $13,189 | 28.94% | 18.44% | $814,808,000 | $565,252,000 | $467,888,000 | $302,746,000 |
| Calhoun County | 49 | $12,982 | 28.91% | 18.58% | $605,982,000 | $384,884,000 | $339,588,000 | $218,355,000 |
| Isabella County | 50 | $12,964 | 28.92% | 14% | $228,188,000 | $149,641,000 | $305,787,000 | $76,179,000 |
| Chippewa County | 51 | $12,960 | 30.37% | 19.49% | $159,109,000 | $109,031,000 | $102,314,000 | $41,322,000 |
| Gratiot County | 52 | $12,927 | 29.95% | 17.75% | $174,742,000 | $137,835,000 | $125,131,000 | $50,283,000 |
| Houghton County | 53 | $12,897 | 30% | 18.21% | $148,880,000 | $91,075,000 | $139,367,000 | $35,350,000 |
| Van Buren County | 54 | $12,888 | 26% | 19.91% | $360,844,000 | $228,637,000 | $200,837,000 | $107,514,000 |
| Otsego County | 55 | $12,710 | 26.37% | 22.3% | $138,109,000 | $82,019,000 | $39,913,000 | $29,172,000 |
| St. Clair County | 56 | $12,699 | 24.16% | 20.34% | $812,321,000 | $543,299,000 | $304,450,000 | $189,383,000 |
| Missaukee County | 57 | $12,551 | 28.74% | 21.88% | $75,837,000 | $46,631,000 | $32,480,000 | $18,443,000 |
| Mecosta County | 58 | $12,535 | 29.5% | 20.48% | $197,982,000 | $123,306,000 | $67,466,000 | $56,369,000 |
| Jackson County | 59 | $12,290 | 26.48% | 19% | $746,319,000 | $504,723,000 | $350,074,000 | $206,151,000 |
| Newaygo County | 60 | $12,279 | 27.82% | 20.56% | $248,227,000 | $143,146,000 | $104,279,000 | $69,343,000 |
| Lenawee County | 61 | $12,252 | 25.77% | 20.3% | $492,233,000 | $326,060,000 | $182,440,000 | $104,189,000 |
| Branch County | 62 | $12,002 | 27.89% | 19.44% | $200,505,000 | $120,837,000 | $112,188,000 | $55,022,000 |
| Cass County | 63 | $11,904 | 21.67% | 22.63% | $262,296,000 | $127,149,000 | $104,715,000 | $61,562,000 |
| Grand Traverse County | 64 | $11,861 | 19.1% | 22% | $492,270,000 | $303,503,000 | $157,085,000 | $76,709,000 |
| Hillsdale County | 65 | $11,825 | 28.16% | 21.3% | $213,368,000 | $130,225,000 | $94,937,000 | $55,496,000 |
| Midland County | 66 | $11,761 | 19.33% | 20.25% | $397,377,000 | $254,267,000 | $165,818,000 | $77,139,000 |
| Lapeer County | 67 | $11,720 | 23.17% | 20.16% | $451,109,000 | $291,264,000 | $127,428,000 | $81,900,000 |
| St. Joseph County | 68 | $11,632 | 24.78% | 19% | $275,517,000 | $163,232,000 | $135,956,000 | $79,692,000 |
| Montcalm County | 69 | $11,363 | 27.9% | 18.18% | $291,913,000 | $204,674,000 | $112,785,000 | $87,193,000 |
| Eaton County | 70 | $11,318 | 22.22% | 20% | $537,247,000 | $373,107,000 | $112,459,000 | $97,493,000 |
| Monroe County | 71 | $11,222 | 21.17% | 19.81% | $749,913,000 | $487,882,000 | $220,543,000 | $138,143,000 |
| Macomb County | 72 | $10,779 | 20% | 18.29% | $3,809,550,000 | $2,877,983,000 | $1,058,384,000 | $936,329,000 |
| Ingham County | 73 | $10,676 | 21.53% | 14.84% | $1,051,170,000 | $741,399,000 | $615,112,000 | $359,028,000 |
| Kalamazoo County | 74 | $10,489 | 17.59% | 16.21% | $1,069,695,000 | $612,080,000 | $500,524,000 | $313,264,000 |
| Barry County | 75 | $10,075 | 18.6% | 19.61% | $287,394,000 | $154,948,000 | $77,786,000 | $57,323,000 |
| Oakland County | 76 | $10,053 | 11.85% | 18.43% | $5,556,497,000 | $3,829,025,000 | $1,542,657,000 | $896,695,000 |
| Allegan County | 77 | $9,781 | 17.8% | 18.3% | $523,473,000 | $263,051,000 | $180,004,000 | $112,103,000 |
| Ionia County | 78 | $9,427 | 23% | 15.77% | $250,726,000 | $157,190,000 | $98,232,000 | $69,244,000 |
| Livingston County | 79 | $9,343 | 13.48% | 19.62% | $958,751,000 | $483,655,000 | $131,348,000 | $94,195,000 |
| Kent County | 80 | $9,305 | 13.89% | 14.94% | $2,316,480,000 | $1,491,903,000 | $1,055,368,000 | $739,442,000 |
| Clinton County | 81 | $8,885 | 15.64% | 18.91% | $350,037,000 | $181,244,000 | $60,298,000 | $50,839,000 |
| Washtenaw County | 82 | $8,708 | 12.2% | 15.84% | $1,386,816,000 | $797,409,000 | $420,456,000 | $262,073,000 |
| Ottawa County | 83 | $8,623 | 14.13% | 16.63% | $1,185,856,000 | $686,927,000 | $266,299,000 | $198,058,000 |
