Lake Region News

In 2022, Medicare transfers in Grafton County totaled $278.64 million, amounting to $3,058 per capita, or 24.8% of total government transfers, according to information from the Economic Innovation Group.

Among all government transfer programs, Medicare was the second largest contributor in the county. Social Security was the largest contributor, totaling $462.97 million, equating to $5,081 per capita and making up 41.2% of total transfers.

Comparatively, Medicare transfers across New Hampshire amounted to $3.92 billion, ranking second highest among all transfer types within the state. This translates to an average of $2,811 per capita, or 25.3% of total government transfers. Including all transfer types, government transfer payments totaled $15.52 billion, accounting for 15.1% of residents’ total income, with an average of $11,127 per resident.

Medicaid was the third largest contributor in Grafton County in 2022, accounting for $220.77 million, averaging $2,423 per capita, representing 19.6% of transfers. Income Maintenance transfers provided another $58.49 million, averaging $642 per capita and comprising 5.2% of government support, making them the smallest contributors.

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).

With 23% of the population aged 65 and older, Grafton County has a significant demand for programs like Social Security and Medicare. Despite this aid, the total per capita income in Grafton County, excluding government transfers was $62,904, which is noticeably below the county's total income of $75,236, emphasizing the role of government transfers in overall income.

When comparing 2022 to the previous year, Grafton County saw an increase in its Medicare transfer dependency by 0.2%, reflecting both rising transfer amounts and stagnating or insufficient other sources of income.

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 Grafton County, reliance on government transfers has similarly increased from 8.6% (or $1,943 per capita) in 1970 to 16.4% (or $12,331 per capita) in 2022.

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	Rank	Dependency on Transfers (%)	% Population 65+	Social Security Transfers (%)	Medicare Transfers (%)	Medicaid Transfers (%)	Income Maintenance Transfers (%)	Per Capita Transfers ($)
Hillsborough County	1	13.9%	17.2%	5.7%	3.4%	2.5%	1%	$9,956
Rockingham County	2	10.9%	20.3%	5.2%	3%	1.3%	0.4%	$9,916
Merrimack County	3	18.2%	19.8%	7%	4.2%	2.8%	0.9%	$12,469
Strafford County	4	16%	16.9%	6.4%	3.8%	3%	1.1%	$9,962
Grafton County	5	16.4%	23%	6.8%	4.1%	3.2%	0.9%	$12,331
Cheshire County	6	19.7%	22.2%	8.4%	4.9%	3.6%	1.2%	$12,254
Belknap County	7	18.4%	24.1%	8.2%	5.1%	2.3%	1%	$13,419
Carroll County	8	20.9%	30.6%	9.2%	5.6%	3.4%	0.9%	$14,854
Sullivan County	9	20.5%	23.5%	8.3%	5.4%	3.8%	1.2%	$13,114
Coos County	10	33.5%	25.7%	12%	8.5%	8.1%	2.1%	$17,581