In 2022, Sheridan County received $46.5 million in government transfer payments, equivalent to $13,043 per capita.
These payments—which include Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and income maintenance—accounted for 24.6% of all personal income in the county, according to information from the Economic Innovation Group.
This marks a significant increase in the county’s reliance on government transfers compared to 2012, when such payments made up 14% of total income. Since then, the share has risen by 10.6%.
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).
In 2022, government transfers in Sheridan County primarily focused on older adults—such as Social Security transfers, which totaled $16.8 million (36.2% of all transfer income), and Medicare, which accounted for $14.9 million (32.1%)—played a significant role in the county’s overall income.
On a per capita basis, Social Security payments rose from $4,090 in 2012 and $1,196 in 1970 to $4,716 in 2022, reflecting a 15.3% increase over the past decade and a 294.3% shift since 1970.
Similarly, Medicare transfers climbed from $3,048 in 2012 and $232 in 1970 to $4,182, marking 37.2% and 1,702.6% increases, respectively.
These increases in per capita payments align with shifts in the county’s age distribution. In 2022, residents aged 65 and older made up 25.2% of the total population, compared to 21.6% in 2012 and 11.6% in 1970. While the senior share of the population has increased, the rise in per capita Social Security and Medicare transfers suggests that these assistance programs for older adults now require a larger share of government funding—either due to growing needs, expanded eligibility, higher benefit levels, or increased enrollment.
According to the Economic Innovation Group, total income in Sheridan County excluding public assistance amounted to $39,941 per capita in 2022, compared to $52,985 when government transfers were included.
Breaking down the other contributions in the county, Medicaid transfers made up $6.4 million, a 13.8% share of total income, while income maintenance programs, including assistance such as SNAP or TANF, added another $2.4 million, or 5.3% of the total.
Compared to the previous year, Sheridan County’s reliance on government transfers decreased by 2.7%.
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 $2,016 per capita in inflation-adjusted 2022 dollars) in 1970 to 17.6% (or $11,529 per capita) in 2022 nationwide.
According to the Economic Innovation Group’s analysis, these trends are not merely short-term responses to economic pressures but rather reflect a profound, long-term transformation in how government support is integrated into American life. The study illustrates that structural shifts—from rising healthcare expenses and demographic changes to stagnant wages—have significantly increased dependency on government transfers.
| County | State Rank (Per Capita Transfers) | Dependency on Transfers (%) | % Population 65+ | Social Security Transfers (%) | Medicare Transfers (%) | Medicaid Transfers (%) | Income Maintenance Transfers (%) | Per Capita Transfers ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln County | 1 | 36.27% | 29.95% | 38.6% | 23.5% | 17.1% | 6.5% | $16,276 |
| Golden Valley County | 2 | 28.57% | 33.9% | 43.4% | 27.9% | 13.3% | 5.5% | $16,014 |
| Meagher County | 3 | 32% | 32% | 31.3% | 30.4% | 19.9% | 5.4% | $15,841 |
| Sanders County | 4 | 35.53% | 32.17% | 38.3% | 22.7% | 18.9% | 5.8% | $15,785 |
| Roosevelt County | 5 | 34.87% | 12.32% | 18.2% | 17.4% | 44.4% | 11.4% | $15,249 |
| Musselshell County | 6 | 30% | 26.99% | 34.2% | 23.6% | 22.3% | 6.3% | $14,849 |
| Deer Lodge County | 7 | 30.96% | 26.67% | 35.9% | 26.9% | 20.2% | 5.7% | $14,843 |
| Wheatland County | 8 | 31.8% | 24.63% | 29.2% | 31.1% | 22.1% | 5.8% | $14,834 |
| Prairie County | 9 | 27.39% | 36.55% | 38.8% | 23.9% | 18.3% | 5.3% | $14,472 |
| Mineral County | 10 | 30.54% | 28.71% | 41.4% | 21.7% | 13.7% | 7.7% | $14,213 |
| Rosebud County | 11 | 26.68% | 17% | 29.9% | 18.7% | 28.8% | 10.8% | $14,095 |
| Powell County | 12 | 27.63% | 21.28% | 29.7% | 31.3% | 22.5% | 5.1% | $13,870 |
| Big Horn County | 13 | 36.99% | 14% | 19.3% | 18% | 40.2% | 14.1% | $13,802 |
| Ravalli County | 14 | 22.41% | 26.88% | 40.4% | 22.9% | 15.2% | 5.7% | $13,512 |
| Daniels County | 15 | 21% | 26.81% | 37.1% | 36.3% | 13% | 3.9% | $13,488 |
| Valley County | 16 | 22.45% | 24.65% | 30.7% | 26.1% | 21.2% | 6.5% | $13,376 |
| Lake County | 17 | 27.85% | 24.14% | 33.3% | 20.6% | 26.8% | 8.1% | $13,243 |
| Wibaux County | 18 | 28.17% | 25.24% | 35.6% | 28.1% | 21.9% | 5% | $13,110 |
| Pondera County | 19 | 21.54% | 22% | 29.2% | 23.4% | 26.9% | 8.4% | $13,076 |
| Hill County | 20 | 23.95% | 16.22% | 23.2% | 20.2% | 28.6% | 8.8% | $13,052 |
| Sheridan County | 21 | 24.62% | 25.2% | 36.2% | 32.1% | 13.8% | 5.3% | $13,043 |
| Glacier County | 22 | 29.19% | 13.2% | 18.9% | 14% | 42.4% | 14.7% | $12,995 |
| Phillips County | 23 | 28.35% | 23.86% | 32.1% | 26.9% | 23% | 6.6% | $12,747 |
| Beaverhead County | 24 | 20.74% | 23.85% | 35.7% | 25.4% | 18.9% | 5.8% | $12,638 |
| Silver Bow County | 25 | 22.19% | 19.31% | 35.2% | 22.8% | 22.6% | 7.7% | $12,553 |
| Stillwater County | 26 | 18.17% | 25% | 43.8% | 25.7% | 11.4% | 4.3% | $12,394 |
| Sweet Grass County | 27 | 20.74% | 28.47% | 40.5% | 29.4% | 12.1% | 4.4% | $12,315 |
| Teton County | 28 | 20.37% | 23.12% | 35.2% | 29% | 16.6% | 6.3% | $12,264 |
| Granite County | 29 | 21.54% | 31% | 43.9% | 24.4% | 11.9% | 4.3% | $12,167 |
| Liberty County | 30 | 16.46% | 24% | 32.7% | 29% | 20.4% | 6.1% | $12,102 |
| Fergus County | 31 | 23.58% | 25% | 38.3% | 23.8% | 18.2% | 5.9% | $12,067 |
| Cascade County | 32 | 21.1% | 19.72% | 33.3% | 21.7% | 20.2% | 7.5% | $12,031 |
| Carbon County | 33 | 17.58% | 27.23% | 42.4% | 26.3% | 12% | 4.8% | $11,984 |
| Dawson County | 34 | 24% | 21% | 31.9% | 22.9% | 16.3% | 5.5% | $11,924 |
| Treasure County | 35 | 22.69% | 31.3% | 44.6% | 25.6% | 14.2% | 6.3% | $11,698 |
| Jefferson County | 36 | 19.39% | 23.29% | 43.4% | 22.1% | 12.5% | 4.7% | $11,698 |
| Blaine County | 37 | 31.91% | 16.49% | 22.8% | 17.1% | 36.8% | 10.4% | $11,695 |
| Madison County | 38 | 16% | 30.24% | 44.8% | 28.1% | 8.9% | 3.8% | $11,584 |
| Park County | 39 | 18.21% | 24.48% | 36% | 26.1% | 15.9% | 5.4% | $11,501 |
| Judith Basin County | 40 | 21% | 27% | 41.1% | 22% | 11.9% | 5.7% | $11,266 |
| Flathead County | 41 | 17.82% | 20.85% | 39% | 22.6% | 16.2% | 6.5% | $11,245 |
| Custer County | 42 | 21.25% | 20.47% | 33.9% | 25.6% | 20.1% | 6.6% | $11,180 |
| Carter County | 43 | 26.33% | 28.87% | 37.3% | 33.6% | 13.1% | 4.6% | $10,972 |
| Garfield County | 44 | 24.95% | 25% | 34.4% | 29.7% | 18.4% | 6.8% | $10,922 |
| Lewis and Clark County | 45 | 17.98% | 20.26% | 40.3% | 20.7% | 15.9% | 6.4% | $10,695 |
| Yellowstone County | 46 | 16.47% | 18% | 36.5% | 22.7% | 19.7% | 7.2% | $10,462 |
| McCone County | 47 | 19.24% | 28.4% | 35.3% | 28.5% | 15.5% | 6.5% | $10,195 |
| Missoula County | 48 | 15.83% | 17% | 36.7% | 20.9% | 20% | 7.2% | $10,099 |
| Broadwater County | 49 | 19.5% | 23.36% | 38.2% | 23.1% | 15.1% | 5.9% | $10,087 |
| Fallon County | 50 | 19.94% | 19.25% | 35.9% | 33.8% | 15.5% | 5.4% | $10,047 |
| Toole County | 51 | 16.42% | 17.21% | 33% | 23.4% | 21.4% | 7.6% | $9,795 |
| Chouteau County | 52 | 17.68% | 23% | 38.7% | 24.3% | 14.5% | 7% | $9,699 |
| Powder River County | 53 | 22.98% | 30.77% | 44.1% | 26.2% | 10.1% | 6.3% | $9,377 |
| Petroleum County | 54 | 27% | 29.17% | 35.7% | 28.4% | 14.6% | 6.5% | $9,198 |
| Richland County | 55 | 14.14% | 16.99% | 36.8% | 29.5% | 16.5% | 6.1% | $9,102 |
| Gallatin County | 56 | 8.33% | 13.58% | 40.8% | 22.9% | 11.7% | 5.7% | $6,744 |
