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Tuesday, April 1, 2025

Natrona County residents received $10,691 per capita in government transfers in 2022, ranking 15th in Wyoming

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John Lettieri, President and CEO of Economic Innovation Group | Official Website

John Lettieri, President and CEO of Economic Innovation Group | Official Website

In 2022, Natrona County ranked ninth lowest per capita recipient of government transfers in Wyoming, with residents receiving $10,691 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 Natrona County received $851 million in government transfers, which accounted for 15.6% of total county income.

Comparatively, across all counties in Wyoming, government transfer payments totaled $6.3 billion, making up 14.8% of the state residents’ total income, with an average of $10,831 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 Natrona County at the time, Social Security transfers totaled $318 million, amounting to $3,995 per capita, or 37.4% of total government transfers. Medicare transfers accounted for $194.6 million ($2,444 per capita), representing 22.9% of the total. Medicaid contributed $118.2 million ($1,485 per capita), making up 13.9% of total transfers. Income maintenance programs, including assistance such as SNAP or TANF, added another $69.2 million ($869 per capita), or 8.1% of the total.

With 17.2% of the population aged 65 and older, Natrona County has a significant demand for programs like Social Security and Medicare. Total per capita income excluding government transfers in Natrona County was $57,781, noticeably below the county’s total income of $68,472, emphasizing the role of government transfers in overall income.

When comparing 2022 to the previous year, Natrona County saw a decrease of 16.6% in per capita government transfers, from $12,812 to $10,691 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 Natrona County, reliance on government transfers has similarly increased from 5.98% (or $1,650 per capita) in 1970 to 15.6% (or $10,691 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.

Breakdown of Government Transfers by Program in Natrona County, 2022

040008000Total Per CapitaIncome Maintenance TransfersMedicaid TransfersMedicare TransfersSocial Security TransfersCounty Amount($)Statewide Average($)

2022 Wyoming County Rankings by Per Capita Government Transfers

CountyState Rank (Per Capita Transfers)Per Capita Transfers ($)Dependency on Transfers (%)% Population 65+Social Security Transfers ($)Medicare Transfers ($)Medicaid Transfers ($)Income Maintenance Transfers ($)
Hot Springs County1$15,87222.33%29.12%$28,260,000$21,436,000$8,739,000$3,813,000
Platte County2$14,31325.84%26.9%$45,902,000$37,890,000$8,500,000$6,311,000
Fremont County3$13,72226.14%20.13%$176,473,000$109,559,000$137,062,000$42,957,000
Niobrara County4$13,23323.99%26.79%$10,976,000$10,997,000$2,220,000$2,037,000
Goshen County5$13,10025.87%23.9%$58,791,000$41,896,000$16,631,000$10,456,000
Park County6$13,08020%25.11%$166,646,000$102,156,000$30,406,000$19,154,000
Washakie County7$12,93523.4%23.99%$40,408,000$27,147,000$10,789,000$5,658,000
Weston County8$12,80325.11%22.6%$35,939,000$23,614,000$7,140,000$4,191,000
Big Horn County9$12,51926.86%21.69%$51,569,000$38,104,000$18,754,000$9,963,000
Sheridan County10$12,13318.17%22.89%$153,916,000$87,489,000$31,057,000$20,200,000
Johnson County11$11,97719.33%27.1%$47,322,000$24,097,000$7,259,000$4,464,000
Converse County12$11,39617.34%18.51%$57,298,000$45,621,000$14,495,000$10,525,000
Crook County13$11,27219.64%22.54%$36,321,000$20,608,000$5,076,000$4,459,000
Laramie County14$11,09718.76%17.37%$382,822,000$256,149,000$124,044,000$76,069,000
Natrona County15$10,69115.61%17.2%$318,018,000$194,574,000$118,246,000$69,163,000
Sublette County16$10,27216.68%23.87%$38,470,000$22,703,000$3,961,000$3,706,000
Carbon County17$10,25015.27%18.98%$57,569,000$36,039,000$11,935,000$10,868,000
Uinta County18$10,24722.89%16.94%$82,384,000$47,937,000$31,557,000$16,719,000
Lincoln County19$10,09315.97%19.82%$86,397,000$56,014,000$13,909,000$10,434,000
Sweetwater County20$9,23515.82%15%$156,077,000$79,529,000$42,608,000$28,331,000
Campbell County21$8,28914.7%13%$148,274,000$85,354,000$44,441,000$28,999,000
Teton County22$8,0511.98%17.71%$83,113,000$43,570,000$7,095,000$5,440,000
Albany County23$8,00715.81%13.34%$107,681,000$69,176,000$29,746,000$17,866,000

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