In 2022, Putnam County ranked 13th lowest per capita recipient of government transfers in Ohio, with residents receiving $10,275 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 Putnam County received $352.8 million in government transfers, which accounted for 17.3% of total county income.
Comparatively, across all counties in Ohio, government transfer payments totaled $137.3 billion, making up 20.2% of the state residents’ total income, with an average of $11,680 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 Putnam County at the time, Social Security transfers totaled $137.5 million, amounting to $4,006 per capita, or 39% of total government transfers. Medicare transfers accounted for $110.5 million ($3,219 per capita), representing 31.3% of the total. Medicaid contributed $54.8 million ($1,595 per capita), making up 15.5% of total transfers. Income maintenance programs, including assistance such as SNAP or TANF, added another $22.5 million ($654 per capita), or 6.4% of the total.
With 18.7% of the population aged 65 and older, Putnam County has a significant demand for programs like Social Security and Medicare. Total per capita income excluding government transfers in Putnam County was $49,235, noticeably below the county’s total income of $59,510, emphasizing the role of government transfers in overall income.
When comparing 2022 to the previous year, Putnam County saw a decrease of 20.7% in per capita government transfers, from $12,956 to $10,275 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 Putnam County, reliance on government transfers has similarly increased from 7% (or $1,420 per capita) in 1970 to 17.3% (or $10,275 per capita) in 2022, reflecting broader national trends.
According to the Economic Innovation Group’s analysis, these trends are not merely short-term responses to economic pressures but rather reflect a profound, long-term transformation in how government support is integrated into American life. The study illustrates that structural shifts—from rising healthcare expenses and demographic changes to stagnant wages—have significantly increased dependency on government transfers.
| County | State Rank (Per Capita Transfers) | Per Capita Transfers ($) | Dependency on Transfers (%) | % Population 65+ | Social Security Transfers ($) | Medicare Transfers ($) | Medicaid Transfers ($) | Income Maintenance Transfers ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gallia County | 1 | $17,187 | 37.3% | 20% | $120,574,000 | $110,339,000 | $168,830,000 | $54,916,000 |
| Scioto County | 2 | $16,952 | 36.6% | 18.95% | $258,638,000 | $311,493,000 | $376,917,000 | $158,759,000 |
| Lawrence County | 3 | $16,256 | 34.26% | 19.51% | $247,358,000 | $214,150,000 | $253,500,000 | $106,823,000 |
| Pike County | 4 | $16,025 | 34.58% | 18.55% | $107,830,000 | $90,482,000 | $142,974,000 | $55,007,000 |
| Jefferson County | 5 | $15,766 | 34.66% | 22.54% | $318,665,000 | $268,521,000 | $202,049,000 | $100,621,000 |
| Adams County | 6 | $15,634 | 36% | 18.73% | $102,412,000 | $117,709,000 | $124,219,000 | $52,938,000 |
| Guernsey County | 7 | $15,049 | 31.56% | 20.39% | $161,533,000 | $148,085,000 | $156,025,000 | $53,777,000 |
| Ashtabula County | 8 | $15,021 | 32.43% | 20.16% | $419,924,000 | $374,381,000 | $385,344,000 | $151,718,000 |
| Monroe County | 9 | $14,906 | 35.34% | 23.74% | $69,225,000 | $56,824,000 | $37,127,000 | $15,469,000 |
| Ottawa County | 10 | $14,894 | 23.84% | 27.33% | $233,350,000 | $172,914,000 | $102,558,000 | $32,632,000 |
| Harrison County | 11 | $14,860 | 32.19% | 22.49% | $66,833,000 | $62,072,000 | $49,155,000 | $18,901,000 |
| Mahoning County | 12 | $14,659 | 28.32% | 22.53% | $1,054,516,000 | $854,947,000 | $775,585,000 | $379,139,000 |
| Vinton County | 13 | $14,610 | 36% | 19% | $44,864,000 | $38,660,000 | $55,171,000 | $26,799,000 |
| Meigs County | 14 | $14,543 | 34.57% | 21% | $92,767,000 | $76,945,000 | $80,632,000 | $41,283,000 |
| Crawford County | 15 | $14,189 | 30.47% | 21.45% | $195,265,000 | $174,911,000 | $119,823,000 | $56,497,000 |
| Jackson County | 16 | $14,176 | 34.51% | 17.93% | $125,495,000 | $109,475,000 | $126,897,000 | $56,460,000 |
| Hocking County | 17 | $14,061 | 30.92% | 20.23% | $113,383,000 | $94,890,000 | $99,602,000 | $49,576,000 |
| Muskingum County | 18 | $14,024 | 28.51% | 18.64% | $359,651,000 | $347,188,000 | $259,527,000 | $143,973,000 |
| Columbiana County | 19 | $13,984 | 30.95% | 21.96% | $465,979,000 | $382,303,000 | $310,996,000 | $134,615,000 |
| Trumbull County | 20 | $13,980 | 30.68% | 22.35% | $991,416,000 | $768,954,000 | $562,880,000 | $274,758,000 |
| Washington County | 21 | $13,835 | 27.12% | 22.44% | $279,863,000 | $232,580,000 | $152,615,000 | $67,916,000 |
| Coshocton County | 22 | $13,720 | 32.48% | 20.14% | $153,499,000 | $146,916,000 | $113,877,000 | $49,845,000 |
| Fayette County | 23 | $13,709 | 29.16% | 18.16% | $109,850,000 | $95,964,000 | $115,522,000 | $43,753,000 |
| Clark County | 24 | $13,682 | 29% | 20.23% | $558,077,000 | $470,204,000 | $456,188,000 | $205,588,000 |
| Morgan County | 25 | $13,673 | 31.72% | 22% | $56,257,000 | $44,157,000 | $46,842,000 | $20,039,000 |
| Perry County | 26 | $13,557 | 29.51% | 18.31% | $138,364,000 | $129,400,000 | $120,522,000 | $54,543,000 |
| Seneca County | 27 | $13,528 | 28.44% | 19.27% | $229,444,000 | $201,703,000 | $185,130,000 | $62,661,000 |
| Belmont County | 28 | $13,518 | 28.97% | 21.94% | $295,880,000 | $228,526,000 | $205,813,000 | $76,189,000 |
| Erie County | 29 | $13,503 | 22.94% | 23.66% | $364,535,000 | $297,230,000 | $167,771,000 | $89,866,000 |
| Ross County | 30 | $13,374 | 29.91% | 18% | $288,417,000 | $263,886,000 | $244,917,000 | $124,307,000 |
| Brown County | 31 | $13,203 | 28.8% | 19.26% | $181,393,000 | $159,756,000 | $134,869,000 | $56,740,000 |
| Highland County | 32 | $13,134 | 29.83% | 19.32% | $166,801,000 | $146,250,000 | $140,873,000 | $63,342,000 |
| Allen County | 33 | $13,103 | 26.11% | 18.96% | $417,594,000 | $389,761,000 | $276,551,000 | $135,081,000 |
| Lucas County | 34 | $13,095 | 24.51% | 17.55% | $1,606,394,000 | $1,305,541,000 | $1,556,423,000 | $738,182,000 |
| Marion County | 35 | $13,005 | 30.68% | 18.69% | $260,102,000 | $219,019,000 | $197,257,000 | $96,487,000 |
| Cuyahoga County | 36 | $12,861 | 20.27% | 19.51% | $4,705,006,000 | $3,854,625,000 | $4,215,478,000 | $2,068,519,000 |
| Richland County | 37 | $12,851 | 28.56% | 20.1% | $534,510,000 | $450,586,000 | $329,793,000 | $171,405,000 |
| Sandusky County | 38 | $12,812 | 26.38% | 20.3% | $264,479,000 | $213,607,000 | $156,262,000 | $60,182,000 |
| Montgomery County | 39 | $12,604 | 22.87% | 18.57% | $2,064,823,000 | $1,714,828,000 | $1,507,089,000 | $793,150,000 |
| Stark County | 40 | $12,543 | 23.41% | 20.47% | $1,638,613,000 | $1,222,982,000 | $968,320,000 | $476,175,000 |
| Knox County | 41 | $12,537 | 24.53% | 19.32% | $245,411,000 | $209,590,000 | $211,015,000 | $61,834,000 |
| Clinton County | 42 | $12,363 | 24.73% | 18.78% | $165,004,000 | $144,442,000 | $104,390,000 | $54,189,000 |
| Preble County | 43 | $12,257 | 25.2% | 20.23% | $175,356,000 | $141,864,000 | $102,233,000 | $40,626,000 |
| Defiance County | 44 | $12,245 | 25.88% | 20% | $177,934,000 | $132,518,000 | $80,710,000 | $38,714,000 |
| Carroll County | 45 | $12,226 | 25.8% | 22.53% | $125,236,000 | $72,811,000 | $76,841,000 | $27,255,000 |
| Huron County | 46 | $12,188 | 25.59% | 18.49% | $238,755,000 | $187,165,000 | $126,577,000 | $71,993,000 |
| Henry County | 47 | $12,136 | 23.17% | 19.68% | $122,421,000 | $94,786,000 | $70,868,000 | $21,527,000 |
| Williams County | 48 | $12,116 | 24.73% | 20.25% | $163,132,000 | $120,655,000 | $82,238,000 | $39,498,000 |
| Logan County | 49 | $12,106 | 24.91% | 19.43% | $199,046,000 | $168,160,000 | $95,260,000 | $49,339,000 |
| Paulding County | 50 | $11,871 | 24.41% | 19.79% | $82,998,000 | $64,342,000 | $38,341,000 | $19,390,000 |
| Summit County | 51 | $11,799 | 18.97% | 19.48% | $2,182,272,000 | $1,621,595,000 | $1,365,251,000 | $699,141,000 |
| Tuscarawas County | 52 | $11,729 | 22.61% | 20.19% | $378,159,000 | $272,018,000 | $229,474,000 | $98,932,000 |
| Lorain County | 53 | $11,662 | 21% | 19.86% | $1,351,537,000 | $1,025,690,000 | $653,652,000 | $367,443,000 |
| Lake County | 54 | $11,659 | 19.51% | 21.68% | $1,092,290,000 | $778,858,000 | $420,137,000 | $185,543,000 |
| Athens County | 55 | $11,651 | 27.83% | 15.3% | $155,310,000 | $174,890,000 | $166,486,000 | $90,781,000 |
| Wyandot County | 56 | $11,633 | 20.97% | 20.87% | $93,747,000 | $76,731,000 | $43,406,000 | $17,923,000 |
| Ashland County | 57 | $11,630 | 24.68% | 20.49% | $219,713,000 | $164,343,000 | $107,859,000 | $46,183,000 |
| Darke County | 58 | $11,569 | 21.96% | 20.48% | $222,340,000 | $181,257,000 | $101,610,000 | $46,980,000 |
| Champaign County | 59 | $11,419 | 23.36% | 19.38% | $157,058,000 | $118,794,000 | $90,462,000 | $39,818,000 |
| Fulton County | 60 | $11,327 | 21.45% | 19.64% | $184,816,000 | $140,560,000 | $76,685,000 | $35,326,000 |
| Hardin County | 61 | $11,260 | 28.19% | 16.22% | $113,606,000 | $100,909,000 | $62,365,000 | $32,432,000 |
| Van Wert County | 62 | $11,259 | 22.72% | 20.19% | $124,070,000 | $84,574,000 | $63,185,000 | $27,741,000 |
| Hamilton County | 63 | $11,258 | 15.69% | 16.62% | $2,816,008,000 | $2,278,719,000 | $2,357,682,000 | $1,152,328,000 |
| Clermont County | 64 | $11,256 | 18% | 18.37% | $858,841,000 | $720,590,000 | $416,641,000 | $182,107,000 |
| Auglaize County | 65 | $10,909 | 19.53% | 19.55% | $189,278,000 | $153,159,000 | $82,304,000 | $35,188,000 |
| Miami County | 66 | $10,869 | 19.38% | 19.43% | $457,599,000 | $336,363,000 | $196,203,000 | $91,521,000 |
| Morrow County | 67 | $10,783 | 22.61% | 19% | $137,867,000 | $88,601,000 | $84,766,000 | $35,101,000 |
| Greene County | 68 | $10,767 | 17.65% | 18.59% | $603,364,000 | $497,313,000 | $266,800,000 | $135,594,000 |
| Portage County | 69 | $10,695 | 20% | 18.17% | $625,480,000 | $468,890,000 | $313,124,000 | $135,465,000 |
| Madison County | 70 | $10,548 | 20.17% | 16.62% | $148,492,000 | $149,701,000 | $82,834,000 | $39,916,000 |
| Shelby County | 71 | $10,474 | 20.16% | 17.99% | $189,376,000 | $138,433,000 | $89,233,000 | $43,990,000 |
| Pickaway County | 72 | $10,388 | 20.41% | 16.31% | $206,101,000 | $172,774,000 | $115,654,000 | $62,173,000 |
| Licking County | 73 | $10,378 | 18.64% | 17.42% | $668,175,000 | $477,976,000 | $370,651,000 | $179,112,000 |
| Butler County | 74 | $10,368 | 18.55% | 15.94% | $1,371,880,000 | $1,058,025,000 | $833,804,000 | $424,006,000 |
| Hancock County | 75 | $10,277 | 18.11% | 18.44% | $301,744,000 | $202,750,000 | $139,635,000 | $63,591,000 |
| Putnam County | 76 | $10,275 | 17.27% | 18.73% | $137,545,000 | $110,524,000 | $54,762,000 | $22,456,000 |
| Wayne County | 77 | $10,169 | 19.12% | 19% | $440,974,000 | $320,001,000 | $224,526,000 | $106,839,000 |
| Mercer County | 78 | $10,108 | 16.35% | 19.32% | $169,070,000 | $131,835,000 | $60,649,000 | $31,504,000 |
| Medina County | 79 | $10,011 | 15.24% | 19.73% | $791,215,000 | $546,539,000 | $235,313,000 | $101,956,000 |
| Fairfield County | 80 | $9,911 | 18% | 16.58% | $554,779,000 | $440,374,000 | $295,928,000 | $160,753,000 |
| Geauga County | 81 | $9,846 | 11.83% | 22.26% | $440,379,000 | $276,035,000 | $105,361,000 | $41,757,000 |
| Franklin County | 82 | $9,516 | 16% | 13% | $3,320,443,000 | $2,743,880,000 | $3,489,313,000 | $1,851,563,000 |
| Wood County | 83 | $9,288 | 16.58% | 16.61% | $467,691,000 | $332,512,000 | $192,054,000 | $85,218,000 |
| Noble County | 84 | $9,243 | 29.7% | 29.69% | $47,121,000 | $31,529,000 | $27,761,000 | $11,868,000 |
| Warren County | 85 | $8,287 | 11.26% | 15.72% | $847,040,000 | $559,553,000 | $325,662,000 | $123,171,000 |
| Delaware County | 86 | $7,065 | 7.95% | 15% | $694,778,000 | $462,706,000 | $175,215,000 | $85,243,000 |
| Union County | 87 | $6,954 | 10% | 13.45% | $184,593,000 | $120,082,000 | $71,789,000 | $35,305,000 |
| Holmes County | 88 | $6,422 | 11.44% | 14.48% | $87,584,000 | $63,737,000 | $78,859,000 | $27,671,000 |
