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Wednesday, March 19, 2025

Wells County residents received $16,511 per capita in government transfers in 2022, ranking fifth in North Dakota

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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, Wells County ranked fifth highest per capita recipient of government transfers in North Dakota, with residents receiving $16,511 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 Wells County received $64.9 million in government transfers, which accounted for 15.1% of total county income.

Comparatively, across all counties in North Dakota, government transfer payments totaled $7.7 billion, making up 14.1% of the state residents’ total income, with an average of $9,913 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 Wells County at the time, Social Security transfers totaled $19.6 million, amounting to $4,992 per capita, or 30.2% of total government transfers. Medicare transfers accounted for $16 million ($4,083 per capita), representing 24.7% of the total. Medicaid contributed $17.5 million ($4,452 per capita), making up 27% of total transfers. Income maintenance programs, including assistance such as SNAP or TANF, added another $4 million ($1,007 per capita), or 6.1% of the total.

With 28.3% of the population aged 65 and older, Wells County has a significant demand for programs like Social Security and Medicare. Total per capita income excluding government transfers in Wells County was $92,901, noticeably below the county’s total income of $109,412, emphasizing the role of government transfers in overall income.

When comparing 2022 to the previous year, Wells County saw a decrease of 9.8% in per capita government transfers, from $18,427 to $16,511 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 Wells County, reliance on government transfers has similarly increased from 12.8% (or $2,292 per capita) in 1970 to 15.1% (or $16,511 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 Wells County, 2022

0400080001200016000Total Per CapitaIncome Maintenance TransfersMedicaid TransfersMedicare TransfersSocial Security TransfersCounty Amount($)Statewide Average($)

2022 North Dakota 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 ($)
McIntosh County1$21,09423.45%29.98%$13,422,000$14,611,000$17,265,000$2,379,000
Nelson County2$19,08420.68%27.61%$17,697,000$11,829,000$18,933,000$2,510,000
Rolette County3$19,07633.47%13.21%$37,972,000$35,567,000$87,236,000$39,323,000
Towner County4$16,77314%27.43%$11,067,000$8,586,000$9,181,000$2,132,000
Wells County5$16,51115%28.28%$19,617,000$16,046,000$17,495,000$3,958,000
Adams County6$16,26727.67%30.47%$11,327,000$9,622,000$8,754,000$1,817,000
Griggs County7$15,70316.72%31.3%$12,145,000$9,026,000$9,239,000$2,315,000
Benson County8$15,68322.88%15.99%$19,357,000$15,633,000$29,977,000$13,461,000
Logan County9$15,53918.2%26.71%$7,722,000$6,865,000$8,710,000$1,773,000
Emmons County10$15,29316.27%28.61%$16,506,000$14,709,000$9,778,000$3,105,000
Eddy County11$15,16916.79%22.19%$11,165,000$6,021,000$12,810,000$2,190,000
Pierce County12$15,10120.24%23.99%$18,354,000$13,632,000$15,960,000$4,346,000
Renville County13$15,04813.25%20.89%$10,410,000$6,977,000$10,052,000$1,727,000
Sheridan County14$15,03915.15%35.93%$6,951,000$4,686,000$3,670,000$1,926,000
Grant County15$14,99623.33%30.88%$10,075,000$9,930,000$6,743,000$2,916,000
Sioux County16$14,99138.65%9.33%$6,915,000$6,413,000$24,846,000$10,448,000
Walsh County17$14,88119.59%22.24%$48,233,000$46,311,000$35,539,000$9,959,000
Dickey County18$14,80415.92%20%$20,523,000$16,424,000$23,565,000$4,798,000
Kidder County19$14,60117.47%27.47%$10,324,000$7,808,000$9,388,000$2,225,000
Bottineau County20$14,56416.2%25.34%$31,652,000$22,832,000$20,891,000$6,099,000
Cavalier County21$14,53110.72%27.88%$19,283,000$13,985,000$11,718,000$2,768,000
Ransom County22$14,04218.85%21.99%$22,977,000$18,398,000$22,594,000$3,834,000
Bowman County23$14,02018.68%24.28%$13,223,000$14,135,000$7,952,000$1,827,000
Ramsey County24$13,90720.36%21.42%$49,807,000$36,473,000$43,387,000$12,017,000
McHenry County25$13,83517.66%21.87%$22,233,000$18,886,000$13,329,000$5,463,000
McLean County26$13,77116.96%26.3%$49,522,000$33,522,000$28,476,000$6,444,000
Divide County27$13,58318.4%25.31%$9,233,000$8,923,000$6,221,000$1,698,000
Barnes County28$13,49117.81%23.41%$48,902,000$33,206,000$35,027,000$8,759,000
Pembina County29$13,33615.17%25.72%$34,824,000$25,535,000$15,183,000$5,005,000
Hettinger County30$13,19719.58%22.98%$10,931,000$8,099,000$7,764,000$2,030,000
Traill County31$13,04317.3%20.54%$33,758,000$25,480,000$24,595,000$5,943,000
Mercer County32$12,77819.29%22.61%$42,272,000$30,676,000$18,026,000$4,805,000
LaMoure County33$12,74913.45%27.63%$18,825,000$14,272,000$9,468,000$3,310,000
Stutsman County34$12,34318.17%20.51%$90,728,000$60,244,000$66,583,000$16,998,000
Sargent County35$12,10513%23.13%$18,180,000$14,549,000$5,313,000$2,407,000
Foster County36$11,69312.78%23.67%$13,930,000$10,138,000$7,674,000$2,337,000
Steele County37$10,8999.43%25.77%$9,431,000$5,645,000$852,000$1,416,000
Richland County38$10,84316.44%20.35%$66,823,000$41,264,000$33,767,000$12,454,000
Dunn County39$10,46711.41%18.9%$13,162,000$10,269,000$9,623,000$2,649,000
Mountrail County40$10,39812.83%13.73%$27,351,000$19,738,000$28,101,000$8,649,000
Slope County41$10,19017.84%30.79%$2,641,000$1,254,000$1,140,000$586,000
Morton County42$9,95616.37%17.29%$116,976,000$81,151,000$65,640,000$24,512,000
Golden Valley County43$9,89417.37%27.61%$7,412,000$5,540,000$1,513,000$1,104,000
Burke County44$9,6909.44%22.47%$8,712,000$5,917,000$3,016,000$1,400,000
Burleigh County45$9,57713.4%17.87%$365,450,000$233,068,000$168,178,000$58,251,000
Oliver County46$9,56315.22%25.24%$9,096,000$4,181,000$1,273,000$1,292,000
Ward County47$9,14514.61%14.29%$192,313,000$141,690,000$116,817,000$52,465,000
Grand Forks County48$8,96414.67%14.4%$218,212,000$153,805,000$112,970,000$53,960,000
Stark County49$8,42612.56%14%$92,253,000$61,573,000$58,337,000$21,258,000
Cass County50$7,44410.77%12.94%$536,348,000$335,812,000$214,456,000$123,297,000
Williams County51$6,4909.39%10.55%$82,326,000$54,766,000$50,536,000$22,599,000
Billings County52$5,6536.81%23.9%$2,975,000$817,000$645,000$634,000
McKenzie County53$5,5687.32%10.32%$23,794,000$17,144,000$16,237,000$8,122,000

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