In 2022, Albany County stood out as the lowest per capita recipient of government transfers in Wyoming, with residents receiving $8,007 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 Albany County received $304.5 million in government transfers, which accounted for 15.8% 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 Albany County at the time, Social Security transfers totaled $107.7 million, amounting to $2,831 per capita, or 35.4% of total government transfers. Medicare transfers accounted for $69.2 million ($1,819 per capita), representing 22.7% of the total. Medicaid contributed $29.7 million ($782 per capita), making up 9.8% of total transfers. Income maintenance programs, including assistance such as SNAP or TANF, added another $17.9 million ($470 per capita), or 5.9% of the total.
With 13.3% of the population aged 65 and older, Albany County has a demand for programs like Social Security and Medicare. Total per capita income excluding government transfers in Albany County was $42,625, noticeably below the county’s total income of $50,632, emphasizing the role of government transfers in overall income.
When comparing 2022 to the previous year, Albany County saw a decrease of 15.8% in per capita government transfers, from $9,548 to $8,007 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 Albany County, reliance on government transfers has similarly increased from 6.88% (or $1,241 per capita) in 1970 to 15.8% (or $8,007 per capita) in 2022, reflecting broader national trends.
According to the Economic Innovation Group’s analysis, these trends are not merely short-term responses to economic pressures but rather reflect a profound, long-term transformation in how government support is integrated into American life. The study illustrates that structural shifts—from rising healthcare expenses and demographic changes to stagnant wages—have significantly increased dependency on government transfers.
| County | State Rank (Per Capita Transfers) | Per Capita Transfers ($) | Dependency on Transfers (%) | % Population 65+ | Social Security Transfers ($) | Medicare Transfers ($) | Medicaid Transfers ($) | Income Maintenance Transfers ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hot Springs County | 1 | $15,872 | 22.33% | 29.12% | $28,260,000 | $21,436,000 | $8,739,000 | $3,813,000 |
| Platte County | 2 | $14,313 | 25.84% | 26.9% | $45,902,000 | $37,890,000 | $8,500,000 | $6,311,000 |
| Fremont County | 3 | $13,722 | 26.14% | 20.13% | $176,473,000 | $109,559,000 | $137,062,000 | $42,957,000 |
| Niobrara County | 4 | $13,233 | 23.99% | 26.79% | $10,976,000 | $10,997,000 | $2,220,000 | $2,037,000 |
| Goshen County | 5 | $13,100 | 25.87% | 23.9% | $58,791,000 | $41,896,000 | $16,631,000 | $10,456,000 |
| Park County | 6 | $13,080 | 20% | 25.11% | $166,646,000 | $102,156,000 | $30,406,000 | $19,154,000 |
| Washakie County | 7 | $12,935 | 23.4% | 23.99% | $40,408,000 | $27,147,000 | $10,789,000 | $5,658,000 |
| Weston County | 8 | $12,803 | 25.11% | 22.6% | $35,939,000 | $23,614,000 | $7,140,000 | $4,191,000 |
| Big Horn County | 9 | $12,519 | 26.86% | 21.69% | $51,569,000 | $38,104,000 | $18,754,000 | $9,963,000 |
| Sheridan County | 10 | $12,133 | 18.17% | 22.89% | $153,916,000 | $87,489,000 | $31,057,000 | $20,200,000 |
| Johnson County | 11 | $11,977 | 19.33% | 27.1% | $47,322,000 | $24,097,000 | $7,259,000 | $4,464,000 |
| Converse County | 12 | $11,396 | 17.34% | 18.51% | $57,298,000 | $45,621,000 | $14,495,000 | $10,525,000 |
| Crook County | 13 | $11,272 | 19.64% | 22.54% | $36,321,000 | $20,608,000 | $5,076,000 | $4,459,000 |
| Laramie County | 14 | $11,097 | 18.76% | 17.37% | $382,822,000 | $256,149,000 | $124,044,000 | $76,069,000 |
| Natrona County | 15 | $10,691 | 15.61% | 17.2% | $318,018,000 | $194,574,000 | $118,246,000 | $69,163,000 |
| Sublette County | 16 | $10,272 | 16.68% | 23.87% | $38,470,000 | $22,703,000 | $3,961,000 | $3,706,000 |
| Carbon County | 17 | $10,250 | 15.27% | 18.98% | $57,569,000 | $36,039,000 | $11,935,000 | $10,868,000 |
| Uinta County | 18 | $10,247 | 22.89% | 16.94% | $82,384,000 | $47,937,000 | $31,557,000 | $16,719,000 |
| Lincoln County | 19 | $10,093 | 15.97% | 19.82% | $86,397,000 | $56,014,000 | $13,909,000 | $10,434,000 |
| Sweetwater County | 20 | $9,235 | 15.82% | 15% | $156,077,000 | $79,529,000 | $42,608,000 | $28,331,000 |
| Campbell County | 21 | $8,289 | 14.7% | 13% | $148,274,000 | $85,354,000 | $44,441,000 | $28,999,000 |
| Teton County | 22 | $8,051 | 1.98% | 17.71% | $83,113,000 | $43,570,000 | $7,095,000 | $5,440,000 |
| Albany County | 23 | $8,007 | 15.81% | 13.34% | $107,681,000 | $69,176,000 | $29,746,000 | $17,866,000 |
