In 2022, Medicaid transfers in Dakota County totaled $924.11 million, amounting to $2,084 per capita, or 22% of total government transfers, according to information from the Economic Innovation Group.
Among all government transfer programs, Medicaid was the second smallest contributor in the county. Social Security was the largest contributor, totaling $1.58 billion, equating to $3,575 per capita and making up 37.8% of total transfers.
Comparatively, Medicaid transfers across Minnesota amounted to $17.17 billion, ranking second highest among all transfer types within the state. This translates to an average of $3,003 per capita, or 26.4% of total government transfers. Including all transfer types, government transfer payments totaled $65.06 billion, accounting for 16.5% of residents’ total income, with an average of $11,379 per resident.
Medicare was the second largest contributor in Dakota County in 2022, accounting for $977.83 million, averaging $2,206 per capita, representing 23.3% of transfers. Income Maintenance transfers provided another $331.18 million, averaging $747 per capita and comprising 7.9% of government support, making them the smallest contributors.
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).
With 15.9% of the population aged 65 and older, Dakota County has a significant demand for programs like Social Security and Medicare. Despite this aid, the total per capita income in Dakota County, excluding government transfers was $60,518, which is below the county’s total income of $69,984, emphasizing the role of government transfers in overall income.
When comparing 2022 to the previous year, Dakota County saw an increase in its Medicaid transfer dependency by 0.3%, reflecting both rising transfer amounts and stagnating or insufficient other sources of income.
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 $2,022 per capita in inflation-adjusted 2022 dollars) in 1970 to 17.6% (or $11,542 per capita) in 2022 nationwide. In Dakota County, reliance on government transfers has similarly increased from 4% (or $1,049 per capita) in 1970 to 13.5% (or $9,466 per capita) in 2022, reflecting broader national trends.
According to the Economic Innovation Group’s analysis, these trends are not merely short-term responses to economic pressures but rather reflect a profound, long-term transformation in how government support is integrated into American life. The study illustrates that structural shifts—from rising healthcare expenses and demographic changes to stagnant wages—have significantly increased dependency on government transfers.
| County | Rank | Dependency on Transfers (%) | % Population 65+ | Social Security Transfers (%) | Medicare Transfers (%) | Medicaid Transfers (%) | Income Maintenance Transfers (%) | Per Capita Transfers ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hennepin County | 1 | 12.1% | 15.7% | 3.8% | 2.3% | 3.8% | 1.3% | $10,860 |
| Ramsey County | 2 | 19.4% | 15.9% | 5.3% | 3.5% | 6.6% | 2.6% | $12,662 |
| Dakota County | 3 | 13.5% | 15.9% | 5.1% | 3.2% | 3% | 1.1% | $9,466 |
| Anoka County | 4 | 16% | 15.4% | 5.7% | 3.5% | 3.9% | 1.5% | $9,665 |
| St. Louis County | 5 | 26% | 21.4% | 8.3% | 5.3% | 7.4% | 2.5% | $14,720 |
| Washington County | 6 | 11.3% | 16.6% | 4.8% | 2.9% | 1.8% | 0.7% | $8,999 |
| Stearns County | 7 | 19.2% | 16.2% | 5.9% | 4.2% | 4% | 2.1% | $11,387 |
| Olmsted County | 8 | 14.8% | 16.8% | 5.4% | 3.2% | 3.6% | 1.5% | $10,026 |
| Wright County | 9 | 13.5% | 13.7% | 5% | 3.4% | 2.7% | 1% | $8,412 |
| Scott County | 10 | 9.7% | 12.5% | 3.7% | 2.3% | 1.9% | 0.8% | $7,279 |
| Crow Wing County | 11 | 28% | 24.5% | 10.3% | 7% | 5.4% | 2.2% | $14,795 |
| Sherburne County | 12 | 15.5% | 12.4% | 5.4% | 3.8% | 2.9% | 1.4% | $8,833 |
| Otter Tail County | 13 | 25.3% | 25.4% | 9.1% | 6.3% | 5.2% | 1.9% | $14,347 |
| Carver County | 14 | 8.6% | 14.4% | 3.6% | 2.2% | 1.5% | 0.5% | $7,522 |
| Itasca County | 15 | 31.8% | 25.7% | 11% | 7.2% | 7.8% | 2.8% | $16,408 |
| Clay County | 16 | 21.4% | 14.1% | 5.9% | 4% | 6.5% | 2.7% | $10,923 |
| Blue Earth County | 17 | 19.2% | 15% | 6.2% | 4.3% | 4.4% | 2.1% | $10,159 |
| Rice County | 18 | 19.2% | 16.5% | 7.1% | 4.4% | 4.4% | 1.8% | $10,275 |
| Beltrami County | 19 | 29.5% | 17.5% | 7.3% | 5.5% | 10.6% | 3.3% | $14,831 |
| Chisago County | 20 | 18.4% | 17.1% | 6.8% | 4.6% | 3.8% | 1.2% | $10,790 |
| Goodhue County | 21 | 19.3% | 20.7% | 7.3% | 5.1% | 4% | 1.3% | $12,352 |
| Kandiyohi County | 22 | 22.2% | 20.3% | 7% | 5% | 5.6% | 2.4% | $13,217 |
| Winona County | 23 | 20% | 18.9% | 7% | 4.3% | 5% | 1.8% | $11,521 |
| Douglas County | 24 | 22.2% | 24.3% | 8.4% | 5.6% | 4.4% | 1.5% | $13,898 |
| Cass County | 25 | 31.1% | 27% | 10.9% | 6.5% | 7.6% | 3.1% | $17,400 |
| Mower County | 26 | 25% | 18.5% | 7.4% | 5.6% | 7.1% | 2.9% | $13,443 |
| Becker County | 27 | 26.3% | 22.8% | 8.3% | 6.2% | 7.2% | 2.1% | $15,100 |
| Carlton County | 28 | 27.8% | 18.6% | 8.6% | 6.5% | 7.6% | 2.1% | $13,981 |
| Morrison County | 29 | 27.3% | 21.2% | 8.2% | 6.7% | 6.6% | 2.3% | $14,060 |
| Isanti County | 30 | 20.8% | 17% | 7.7% | 4.4% | 4.4% | 1.7% | $10,914 |
| Polk County | 31 | 25.1% | 19.4% | 6.8% | 5.2% | 8.2% | 2.6% | $14,768 |
| McLeod County | 32 | 21.4% | 20.1% | 7.6% | 5.6% | 4.9% | 1.5% | $12,345 |
| Benton County | 33 | 19.6% | 14.3% | 6.1% | 3.8% | 5.3% | 2.2% | $10,643 |
| Steele County | 34 | 21.5% | 19.1% | 7.6% | 5.1% | 5.1% | 2.1% | $11,778 |
| Freeborn County | 35 | 25.5% | 23.3% | 8.9% | 6.1% | 5.8% | 2.7% | $14,106 |
| Pine County | 36 | 32% | 22.6% | 10.6% | 7% | 7.8% | 3.1% | $14,479 |
| Mille Lacs County | 37 | 28.8% | 18.3% | 8.9% | 6.9% | 7.4% | 2.4% | $14,810 |
| Todd County | 38 | 25.6% | 23.3% | 7.5% | 6.6% | 6.8% | 2.3% | $14,281 |
| Brown County | 39 | 22.7% | 22.1% | 7.5% | 6.2% | 5.5% | 1.6% | $14,130 |
| Nicollet County | 40 | 17.8% | 17.9% | 6.3% | 4.2% | 3.8% | 1.6% | $10,319 |
| Hubbard County | 41 | 25.2% | 26.7% | 9.2% | 6.1% | 5.1% | 2.3% | $14,791 |
| Lyon County | 42 | 21.1% | 17.6% | 6.2% | 4.6% | 6.3% | 2.2% | $12,693 |
| Le Sueur County | 43 | 17.7% | 18.6% | 6.3% | 4.1% | 4.3% | 1.3% | $10,768 |
| Martin County | 44 | 25.1% | 24.4% | 8.2% | 6.5% | 6.4% | 2.3% | $15,784 |
| Meeker County | 45 | 23.8% | 21.2% | 8.2% | 5.7% | 5.6% | 1.9% | $13,033 |
| Wabasha County | 46 | 22.4% | 23.6% | 7.9% | 6.4% | 4.5% | 1.3% | $13,597 |
| Aitkin County | 47 | 35.6% | 34.1% | 11.7% | 9.9% | 8% | 2.5% | $17,748 |
| Fillmore County | 48 | 22.9% | 22.1% | 8% | 5.8% | 5.6% | 1.7% | $12,751 |
| Wadena County | 49 | 36.7% | 20.3% | 9.9% | 8.4% | 10.8% | 3.7% | $17,125 |
| Houston County | 50 | 21.6% | 23.3% | 8.4% | 4.6% | 5% | 1.4% | $12,969 |
| Nobles County | 51 | 19.7% | 17% | 5.7% | 4.3% | 5.9% | 2.4% | $11,078 |
| Waseca County | 52 | 23.2% | 19.3% | 7.9% | 5.8% | 5.5% | 2% | $12,707 |
| Kanabec County | 53 | 29.1% | 21.8% | 9.8% | 6.9% | 7.1% | 2.5% | $14,485 |
| Renville County | 54 | 23.4% | 21.8% | 6.9% | 6.3% | 6.2% | 2% | $15,050 |
| Redwood County | 55 | 19% | 21.6% | 5.6% | 5.1% | 5.1% | 1.5% | $14,103 |
| Koochiching County | 56 | 34.5% | 28.4% | 11.7% | 7.5% | 9.1% | 2.8% | $18,288 |
| Faribault County | 57 | 27.4% | 23.8% | 8.7% | 6.6% | 7.4% | 2.6% | $15,269 |
| Dodge County | 58 | 16.5% | 15.9% | 5.9% | 3.9% | 3.8% | 1.4% | $9,759 |
| Pennington County | 59 | 20.3% | 19.1% | 5.9% | 4.7% | 5.6% | 1.7% | $13,432 |
| Sibley County | 60 | 20.7% | 19.6% | 6.7% | 5.2% | 5.3% | 1.7% | $12,392 |
| Roseau County | 61 | 19.5% | 19.4% | 6.8% | 4.5% | 4.8% | 1.7% | $11,942 |
| Lake County | 62 | 30.9% | 27.8% | 10.9% | 7.5% | 7% | 1.8% | $16,406 |
| Lake of the Woods County | 62 | 30.9% | 27.8% | 10.9% | 7.5% | 7% | 1.8% | $16,406 |
| Chippewa County | 64 | 25.5% | 21.8% | 7.3% | 6.2% | 7.6% | 2.3% | $14,320 |
| Cottonwood County | 65 | 24.2% | 22.9% | 7.5% | 6.4% | 6.1% | 2.3% | $15,260 |
| Pope County | 66 | 22.7% | 25.3% | 7.4% | 6.1% | 5.4% | 1.7% | $14,474 |
| Yellow Medicine County | 67 | 24.6% | 21.7% | 7.3% | 6.1% | 7% | 1.7% | $16,277 |
| Swift County | 68 | 22% | 23.6% | 6% | 5.1% | 7% | 2% | $14,711 |
| Watonwan County | 69 | 22.1% | 20.8% | 6.5% | 5.1% | 6.2% | 2% | $12,597 |
| Clearwater County | 70 | 29.5% | 21.1% | 7.9% | 6.8% | 8.8% | 2.9% | $15,759 |
| Marshall County | 71 | 19.4% | 23.3% | 5.9% | 4.8% | 5.3% | 1.4% | $14,718 |
| Jackson County | 72 | 20.6% | 23.6% | 6.8% | 4.9% | 5.4% | 1.8% | $13,089 |
| Pipestone County | 73 | 19.9% | 21% | 5.7% | 5.3% | 5.7% | 1.9% | $13,414 |
| Murray County | 74 | 22.7% | 26.8% | 7.4% | 6.9% | 5% | 1.6% | $15,381 |
| Rock County | 75 | 21.3% | 20.5% | 7% | 5.6% | 5.1% | 1.7% | $12,984 |
| Lac qui Parle County | 76 | 24.9% | 27.8% | 7.2% | 6.9% | 7.2% | 1.7% | $17,206 |
| Stevens County | 77 | 17.6% | 17.7% | 5.2% | 4.6% | 4.5% | 1.6% | $11,446 |
| Norman County | 78 | 27.3% | 21.6% | 7.5% | 6.1% | 9% | 2.4% | $16,332 |
| Wilkin County | 79 | 21.2% | 19.9% | 6% | 4.5% | 7.3% | 1.8% | $14,932 |
| Grant County | 80 | 24.8% | 23.5% | 8.2% | 6.8% | 5.6% | 2% | $15,375 |
| Big Stone County | 81 | 25.5% | 26.6% | 7.2% | 6.7% | 7.5% | 1.8% | $17,907 |
| Mahnomen County | 82 | 34.8% | 17.7% | 5.7% | 5.3% | 17.4% | 4% | $16,903 |
| Cook County | 83 | 25% | 30.9% | 10.8% | 6.5% | 4.3% | 1.5% | $14,197 |
| Lincoln County | 84 | 23.7% | 24.4% | 7.3% | 5.7% | 7.2% | 1.6% | $14,361 |
| Lake of the Woods County | 85 | 28.5% | 26.1% | 8.9% | 8.1% | 6.8% | 1.9% | $16,996 |
| Kittson County | 86 | 22% | 25.9% | 7.4% | 5.2% | 6% | 1.7% | $15,419 |
| Traverse County | 87 | 21.2% | 25.7% | 6.1% | 5.3% | 6.2% | 2.1% | $18,142 |
| Red Lake County | 88 | 20% | 23.1% | 5.9% | 5.5% | 5.2% | 1.7% | $14,685 |
