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Anne Arundel Today

Saturday, March 15, 2025

Anne Arundel County ranks 20th highest in Maryland for per capita government transfer income at $9,317 in 2022

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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, Anne Arundel County ranked fifth lowest per capita recipient of government transfers in Maryland, with residents receiving $9,317 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 Anne Arundel County received $5.5 billion in government transfers, which accounted for 11.8% of total county income.

Comparatively, across all counties in Maryland, government transfer payments totaled $66.1 billion, making up 15.3% of the state residents’ total income, with an average of $10,724 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 Anne Arundel County at the time, Social Security transfers totaled $2.1 billion, amounting to $3,477 per capita, or 37.3% of total government transfers. Medicare transfers accounted for $1.4 billion ($2,335 per capita), representing 25.1% of the total. Medicaid contributed $866.1 million ($1,460 per capita), making up 15.7% of total transfers. Income maintenance programs, including assistance such as SNAP or TANF, added another $460.9 million ($777 per capita), or 8.3% of the total.

With 15.9% of the population aged 65 and older, Anne Arundel County has a significant demand for programs like Social Security and Medicare. Total per capita income excluding government transfers in Anne Arundel County was $69,572, noticeably below the county’s total income of $78,889, emphasizing the role of government transfers in overall income.

When comparing 2022 to the previous year, Anne Arundel County saw a decrease of 21.1% in per capita government transfers, from $11,833 to $9,317 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 Anne Arundel County, reliance on government transfers has similarly increased from 3.98% (or $1,082 per capita) in 1970 to 11.8% (or $9,317 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 Anne Arundel County, 2022

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

2022 Maryland 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 ($)
Baltimore (Independent City) County1$18,49730.93%15.37%$1,729,739,000$2,065,226,000$4,598,106,000$1,675,087,000
Allegany County2$17,38737.56%21.22%$309,939,000$288,658,000$344,184,000$119,786,000
Kent County3$16,48723.65%27.98%$121,070,000$94,676,000$59,384,000$23,985,000
Dorchester County4$16,39529.4%23.14%$158,791,000$130,208,000$145,023,000$68,714,000
Talbot County5$15,47217.49%29.91%$246,287,000$175,782,000$84,329,000$40,019,000
Worcester County6$15,26723.68%28.79%$332,138,000$237,492,000$133,180,000$57,030,000
Somerset County7$14,55537.82%18%$96,380,000$72,116,000$110,038,000$50,641,000
Garrett County8$14,50327.4%24.27%$141,918,000$93,751,000$111,320,000$34,528,000
Caroline County9$14,45226%17.45%$135,672,000$111,623,000$149,182,000$56,620,000
Wicomico County10$13,14628.48%16.81%$401,802,000$293,875,000$391,401,000$178,915,000
Washington County11$12,50323.42%18%$633,228,000$488,341,000$449,118,000$223,380,000
Cecil County12$12,02721.46%17.1%$410,319,000$322,189,000$267,604,000$128,577,000
Baltimore County13$11,49816.95%18.2%$3,358,891,000$2,645,009,000$2,040,209,000$1,009,068,000
Queen Anne's County14$10,97813.75%20.45%$238,127,000$156,361,000$89,305,000$35,113,000
Harford County15$10,39815.41%17.4%$1,039,572,000$744,355,000$435,739,000$219,248,000
Calvert County16$9,84013.91%16.34%$345,600,000$238,187,000$152,775,000$63,857,000
Carroll County17$9,80113.76%17.88%$712,785,000$477,513,000$282,066,000$105,861,000
St. Mary's County18$9,69814.66%14.11%$339,844,000$246,363,000$209,515,000$119,488,000
Charles County19$9,37714.9%13.71%$476,437,000$365,612,000$269,107,000$164,940,000
Anne Arundel County20$9,31711.81%15.94%$2,062,786,000$1,385,569,000$866,052,000$460,921,000
Prince George's County21$8,93416.93%15%$2,409,184,000$1,946,788,000$1,865,510,000$1,064,719,000
Frederick County22$8,51611.8%15.25%$935,597,000$665,687,000$383,499,000$191,393,000
Montgomery County23$8,4289%17.13%$3,322,789,000$2,284,815,000$1,689,671,000$786,450,000
Howard County24$7,7378.7%15.29%$1,027,975,000$665,863,000$389,140,000$208,883,000

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