In 2022, Social Security transfers in Richmond city totaled $40.66 million, amounting to $4,478 per capita, or 34.9% of total government transfers, according to information from the Economic Innovation Group.
Among all government transfer programs, Social Security was the largest contributor in the county. Medicaid was the second largest contributor, totaling $27.42 million, equating to $3,020 per capita and making up 23.6% of total transfers.
Comparatively, Social Security transfers across Virginia amounted to $31.24 billion, ranking highest among all transfer types within the state. This translates to an average of $3,598 per capita, or 33.3% of total government transfers. Including all transfer types, government transfer payments totaled $93.88 billion, accounting for 15.7% of residents’ total income, with an average of $10,811 per resident.
Medicare was the third largest contributor in Richmond city in 2022, accounting for $27.18 million, averaging $2,993 per capita, representing 23.4% of transfers. Income Maintenance transfers provided another $12.43 million, averaging $1,368 per capita and comprising 10.7% 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 21.7% of the population aged 65 and older, Richmond city has a significant demand for programs like Social Security and Medicare. Despite this aid, the total per capita income in Richmond city, excluding government transfers was $29,871, which is far below the county’s total income of $42,685, emphasizing the role of government transfers in overall income.
When comparing 2022 to the previous year, Richmond city saw an increase in its Social Security transfer dependency by 1.1%, 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 Richmond city, reliance on government transfers has similarly increased from 10.9% (or $1,833 per capita) in 1970 to 30% (or $12,814 per capita) in 2022, reflecting broader national trends.
According to the Economic Innovation Group’s analysis, these trends are not merely short-term responses to economic pressures but rather reflect a profound, long-term transformation in how government support is integrated into American life. The study illustrates that structural shifts—from rising healthcare expenses and demographic changes to stagnant wages—have significantly increased dependency on government transfers.
| County | Rank | Dependency on Transfers (%) | % Population 65+ | Social Security Transfers (%) | Medicare Transfers (%) | Medicaid Transfers (%) | Income Maintenance Transfers (%) | Per Capita Transfers ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fairfax County | 1 | 7.6% | 15.1% | 2.7% | 1.6% | 1.2% | 0.6% | $7,726 |
| Fairfax city | 1 | 7.6% | 15.1% | 2.7% | 1.6% | 1.2% | 0.6% | $7,726 |
| Virginia Beach (Independent City) | 3 | 16.3% | 15.9% | 5.2% | 3.2% | 2.6% | 1.4% | $10,750 |
| Prince William County | 4 | 12% | 11.3% | 3.5% | 2.2% | 2.3% | 1.4% | $7,645 |
| Chesterfield County | 5 | 15.9% | 16.1% | 6% | 3.6% | 2.9% | 1.5% | $10,184 |
| Henrico County | 6 | 13.5% | 17% | 5% | 3.1% | 2.8% | 1.5% | $10,380 |
| Richmond (Independent City) | 7 | 17.5% | 14.1% | 4% | 3.1% | 6.7% | 2.3% | $12,417 |
| Norfolk (Independent City) | 8 | 25.4% | 13% | 5.5% | 4.2% | 8.1% | 3.5% | $12,186 |
| Chesapeake (Independent City) | 9 | 18.3% | 14.5% | 5.5% | 3.6% | 3.2% | 1.8% | $10,688 |
| Loudoun County | 10 | 5.7% | 10.8% | 2.1% | 1.3% | 0.7% | 0.5% | $5,534 |
| Newport News (Independent City) | 11 | 25.5% | 14.1% | 6.6% | 4.7% | 6.4% | 3.8% | $11,968 |
| Campbell + Lynchburg County | 12 | 32.6% | 21.5% | 9.1% | 6.4% | 9.6% | 3.2% | $14,798 |
| Hampton (Independent City) | 13 | 27.6% | 16.6% | 7.5% | 5% | 6.5% | 3.4% | $13,406 |
| Spotsylvania + Fredericksburg County | 14 | 16.4% | 15.2% | 5.1% | 3.6% | 3.1% | 1.7% | $10,267 |
| Pittsylvania + Danville County | 15 | 37.7% | 24.7% | 11.5% | 7.9% | 11% | 4.3% | $16,975 |
| Augusta County | 16 | 23.4% | 22.6% | 9.2% | 5.6% | 4.4% | 2.1% | $12,368 |
| Roanoke + Salem County | 17 | 21.3% | 22.1% | 8.5% | 5.7% | 3.3% | 1.4% | $12,598 |
| Albemarle + Charlottesville County | 18 | 10.5% | 20.5% | 4.3% | 2.4% | 1.9% | 0.9% | $9,527 |
| Roanoke (Independent City) | 19 | 30.2% | 17.9% | 7.6% | 5.9% | 9.2% | 4% | $15,349 |
| Stafford County | 20 | 13.9% | 11.4% | 3.7% | 2.5% | 2% | 1.2% | $9,052 |
| Arlington County | 21 | 5.4% | 12.1% | 1.8% | 1.2% | 1% | 0.5% | $6,090 |
| Portsmouth (Independent City) | 22 | 31.3% | 15.4% | 7.1% | 5.7% | 9.8% | 4.6% | $14,382 |
| Dinwiddie County | 23 | 37.9% | 19.2% | 9.2% | 8.7% | 10.8% | 4.6% | $17,388 |
| Rockingham + Harrisonburg County | 24 | 18.5% | 20.2% | 6.8% | 4.5% | 3.4% | 1.9% | $9,496 |
| James City + Williamsburg | 25 | 17.4% | 26.7% | 7.4% | 4.7% | 1.4% | 1% | $13,205 |
| Suffolk (Independent City) | 26 | 21.1% | 15.3% | 5.7% | 4.1% | 5% | 2.2% | $12,831 |
| Frederick + Winchester County | 27 | 16.5% | 18.8% | 6.4% | 3.8% | 3.1% | 1.5% | $10,260 |
| Alexandria (Independent City) | 28 | 7.4% | 13% | 2.3% | 1.5% | 1.5% | 0.8% | $7,739 |
| Henry + Martinsville County | 29 | 38.4% | 24.8% | 11.8% | 8.7% | 10.9% | 4.2% | $18,234 |
| Hanover County | 30 | 14.2% | 19.2% | 6.3% | 3.9% | 1.8% | 0.9% | $10,262 |
| Washington + Bristol County | 31 | 32.1% | 24.7% | 11.8% | 7.7% | 6.4% | 3.3% | $14,979 |
| Bedford County | 32 | 23.6% | 23.2% | 9.7% | 5.5% | 3.9% | 1.7% | $12,940 |
| Bedford city | 32 | 23.6% | 23.2% | 9.7% | 5.5% | 3.9% | 1.7% | $12,940 |
| Montgomery + Radford County | 34 | 18.3% | 14.1% | 6.4% | 4.2% | 3.5% | 1.8% | $8,323 |
| York + Poquoson County | 35 | 14.3% | 17.7% | 5.6% | 2.8% | 1.4% | 1% | $9,728 |
| Franklin County | 36 | 26.4% | 24.8% | 10.3% | 5.7% | 5.2% | 2.3% | $13,880 |
| Franklin city | 36 | 26.4% | 24.8% | 10.3% | 5.7% | 5.2% | 2.3% | $13,880 |
| Prince George + Hopewell County | 38 | 28.5% | 13.2% | 8.4% | 5.6% | 6.5% | 3.8% | $11,315 |
| Wise + Norton County | 39 | 45.1% | 20% | 14.4% | 9.7% | 11.3% | 5.2% | $18,549 |
| Fauquier County | 40 | 11.5% | 17.4% | 4.7% | 2.8% | 1.9% | 0.8% | $9,494 |
| Tazewell County | 41 | 39.3% | 23.6% | 13.4% | 9% | 8.1% | 4.3% | $17,291 |
| Carroll + Galax County | 42 | 40.1% | 26.4% | 11.9% | 9.1% | 12.5% | 3.7% | $17,957 |
| Culpeper County | 43 | 19.4% | 16.8% | 6.9% | 4.5% | 4.1% | 1.8% | $10,828 |
| Shenandoah County | 44 | 22.3% | 22.2% | 8.5% | 5.5% | 4.3% | 2% | $12,657 |
| Halifax County | 45 | 37.7% | 25.8% | 12.2% | 8.1% | 10.4% | 4.1% | $16,787 |
| Accomack County | 46 | 29.1% | 26% | 10% | 6.8% | 6.9% | 3.2% | $15,776 |
| Mecklenburg County | 47 | 37.4% | 27.1% | 13% | 9.2% | 8.6% | 3.7% | $17,040 |
| Orange County | 48 | 22.9% | 20.5% | 8.5% | 6.2% | 3.4% | 1.8% | $13,473 |
| Gloucester County | 49 | 22.2% | 21.1% | 8.1% | 5.1% | 3.8% | 1.8% | $12,743 |
| Isle of Wight County | 50 | 19.5% | 20% | 7.2% | 4.3% | 3.3% | 1.5% | $12,467 |
| Pulaski County | 51 | 30.4% | 23.4% | 11.1% | 6.8% | 7.1% | 3% | $14,611 |
| Smyth County | 52 | 37% | 22.9% | 12.2% | 8.5% | 9.3% | 4.3% | $16,428 |
| Louisa County | 53 | 23.6% | 21% | 9.2% | 5.5% | 4.6% | 2.1% | $11,963 |
| Rockbridge County | 54 | 26.7% | 27.5% | 10.4% | 6.3% | 5% | 2.3% | $12,931 |
| Warren County | 55 | 19.9% | 17.3% | 6.9% | 4.9% | 4.2% | 1.9% | $11,183 |
| Amherst County | 56 | 32.4% | 22.2% | 11.4% | 7.8% | 7.6% | 3% | $14,496 |
| Russell County | 57 | 43% | 23.7% | 14.7% | 10.1% | 10.1% | 4.8% | $17,290 |
| Botetourt County | 58 | 21.5% | 24.1% | 8.8% | 5.1% | 3.3% | 1.4% | $12,819 |
| Wythe County | 59 | 34.2% | 22.3% | 11.8% | 8.5% | 7.4% | 3.4% | $15,223 |
| Southampton + Franklin County | 60 | 31.3% | 22.1% | 9.4% | 6.7% | 9.2% | 3.6% | $15,739 |
| Lee County | 61 | 47% | 23.2% | 13.7% | 8.9% | 14.5% | 6.3% | $18,105 |
| Buchanan County | 62 | 44.7% | 24.3% | 15.9% | 9.3% | 11.1% | 5.4% | $20,234 |
| Caroline County | 63 | 22.6% | 17.1% | 7.5% | 5.5% | 4.6% | 2.5% | $11,660 |
| Alleghany + Covington County | 64 | 38% | 26.2% | 12.4% | 9.3% | 8.6% | 3.5% | $17,584 |
| Scott County | 65 | 41.8% | 25.4% | 14.3% | 10.3% | 9.9% | 4.3% | $16,552 |
| Page County | 66 | 28.2% | 22.4% | 10.4% | 7% | 5.8% | 2.6% | $13,840 |
| Powhatan County | 67 | 14.5% | 20% | 6.9% | 3.6% | 1.6% | 0.9% | $9,860 |
| Prince Edward County | 68 | 35.2% | 16.9% | 10.3% | 8.6% | 8.9% | 3.8% | $13,925 |
| Fluvanna County | 69 | 20.3% | 21.5% | 9% | 4.9% | 2.8% | 1.5% | $10,816 |
| Goochland County | 70 | 9.8% | 24.5% | 5% | 2.3% | 1% | 0.5% | $11,441 |
| Patrick County | 71 | 39.5% | 27.3% | 13.8% | 9.4% | 8.9% | 3.9% | $15,903 |
| New Kent County | 72 | 10.9% | 18.4% | 4.5% | 3% | 1.1% | 0.7% | $11,160 |
| Westmoreland County | 73 | 29.3% | 27.5% | 10.6% | 7.7% | 5.4% | 3% | $14,822 |
| Dickenson County | 74 | 48.7% | 24.6% | 16.4% | 11.8% | 12.1% | 5% | $19,994 |
| Brunswick County | 75 | 41.1% | 22.3% | 11.6% | 8.7% | 12.7% | 4.6% | $16,903 |
| King George County | 76 | 14.8% | 14.4% | 4.6% | 3.5% | 2.4% | 1.4% | $9,471 |
| Nottoway County | 77 | 37.3% | 18.5% | 9.3% | 7.5% | 13.4% | 3.8% | $16,770 |
| Greensville + Emporia County | 78 | 39% | 16.5% | 10.5% | 7.8% | 13.1% | 5.1% | $15,317 |
| Nelson County | 79 | 26.9% | 29.5% | 10.6% | 7.2% | 5% | 2% | $17,399 |
| Giles County | 80 | 31.3% | 22.3% | 10.8% | 7.8% | 7.2% | 2.8% | $15,487 |
| Appomattox County | 81 | 30.8% | 21% | 10.2% | 7% | 7.6% | 3.3% | $14,139 |
| Northampton County | 82 | 30.9% | 29.9% | 9.6% | 6.5% | 9.5% | 3.1% | $19,870 |
| Buckingham County | 83 | 36.5% | 20.5% | 10.6% | 10.4% | 9.1% | 3.9% | $13,823 |
| Northumberland County | 84 | 30.7% | 37.2% | 12.8% | 9.5% | 4.2% | 2% | $18,848 |
| Grayson County | 85 | 38.1% | 25.9% | 14.2% | 7.7% | 9.5% | 3.7% | $14,843 |
| Greene County | 86 | 20.6% | 19% | 7.7% | 4.6% | 3.9% | 2% | $10,623 |
| Floyd County | 87 | 28.7% | 24.7% | 10.7% | 6.5% | 6.3% | 2.4% | $14,012 |
| King William County | 88 | 20.5% | 17% | 7.8% | 5.2% | 3.7% | 1.8% | $11,196 |
| Lancaster County | 89 | 25.6% | 38.6% | 11.7% | 6.2% | 3.9% | 1.9% | $18,546 |
| Middlesex County | 90 | 29.7% | 33.1% | 11.9% | 7.7% | 5.3% | 2.2% | $17,882 |
| Charlotte County | 91 | 37.5% | 22.7% | 11.7% | 9.9% | 8.6% | 4% | $16,976 |
| Amelia County | 92 | 25.8% | 21.2% | 9.3% | 6.1% | 5.7% | 2.3% | $13,668 |
| Clarke County | 93 | 14.8% | 23% | 6.4% | 3.9% | 2% | 0.8% | $11,532 |
| Essex County | 94 | 32% | 24.3% | 11% | 8.3% | 7% | 3.3% | $16,528 |
| Lunenburg County | 95 | 35.7% | 23.6% | 11.8% | 6.9% | 9.4% | 4.3% | $13,916 |
| Madison County | 96 | 20.4% | 23.2% | 8% | 4.5% | 4.4% | 1.8% | $11,540 |
| Sussex County | 97 | 38.2% | 19.5% | 11.4% | 8.8% | 10.8% | 4.4% | $14,413 |
| Mathews County | 98 | 25.3% | 32.6% | 10.2% | 6.7% | 4.6% | 1.5% | $17,198 |
| Cumberland County | 99 | 28.9% | 23.6% | 9.8% | 4.5% | 9% | 3.6% | $13,408 |
| Richmond County | 100 | 30% | 21.7% | 10.5% | 7% | 7.1% | 3.2% | $12,814 |
| Richmond city | 100 | 30% | 21.7% | 10.5% | 7% | 7.1% | 3.2% | $12,814 |
| King and Queen County | 102 | 26.1% | 24.2% | 10% | 5.9% | 5.5% | 2.6% | $14,439 |
| Surry County | 103 | 28.3% | 25.7% | 10.6% | 6.2% | 6.1% | 2.7% | $14,837 |
| Charles City | 104 | 25.5% | 27% | 10.6% | 5.2% | 5.5% | 2.2% | $14,560 |
| Bland County | 105 | 35.5% | 25.5% | 13.7% | 8.7% | 6.8% | 2.4% | $15,123 |
| Rappahannock County | 106 | 14.8% | 28.9% | 7.3% | 3.4% | 1.7% | 1% | $11,764 |
| Bath County | 107 | 22.9% | 29.7% | 8.4% | 7.1% | 3.9% | 1.6% | $17,143 |
| Craig County | 108 | 28.8% | 25% | 11.5% | 6.1% | 5.4% | 2.6% | $13,628 |
| Highland County | 109 | 29% | 38.2% | 13.7% | 6.8% | 4.1% | 1.7% | $14,651 |
