In 2022, Income Maintenance transfers in Union County totaled $659.66 million, amounting to $1,158 per capita, or 11.6% of total government transfers, according to information from the Economic Innovation Group.
Among all government transfer programs, Income Maintenance was the smallest contributor in the county. Social Security was the largest contributor, totaling $1.78 billion, equating to $3,126 per capita and making up 31.2% of total transfers.
Comparatively, Income Maintenance transfers across New Jersey amounted to $10.62 billion, ranking lowest among all transfer types within the state. This translates to an average of $1,146 per capita, or 10.3% of total government transfers. Including all transfer types, government transfer payments totaled $102.93 billion, accounting for 14.4% of residents’ total income, with an average of $11,114 per resident.
Medicaid was the second largest contributor in Union County in 2022, accounting for $1.44 billion, averaging $2,533 per capita, representing 25.3% of transfers. Medicare transfers provided another $1.25 billion, averaging $2,198 per capita and comprising 21.9% of government support, making them the third largest 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 15.2% of the population aged 65 and older, Union County has a significant demand for programs like Social Security and Medicare. Despite this aid, the total per capita income in Union County, excluding government transfers was $66,596, which is below the county’s total income of $76,616, emphasizing the role of government transfers in overall income.
When comparing 2022 to the previous year, Union County saw a decrease in its Income Maintenance transfer dependency by 0.2%.
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 Union County, reliance on government transfers has similarly increased from 6.1% (or $2,008 per capita) in 1970 to 13.1% (or $10,020 per capita) in 2022.
According to the Economic Innovation Group’s analysis, these trends are not merely short-term responses to economic pressures but rather reflect a profound, long-term transformation in how government support is integrated into American life. The study illustrates that structural shifts—from rising healthcare expenses and demographic changes to stagnant wages—have significantly increased dependency on government transfers.
| County | Rank | Dependency on Transfers (%) | % Population 65+ | Social Security Transfers (%) | Medicare Transfers (%) | Medicaid Transfers (%) | Income Maintenance Transfers (%) | Per Capita Transfers ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essex County | 1 | 16% | 14.3% | 3.6% | 3.1% | 5.3% | 2.7% | $12,171 |
| Bergen County | 2 | 10.2% | 18.3% | 4% | 2.9% | 1.5% | 0.6% | $9,880 |
| Ocean County | 3 | 22.6% | 22.6% | 8.8% | 6.8% | 3.4% | 1.6% | $13,433 |
| Middlesex County | 4 | 13.2% | 16.2% | 4.7% | 3.5% | 2.4% | 1.2% | $9,390 |
| Monmouth County | 5 | 12.1% | 19.1% | 4.8% | 3.5% | 2% | 0.7% | $11,460 |
| Hudson County | 6 | 13.7% | 12.8% | 2.7% | 2.7% | 4.6% | 2.3% | $9,947 |
| Camden County | 7 | 21.7% | 16.5% | 6.2% | 5% | 5.8% | 2.8% | $13,093 |
| Passaic County | 8 | 21.3% | 16% | 5.6% | 4.7% | 5.9% | 3.4% | $12,169 |
| Union County | 9 | 13.1% | 15.2% | 4.1% | 2.9% | 3.3% | 1.5% | $10,020 |
| Burlington County | 10 | 15.7% | 18.3% | 6.1% | 4.1% | 2.4% | 1.1% | $11,049 |
| Morris County | 11 | 8.3% | 18.2% | 3.6% | 2.4% | 1.1% | 0.4% | $9,303 |
| Mercer County | 12 | 14.1% | 16.1% | 4.6% | 3.3% | 3.1% | 1.7% | $11,172 |
| Atlantic County | 13 | 24.2% | 19.8% | 7.9% | 5.9% | 5.3% | 2.9% | $13,548 |
| Gloucester County | 14 | 17.2% | 16.8% | 6.6% | 4.6% | 2.5% | 1.5% | $10,743 |
| Somerset County | 15 | 7.8% | 17.1% | 3.4% | 2% | 1.1% | 0.5% | $8,613 |
| Cumberland County | 16 | 30.5% | 16% | 8.1% | 7.2% | 8.3% | 4.8% | $14,279 |
| Cape May County | 17 | 23.5% | 29.6% | 9% | 6.2% | 4.4% | 1.6% | $16,805 |
| Sussex County | 18 | 15.1% | 18.9% | 6.5% | 4.4% | 1.8% | 0.8% | $10,833 |
| Hunterdon County | 19 | 10.1% | 20.9% | 4.8% | 2.9% | 1% | 0.4% | $10,283 |
| Warren County | 20 | 18.5% | 19.7% | 7.3% | 5.2% | 2.9% | 1.3% | $11,639 |
| Salem County | 21 | 26% | 19.3% | 8.8% | 6% | 6.1% | 2.9% | $14,102 |
