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Timothy
Parker
Per capita
government transfer payments to individuals
are rising faster in nonmetro areas
than in metro areas
Government transfer
payments to individuals increased steadily
in both metro and nonmetro areas between
1969 and 2004. In 2004, payments in
nonmetro areas averaged $5,238 while
payments in metro areas averaged $4,515
per person. Medical benefits (Medicare
and Medicaid) represent the largest
component of the increases, rising from
21.2 percent of total transfer payments
in 1969 to 45.1 percent in 2004 for
metro areas and from 16.4 percent to
43.3 percent for nonmetro areas. The
faster increase in government transfer
payments in nonmetro areas is mainly
due to a higher share of elderly and
disabled persons among nonmetro residents.
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