Look just how much red counties depend on the government they hate

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

One of the most enduring conservative myths is that of the self-reliant, salt-of-the-earth, rural-dwelling American who pulls himself up by his bootstraps, wrestles a steer before breakfast, and builds his own house out of patriotism and chewing tobacco because, by god, they sure do love America!

If that were ever true, it hasn’t been for a while. These days, rural America is largely dependent on the federal government it claims to hate. In fact, far from self-reliant, rural America is subsidized by blue states. And it’s not even close.

The Economic Innovation Group, a bipartisan public policy organization, has put together a map tracking the share of every county’s personal income that’s made up of government transfers, which include Social Security, Medicaid, Medicare, food assistance, and veterans benefits—money specifically sent or spent on individuals.

Circled some of the country’s largest metropolitan areas to highlight how stark the urban-rural disparity can be. The metros around Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia, and San Francisco all show minimal (less than 15% of personal income) or moderate (15% to less than 25%) reliance on government transfers. Rural America, meanwhile, is a glowing sea of government-dependent yellow. The South in particular looks like it took a bath in it.

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2025/7/10/2332575/-Look-just-how-much-red-counties-depend-on-the-government-they-hate

[paleotn]

1. They're a bad investment

And a dog that bites the hand that feeds them. Ironically, the big bad bill, and subsequent legislation - don’t even think they’re done yet, might just change that. Now where did I leave those bootstraps?

[maxsolomon]

2. Out here in WA, it's well known that Seattle pays for E. Washington's roads and schools

And they hate us.

[keep_left]

3. Back in the '90s, Newt Gingrich represented Cobb County, GA...

...a ruby-red suburban/exurban area which, according to Common Cause, was "hooked on Federal subsidies and handouts". The only geographic areas receiving more Federal dollars were part of the Federal system (e.g. military bases, the CIA HQ in VA). Probably little has changed in the intervening years. (I remember first hearing about this in a Noam Chomsky interview).

Here are two articles about Cobb County from the '90s.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1995/10/17/gingrichs-county-well-insulated-from-federal-budget-cuts/9d14b234-8f8d-4eb2-9bc9-dd931990d2ca/

https://www.nytimes.com/1994/08/01/us/a-suburban-eden-where-the-right-rules.html

[SickOfTheOnePct]

4. Not quite sure why

they are lumping Social Security & Medicare into that, since those are earned benefits...veterans' benefits as well.

When I think about reliance on the federal government, I think about farm & other business subsidies, SNAP, TANF, Medicaid, etc.

[Blue Owl]

5. Year after year, they never learn

I almost wish we could cut them loose and see how they like it without their blue state parachute

[mgardener]

6. Thank you

For posting this!

[Skittles]

7. "how did the nation get to this point"

I'd say decades of trickle-down bullshit is the main cause.

[LiberalArkie]

8. Red counties around here are run by White, straight men.. Just like God intended when he created Murica.