US State Transfer Payments
US state transfer payments, including social security and Medicare, from the BEA.
| Indicator | Q1-2026 | Q4-2025 | Q3-2025 | Q2-2025 | Q1-2025 | Q4-2024 | Q3-2024 | Q2-2024 | Q1-2024 | Q4-2023 | Q3-2023 | Q2-2023 | Q1-2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total transfer payments1 | ||||||||||||||
| United States8 | 5,099.64 | 5,053.54 | 5,013.92 | 4,952.23 | 4,787.99 | 4,653 | 4,587.54 | 4,533.48 | 4,447.53 | 4,266.36 | 4,253.25 | 4,268.89 | 4,238.13 | |
| Social Security1 | ||||||||||||||
| United States8 | 1,630.32 | 1,578.39 | 1,575.44 | 1,607.52 | 1,529.84 | 1,469.08 | 1,454.23 | 1,440.99 | 1,427.56 | 1,374.51 | 1,359.88 | 1,352.62 | 1,340.88 | |
| Medicare1 | ||||||||||||||
| United States8 | 1,300.99 | 1,269.52 | 1,237.62 | 1,205.33 | 1,172.63 | 1,140.29 | 1,111.88 | 1,088.15 | 1,069.11 | 1,053.63 | 1,036.37 | 1,016.2 | 993.13 | |
| Medicaid1 | ||||||||||||||
| United States8 | 1,060.17 | 1,050.49 | 1,045.6 | 991.52 | 955.22 | 960.68 | 947.94 | 934.72 | 909.41 | 857.71 | 867.29 | 910.92 | 876.76 | |
| Unemployment insurance benefits1 | ||||||||||||||
| United States8 | 35.97 | 37.62 | 38.02 | 37.58 | 36.73 | 36.97 | 36.64 | 35.78 | 35.19 | 35.24 | 34.58 | 32.54 | 29.66 |
Latest reading
United States stood at 5,099.64 USD billion in Q1 2026. That is +0.9% from Q4 2025 and +6.5% from a year earlier. The series on this page is quarterly and runs from Q1 1948 to Q1 2026. Source: BEA (Bureau of Economic Analysis) — Regional Economic Accounts.
- Latest
- 5,099.64 USD billion
- Q1 2026
- vs previous period
- +0.9%
- Q4 2025
- vs a year earlier
- +6.5%
About this data
US state transfer payments, including social security and Medicare, from the BEA. This quarterly dataset tracks public cash flows to households across all states and the District of Columbia since 1948. Figures are published by the Bureau of Economic Analysis at seasonally adjusted annual rates in USD billion. Regional totals and state-level components sum precisely to the national aggregate.
Frequently asked questions
- What does the US state transfer payments table measure?
- This table measures government transfer payments received by residents of each state in the United States, including Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, unemployment insurance, veterans' benefits, and public assistance.
- How often is the data published and how far back does it go?
- The data is published quarterly by the Bureau of Economic Analysis at seasonally adjusted annual rates, with continuous historical series dating back to 1948.
- What geographic breakdowns are available in this dataset?
- The data is organized in a hierarchy covering the United States as a whole, eight BEA economic regions, and individual figures for all 50 states plus Washington, D.C.
- How do transfer payments relate to personal income in the United States?
- Transfer payments constitute a key component of personal income in the United States, capturing direct public cash flows and assistance provided to households by federal, state, and local governments.
