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DeWitt County More Reliant on Social Security Than Rest of Country

Data shows De Witt County is more dependent on Social Security payments than is the rest of the country.

Research conducted by Dr. Roberto Gallardo, who is a research associate with the Southern Rural Development Center at Mississippi State University, his research shows nationally, 5.5 percent of total personal income in 2009 came from Social Security payments. In Illinois, 5.0 percent of all income comes from these payments. Tim Marema, the Associate Editor of the Daily Yonder, an online publication covering rural America, published by the Center for Rural Strategies, explains research was done to show the impact of social security in rural areas in America.

[audio:socialsecurityresearch1.mp3]A Word From Marema[/audio]

More than one in five Americans living in small cities and rural counties received some kind of Social Security check in 2009. Marema says Social Security payments are particularly importan to rural counties and small cities because the money is largely spent in the community.

[audio:socialsecurityresearch21.mp3]A Word From Marema[/audio]

Social Security payments go to those over the age of 62 who have filed for benefits, to survivors of insured workers and to those with disabilities. The program is mainly funded by payroll taxes. Marema explains in De Witt County, 71.4 percent of recipients were retirees in 2009, 11.8 percent were survivors and 16.7 percent were disabled.

[audio:socialsecurityresearch3.mp3]A Word From Marema[/audio]

Social Security payments in De Witt County have been changing as a proportion of total income. These payments amounted to 5.1 percent of total income in 1970, 6.1 percent in 1980, 7.7 percent in 1990, 6.9 percent in 2000 and 7.7 percent in 2009.

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