Social Security Cuts: Greatest Impact On FL Small Towns

America’s small towns will be hit hardest by any cuts in Social Security, according to a new analysis by the rural news website the Daily Yonder. Rural areas have a higher percentage of people who receive America’s small towns will be hit hardest by any cuts in Social Security, according to a new analysis by the rural news website the Daily Yonder. Rural areas have a higher percentage of people who receive those benefits, the review says. Economist Mark Partridge at Ohio State University says the loss may appear small on an individual basis, but its reach would be broad.

“I don’t want to necessarily say it would devastate communities, but I think small businesses, restaurants, grocery stores, hardware stores – all of these are going to feel somewhat of an impact if a lot of their steady customers, the ones who spend their money locally, have less.”

In Florida’s metropolitan counties, about 19 percent of the population receives Social Security benefits. In rural counties that figure jumps to almost 23 percent, and 29 percent for small towns.

Rural areas have a higher percentage of Social Security recipients because young people tend to gravitate toward cities, says Partridge, adding that more people in rural areas receive disability payments.

“It relates to the kinds of industries people work in. Industries like logging, mining or agriculture tend to be more dangerous, and thus you’re more likely to draw things such as disability.”

Many rural towns and regions would be affected, Partridge says, especially in central Florida and the Panhandle.

The so-called congressional “super-committee” is expected later this month to make its recommendations for spending cuts, which might include changes to the Social Security program.

Here is the breakdown for the three western-most Panhandle counties – OASDI stands for Social Security’s Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI):

State Name 2009 Total No. of OASDI Recipients 2009 % OASDI Recipients of Total Population 2009 % Retired of Total Recipients 2009 % Survivors of Total Recipients 2009 % Disability of Total Recipients
Florida Escambia 61,225 20.2 67.0 12.9 20.1
Florida Okaloosa 32,750 18.4 71.9 12.6 15.5
Florida Santa Rosa 26,890 17.7 68.1 11.8 20.0
PERCENTAGE OF TOTAL PERSONAL INCOME
State Name 1970 1980 1990 2000 2009 State %
Florida Escambia 2.7 4.6 5.3 6.0 7.1 6.5
Florida Okaloosa 2.0 4.0 4.2 4.9 5.3 6.5
Florida Santa Rosa 2.6 4.2 4.7 5.6 6.6 6.5
State Name 2009 Total OASDI Payments 2009 Per Capita OASDI Payments 2009 Per Capita OASDI Payments (State) 2009 Per Capita OASDI Payments (Nation)
Florida Escambia $743,612,470 $2,451 $2,588 $2,199
Florida Okaloosa $406,167,670 $2,276 $2,588 $2,199
Florida Santa Rosa $341,202,431 $2,248 $2,588 $2,199
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