The Geography of Government Benefits

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2012/02/12/us/entitlement-map.html?ref=us

Hit on the link to view a state by state and county by county assessment of where government benefits are going. The first thing that will leap off the map is the clear pattern that the greatest benefits are going to the states whose political leaders are speaking out the loudest against them.

-here are some local Illinois snapshot stats-
National Average: 17.6% of all income comes from government benefits
Lee County: 22.41% or $7586 per capita        (rural)
LaSalle County: 20.63% or $7315 per capita  (rural)
Bureau County: 20.36% or $7378 per capita    (rural)
Henry County: 19.76% or $7013 per capita      (rural)
Marshall County: 19.58% or $7735 per capita  (rural)
Peoria County: 17.18% or $7315 per capita      (metro)
Cook County: 15.61% or $7441 per capita        (metro)