Assistance Expenditures Per Inhabitant, 1959–60

In the fiscal year 1959-60, total assistance payments for all five public assistance programs combined averaged $20.38 for every inhabitant of the United States-only 11 cents more than the per capita cost in the preceding year. Per capita costs, obtained by relating the total assistance outlay for the country as a whole or for each State to the total number of persons in the Nation or in the particular State, permit a more meaningful comparison of expenditures between years and among States than do aggregate amounts. In 1959-60, for example, assistance payments for all public assistance categories combined totaled $337 million in the State of New York-more than four times Colorado’s expenditure of $79 million. On a per capita basis, however, Colorado’s expenditure ($45.13) was more than twice that in New York ($20.10). Changes in per inhabitant expenditures from 1958-59 to 1959-60 were relatively small in all programs except aid to the permanently and totally disabled, where there was a rise of 7.2 percent. The largest shift in dollar amounts occurred in aid to dependent children (up 20 cents) and the smallest in aid to the blind (up 1 cent). The detail by program is shown below.