The stereotype of rural people not relying on government funding falls apart pretty quickly once you start a conversation about ending agricultural subsidies.  For what it's worth, Mesa County takes in about $3,285 per person in federal expenditures.  Denver County is at $2,565.  Arapahoe and Jefferson counties are at $2,605 and $2,343 respectively.  Morgan County is at $2,625.

When you start looking at per capita expenditures, there's not a big divide between rural and urban areas on government spending.