Living on Social Security alone can be financially challenging, but many retirees and people with disabilities do it every day. They budget carefully, find clever ways to save money and enroll in assistance programs designed to help people make ends meet, like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
Find Out: How Long $1 Million in Retirement Will Last in Every State
Trending Now: How Long You Could Last on Nothing but Social Security in 50 Major Cities
Sometimes, they also move to lower-cost-of-living areas to stretch their dollars further or aim for a higher-than-average payment.
It’s possible to beat the average Social Security benefit. Those who generally work longer careers — strategically increase their earnings over time — and wait as long as possible to apply for payments.
While the average monthly benefit varies by gender and age, here are the average Social Security payments in every state, according to the Social Security Administration.
Overall total average payments for the state of Alabama:
-
Total number of beneficiaries: 1,163,871
-
Total benefits: $1,706,991,000
-
Average total benefits: $1,467
Discover More: The Standard Retirement Age in the US vs. 5 European Countries
Check Out: 7 Reasons You Must Speak To a Financial Advisor Before Spending $50,000 or More
Overall total average payments for the state of Alaska:
-
Total number of beneficiaries: 110,006
-
Total benefits: $162,824,000
-
Average total benefits: $1,480
Learn More: What a Middle-Class Social Security Check Could Look Like in 2025
Overall total average payments for the state of Arizona:
-
Total number of beneficiaries: 1,449,120
-
Total benefits: $2,298,348,000
-
Average total benefits: $1,586
Overall total average payments for the state of Arkansas:
-
Total number of beneficiaries: 709,191
-
Total benefits: $1,005,891,000
-
Average total benefits: $1,418
Overall total average payments for the state of California:
-
Total number of beneficiaries: 6,166,205
-
Total benefits: $9,340,498,000
-
Average total benefits: $1,515
Overall total average payments for the state of Colorado:
-
Total number of beneficiaries: 925,084
-
Total benefits: $1,467,937,000
-
Average total benefits: $1,587
Be Aware: 7 Things You’ll Be Happy You Downgraded in Retirement
Overall total average payments for the state of Connecticut:
-
Total number of beneficiaries: 699,597
-
Total benefits: $1,193,327,000
-
Average total benefits: $1,706
Overall total average payments for the state of Delaware:
-
Total number of beneficiaries: 229,047
-
Total benefits: $387,905,000
-
Average total benefits: $1,694
Overall total average payments for the state of Florida:
-
Total number of beneficiaries: 4,909,642
-
Total benefits: $7,577,221,000
-
Average total benefits: $1,543
Overall total average payments for the state of Georgia:
-
Total number of beneficiaries: 1,918,848
-
Total benefits: $2,869,160,000
-
Average total benefits: $1,495
Check Out: Need to Cut Expenses While on Social Security? Here’s the First Thing to Get Rid Of
Overall total average payments for the state of Hawaii:
-
Total number of beneficiaries: 286,863
-
Total benefits: $449,099,000
-
Average total benefits: $1,566
Overall total average payments for the state of Idaho:
-
Total number of beneficiaries: 377,904
-
Total benefits: $574,812,000
-
Average total benefits: $1,521
Overall total average payments for the state of Illinois:
-
Total number of beneficiaries: 2,271,926
-
Total benefits: $3,564,381,000
-
Average total benefits: $1,569
Overall total average payments for the state of Indiana:
-
Total number of beneficiaries: 1,388,573
-
Total benefits: $2,189,729,000
-
Average total benefits: $1,577
Read Next: I’m an Economist: Here’s What the 2025 Social Security COLA Should Be To Keep Up With Inflation
Overall total average payments for the state of Iowa:
-
Total number of beneficiaries: 668,984
-
Total benefits: $1,039,410,000
-
Average total benefits: $1,554
Overall total average payments for the state of Kansas:
-
Total number of beneficiaries: 573,476
-
Total benefits: $910,400,000
-
Average total benefits: $1,588
Overall total average payments for the state of Kentucky:
-
Total number of beneficiaries: 1,010,012
-
Total benefits: $1,438,656,000
-
Average total benefits: $1,424
Overall total average payments for the state of Louisiana:
-
Total number of beneficiaries: 924,881
-
Total benefits: $1,287,133,000
-
Average total benefits: $1,392
Trending Now: I’m Retired and Regret Claiming Social Security at 70 — Here’s Why
Overall total average payments for the state of Maine:
-
Total number of beneficiaries: 359,152
-
Total benefits: $521,038,000
-
Average total benefits: $1,451
Overall total average payments for the state of Maryland:
-
Total number of beneficiaries: 1,038,041
-
Total benefits: $1,710,224,000
-
Average total benefits: $1,648
Overall total average payments for the state of Massachusetts:
-
Total number of beneficiaries: 1,295,088
-
Total benefits: $2,061,173,000
-
Average total benefits: $1,592
Overall total average payments for the state of Michigan:
-
Total number of beneficiaries: 2,253,295
-
Total benefits: $3,611,694,000
-
Average total benefits: $1,603
Consider This: 8 States To Move to If You Don’t Want To Pay Taxes on Social Security
Overall total average payments for the state of Minnesota:
-
Total number of beneficiaries: 1,082,519
-
Total benefits: $1,756,202,000
-
Average total benefits: $1,622
Overall total average payments for the state of Mississippi:
-
Total number of beneficiaries: 681,844
-
Total benefits: $951,295,000
-
Average total benefits: $1,395
Overall total average payments for the state of Missouri:
-
Total number of beneficiaries: 1,329,084
-
Total benefits: $1,990,464,000
-
Average total benefits: $1,498
Overall total average payments for the state of Montana:
-
Total number of beneficiaries: 248,513
-
Total benefits: $368,099,000
-
Average total benefits: $1,481
Discover More: 2 Changes Are Coming to Social Security in 2025
Overall total average payments for the state of Nebraska:
-
Total number of beneficiaries: 360,240
-
Total benefits: $559,398,000
-
Average total benefits: $1,553
Overall total average payments for the state of Nevada:
-
Total number of beneficiaries: 571,841
-
Total benefits: $872,772,000
-
Average total benefits: $1,526
Overall total average payments for the state of New Hampshire:
-
Total number of beneficiaries: 321,925
-
Total benefits: $534,012,000
-
Average total benefits: $1,659
Overall total average payments for the state of New Jersey:
-
Total number of beneficiaries: 1,652,973
-
Total benefits: $2,823,697,000
-
Average total benefits: $1,708
Find Out: 40 States Where You’ll Feel the Biggest Social Security Increase This Year
Overall total average payments for the state of New Mexico:
-
Total number of beneficiaries: 455,414
-
Total benefits: $655,876,000
-
Average total benefits: $1,440
Overall total average payments for the state of New York:
-
Total number of beneficiaries: 3,680,521
-
Total benefits: $5,804,433,000
-
Average total benefits: $1,577
Overall total average payments for the state of North Carolina:
-
Total number of beneficiaries: 2,202,898
-
Total benefits: $3,388,657,000
-
Average total benefits: $1,538
Overall total average payments for the state of North Dakota:
-
Total number of beneficiaries: 140,668
-
Total benefits: $211,034,000
-
Average total benefits: $1,500
See Next: The Best Retirement Towns for the Middle Class in 2024
Overall total average payments for the state of Ohio:
-
Total number of beneficiaries: 2,409,265
-
Total benefits: $3,596,930,000
-
Average total benefits: $1,493
Overall total average payments for the state of Oklahoma:
-
Total number of beneficiaries: 813,941
-
Total benefits: $1,204,224,000
-
Average total benefits: $1,480
Overall total average payments for the state of Oregon:
-
Total number of beneficiaries: 910,086
-
Total benefits: $1,420,319,000
-
Average total benefits: $1,561
Overall total average payments for the state of Pennsylvania:
-
Total number of beneficiaries: 2,878,165
-
Total benefits: $4,573,216,000
-
Average total benefits: $1,589
Explore More: Florida’s Retirees Are Fleeing: Experts Predict These 5 States Will Be Top Retirement Spots in 10 Years
Overall total average payments for the state of Rhode Island:
-
Total number of beneficiaries: 230,763
-
Total benefits: $362,689,000
-
Average total benefits: $1,572
Overall total average payments for the state of South Carolina:
-
Total number of beneficiaries: 1,215,646
-
Total benefits: $1,886,729,000
-
Average total benefits: $1,552
Overall total average payments for the state of South Dakota:
-
Total number of beneficiaries: 189,232
-
Total benefits: $283,326,000
-
Average total benefits: $1,497
Overall total average payments for the state of Tennessee:
-
Total number of beneficiaries: 1,503,361
-
Total benefits: $2,257,993,000
-
Average total benefits: $1,502
Be Aware: Why Florida’s Retirees Are Fleeing — And Where They’re Going Instead
Overall total average payments for the state of Texas:
-
Total number of beneficiaries: 4,475,805
-
Total benefits: $6,664,498,000
-
Average total benefits: $1,489
Overall total average payments for the state of Utah:
-
Total number of beneficiaries: 438,581
-
Total benefits: $693,526,000
-
Average total benefits: $1,581
Overall total average payments for the state of Vermont:
-
Total number of beneficiaries: 157,587
-
Total benefits: $245,387,000
-
Average total benefits: $1,557
Overall total average payments for the state of Virginia:
-
Total number of beneficiaries: 1,598,078
-
Total benefits: $2,538,995,000
-
Average total benefits: $1,589
Read More: I’m Retired and Regret My Frugal Retirement — Here’s Why
Overall total average payments for the state of Washington:
-
Total number of beneficiaries: 1,413,306
-
Total benefits: $2,303,623,000
-
Average total benefits: $1,630
Overall total average payments for the state of West Virginia:
-
Total number of beneficiaries: 475,824
-
Total benefits: $692,161,000
-
Average total benefits: $1,455
Overall total average payments for the state of Wisconsin:
-
Total number of beneficiaries: 1,289,260
-
Total benefits: $2,046,456,000
-
Average total benefits: $1,587
Overall total average payments for the state of Wyoming:
-
Total number of beneficiaries: 120,816
-
Total benefits: $192,021,000
-
Average total benefits: $1,589
GOBankingRates found the average Social Security payment in every state by looking at the Social Security Administration’s “OASDI Beneficiaries by State and County, 2021”. For each state, GOBankingRates found overall total average payment, retired workers average payment and disabled workers average payment. All data was collected and is up to date as of May 23, 2024.
More From GOBankingRates
This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Social Security: This Is the Average Payment in Every State
