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: Are You Rich or Middle Class? 8 Ways To Tell That Go Beyond Your Paycheck10 Genius Things Warren Buffett Says To Do With Your Money
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.
Allard1 / Getty Images/iStockphoto
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: Warren Buffett: 10 Things Poor People Waste Money On
mscornelius / Getty Images/iStockphoto
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
Kruck20 / iStock.com
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
dlewis33 / Getty Images
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
Eloi_Omella / iStock.com
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
Jonathan Ross / Getty Images/iStockphoto
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
akrassel / iStock.com
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
DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images
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
Michael Warren / Getty Images
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
TrongNguyen / Getty Images
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
AnnaGodfrey / Getty Images/iStockphoto
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
christiannafzger / Getty Images/iStockphoto
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
DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images
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
chapin31 / Getty Images/iStockphoto
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
Joel Carillet / Getty Images
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
TriggerPhoto / Getty Images/iStockphoto
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
DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images/iStockphoto
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
DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images/iStockphoto
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
DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images/iStockphoto
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
Alexander Farnsworth / Getty Images/iStockphoto
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
DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images/iStockphoto
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
DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images
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
Jacob Boomsma / Getty Images/iStockphoto
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
DenisTangneyJr / iStock.com
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
amolson7 / Getty Images/iStockphoto
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
Lightguard / Getty Images/iStockphoto
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
RiverNorthPhotography / Getty Images
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
lucky-photographer / Getty Images
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
DenisTangneyJr / iStock.com
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
BrianEKushner / Getty Images/iStockphoto
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
ElFlacodelNorte / Getty Images/iStockphoto
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
DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images
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
Jeff Yount / iStock.com
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
powerofforever / Getty Images
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
J.C. Marciniak / Getty Images/iStockphoto
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
DenisTangneyJr / iStock.com
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
Samson1976 / Getty Images/iStockphoto
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
WilliamSherman / Getty Images/iStockphoto
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
Alex Potemkin / Getty Images/iStockphoto
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
KenWiedemann / iStock.com
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
DenisTangneyJr / iStock.com
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
Sean Pavone / iStock.com
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
RoschetzkyIstockPhoto / Getty Images
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
DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images
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
DenisTangneyJr / iStock.com
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
halbergman / Getty Images/iStockphoto
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
ChrisBoswell / Getty Images/iStockphoto
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
AppalachianViews / Getty Images/iStockphoto
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
DenisTangneyJr / iStock.com
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
undefined undefined / Getty Images/iStockphoto
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
Krista Wilson is a news writer for Axe News Room. She has been with the company since 2017. Her favorite topics to write about include local politics and entertainment, but she also enjoys writing about national politics when she can find time between her other assignments.
