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Average Social Security payments for each state

How does your benefit measure up?

Updated:

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Mark Huffman
Reporter

Mark Huffman has covered consumer issues since 2004, with a special focus on protecting and empowering older adults. A former news correspondent for the Associated Press Radio Network, Westwood One, and ConsumerAffairs, Mark brings decades of journalistic experience to RetirementLiving.com. He is passionate about giving consumers a voice and helping them make informed decisions. Mark has also created educational content, including Senior Scam Alert, a video resource designed to help seniors recognize and avoid fraud. He holds a B.A. from the University of Kentucky and lives with his family in Richmond, Virginia.
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Key Insights

  • Nationwide average for retired workers in 2025: roughly $2,009 per month — up slightly from the year prior.
  • Highest average benefits are concentrated in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic (e.g., Connecticut, New Jersey, New Hampshire).
  • Lowest average benefits are found in several Southern states such as Mississippi and Louisiana.

Social Security benefits vary by how long you worked and your lifetime earnings. But when you begin drawing benefits will also make a difference.

For example, if you begin withdrawing benefits at age 62, your monthly payment will be significantly less than if you waited until age 67 or 70. According to Kiplinger, these are the average Social Security benefits received in each state.

Average Social Security Benefits by State (Monthly, 2025)

StateAvg. Social Security Benefit
Alabama$1,920.20
Alaska$1,906.99
Arizona$2,019.52
Arkansas$1,852.07
California$1,935.16
Colorado$2,036.79
Connecticut$2,196.15
Delaware$2,170.63
District of Columbia$2,000.39
Florida$1,961.58
Georgia$1,924.43
Hawaii$1,980.89
Idaho$1,951.43
Illinois$2,004.98
Indiana$2,033.94
Iowa$1,992.07
Kansas$2,055.17
Kentucky$1,865.76
Lousiana$1,818.40
Maine$1,888.67
Maryland$2,139.54
Massachusetts$2,084.32
Michigan$2,066.03
Minnesota$2,095.13
Mississippi$1,814.24
Missouri$1,936.50
Montana$1,886.95
Nebraska$2,010.80
Nevada$1,906.36
New Hampshire$2,183.82
New Jersey$2,190.05
New Mexico$1,865.12
New York$2,018.22
North Carolina$1,980.01
North Dakota$1,928.53
Ohio$1,922.91
Oklahoma$1,921.69
Oregon$1,989.74
Pennsylvania$2,052.30
Rhode Island$2,049.82
South Carolina$1,996.30
South Dakota$1,919.29
Tennessee$1,958.01
Texas$1,932.02
Utah$2,065.18
Vermont$2,039.64
Virginia$2,063.95
Washington$2,099.38
West Virginia$1,898.05
Wisconsin$2,027.60
Wyoming$2,023.54

Source: 2025 state Social Security averages, compiled from Social Security Administration data as reported by Kiplinger.

What these numbers mean

  • Regional Patterns: The highest average Social Security benefits tend to be in Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states such as Connecticut ($2,196.15), New Jersey ($2,190.05), and New Hampshire ($2,183.82). 
  • Lower-Benefit States: Mississippi ($1,814.24), Louisiana ($1,818.40), and Arkansas ($1,852.07) are among the states with the lowest averages. 
  • Why the Variation? Differences reflect factors such as long-term earnings histories, local workforce patterns, ages at claiming benefits, and population age structures.

As of late 2025, the national average Social Security benefit among retired workers was about $2,009 monthly — a modest increase over 2024 figures. In 2026, benefits are scheduled to rise with a 2.8% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA), boosting payouts for millions of recipients.