How big will your Social Security payments be when you retire? Will you get as much as retirees in the states where the average benefit is highest?
We used new data from Social Security’s latest annual statistical report to rank the 15 states where average payments are greatest for retired workers. The report reflects data from December 2019, the latest such data available.
Our ranking also includes the average monthly amounts paid to to widows and widowers collecting survivors’ benefits, and to the disabled.
Survivors may get as much as 100% of their late spouse’s Social Security payment, although maximizing survivor benefits can be tricky, as we report in “This Type of Social Security Benefit Is Often Overlooked.”
Nationally, the average monthly Social Security payment to retired workers is $1,503. State by state, the average benefit for retirees ranges from a low of $1,399 to a high of $1,663.
It’s tempting to assume that beneficiaries in the top-ranked states are more flush that their peers elsewhere. But that’s not necessarily so, since the cost of living also is higher in most of these bigger-benefit states.
Our list starts with the state with the 15th-highest average retirement benefit payment. The state with the highest average benefit check is last.
15. Utah
Average monthly benefit among:
- Retired workers (nondisabled): $1,548.75
- Widows and widowers (nondisabled): $1,553.94
- All disabled beneficiaries (includes workers, widows and widowers and children): $1,196.12
14. Virginia
Average monthly benefit among:
- Retired workers (nondisabled): $1,553.37
- Widows and widowers (nondisabled): $1,454.35
- All disabled beneficiaries (includes workers, widows and widowers and children): $1,206.89
13. New York
Average monthly benefit among:
- Retired workers (nondisabled): $1,553.93
- Widows and widowers (nondisabled): $1,473.87
- All disabled beneficiaries (includes workers, widows and widowers and children): $1,229.19
12. Kansas
Average monthly benefit among:
- Retired workers (nondisabled): $1,556.97
- Widows and widowers (nondisabled): $1,522.30
- All disabled beneficiaries (includes workers, widows and widowers and children): $1,166.19
11. Massachusetts
Average monthly benefit among:
- Retired workers (nondisabled): $1,557.35
- Widows and widowers (nondisabled): $1,487.12
- All disabled beneficiaries (includes workers, widows and widowers and children): $1,200.10
10. Pennsylvania
Average monthly benefit among:
- Retired workers (nondisabled): $1,558.30
- Widows and widowers (nondisabled): $1,503.21
- All disabled beneficiaries (includes workers, widows and widowers and children): $1,201.17
9. Indiana
Average monthly benefit among:
- Retired workers (nondisabled): $1,562.16
- Widows and widowers (nondisabled): $1,541.77
- All disabled beneficiaries (includes workers, widows and widowers and children): $1,199.48
8. Minnesota
Average monthly benefit among:
- Retired workers (nondisabled): $1,569.14
- Widows and widowers (nondisabled): $1,511.27
- All disabled beneficiaries (includes workers, widows and widowers and children): $1,185.33
7. Washington
Average monthly benefit among:
- Retired workers (nondisabled): $1,582.81
- Widows and widowers (nondisabled): $1,534.66
- All disabled beneficiaries (includes workers, widows and widowers and children): $1,221.08
6. Michigan
Average monthly benefit among:
- Retired workers (nondisabled): $1,590.98
- Widows and widowers (nondisabled): $1,556.27
- All disabled beneficiaries (includes workers, widows and widowers and children): $1,228.28
5. Maryland
Average monthly benefit among:
- Retired workers (nondisabled): $1,598.79
- Widows and widowers (nondisabled): $1,505.06
- All disabled beneficiaries (includes workers, widows and widowers and children): $1,249.15
4. New Hampshire
Average monthly benefit among:
- Retired workers (nondisabled): $1,618.53
- Widows and widowers (nondisabled): $1,571.00
- All disabled beneficiaries (includes workers, widows and widowers and children): $1,237.86
3. Delaware
Average monthly benefit among:
- Retired workers (nondisabled): $1,632.66
- Widows and widowers (nondisabled): $1,561.06
- All disabled beneficiaries (includes workers, widows and widowers and children): $1,286.17
2. Connecticut
Average monthly benefit among:
- Retired workers (nondisabled): $1,658.75
- Widows and widowers (nondisabled): $1,596.49
- All disabled beneficiaries (includes workers, widows and widowers and children): $1,239.10
1. New Jersey
Average monthly benefit among:
- Retired workers (nondisabled): $1,662.82
- Widows and widowers (nondisabled): $1,575.04
- All disabled beneficiaries (includes workers, widows and widowers and children): $1,315.53
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