This Is the Average Social Security Payment in Every State

JJ Gouin / Getty Images/iStockphoto
JJ Gouin / Getty Images/iStockphoto

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, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

Sometimes, they also move to lower-cost-of-living areas to stretch their dollars further or aim for a higher-than-average payment.

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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
Allard1 / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Alabama

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

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mscornelius / Getty Images/iStockphoto
mscornelius / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Alaska

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

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Kruck20 / iStock.com
Kruck20 / iStock.com

Arizona

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
dlewis33 / Getty Images

Arkansas

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
Eloi_Omella / iStock.com

California

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
Jonathan Ross / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Colorado

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

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akrassel / iStock.com
akrassel / iStock.com

Connecticut

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
DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images

Delaware

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

ajansen / Getty Images
ajansen / Getty Images

District of Columbia

Overall total average payments for Washington, D.C.:

  • Total number of beneficiaries: 83,228

  • Total benefits: $124,676,000

  • Average total benefits: $1,498

Michael Warren / Getty Images
Michael Warren / Getty Images

Florida

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

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TrongNguyen / Getty Images
TrongNguyen / Getty Images

Georgia

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

AnnaGodfrey / Getty Images/iStockphoto
AnnaGodfrey / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Hawaii

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
christiannafzger / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Idaho

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
DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images

Illinois

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

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chapin31 / Getty Images/iStockphoto
chapin31 / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Indiana

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

Joel Carillet / Getty Images
Joel Carillet / Getty Images

Iowa

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
TriggerPhoto / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Kansas

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
DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Kentucky

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

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DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images/iStockphoto
DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Louisiana

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

DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images/iStockphoto
DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Maine

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
Alexander Farnsworth / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Maryland

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
DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Massachusetts

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

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DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images
DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images

Michigan

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

Jacob Boomsma / Getty Images/iStockphoto
Jacob Boomsma / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Minnesota

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
DenisTangneyJr / iStock.com

Mississippi

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
amolson7 / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Missouri

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

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Lightguard / Getty Images/iStockphoto
Lightguard / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Montana

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

RiverNorthPhotography / Getty Images
RiverNorthPhotography / Getty Images

Nebraska

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
lucky-photographer / Getty Images

Nevada

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
DenisTangneyJr / iStock.com

New Hampshire

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

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BrianEKushner / Getty Images/iStockphoto
BrianEKushner / Getty Images/iStockphoto

New Jersey

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

ElFlacodelNorte / Getty Images/iStockphoto
ElFlacodelNorte / Getty Images/iStockphoto

New Mexico

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
DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images

New York

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
Jeff Yount / iStock.com

North Carolina

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

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powerofforever / Getty Images
powerofforever / Getty Images

North Dakota

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

J.C. Marciniak / Getty Images/iStockphoto
J.C. Marciniak / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Ohio

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
DenisTangneyJr / iStock.com

Oklahoma

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
Samson1976 / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Oregon

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

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WilliamSherman / Getty Images/iStockphoto
WilliamSherman / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Pennsylvania

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

Alex Potemkin / Getty Images/iStockphoto
Alex Potemkin / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Rhode Island

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
KenWiedemann / iStock.com

South Carolina

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
DenisTangneyJr / iStock.com

South Dakota

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

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Sean Pavone / iStock.com
Sean Pavone / iStock.com

Tennessee

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

RoschetzkyIstockPhoto / Getty Images
RoschetzkyIstockPhoto / Getty Images

Texas

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
DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images

Utah

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
DenisTangneyJr / iStock.com

Vermont

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

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halbergman / Getty Images/iStockphoto
halbergman / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Virginia

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

ChrisBoswell / Getty Images/iStockphoto
ChrisBoswell / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Washington

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
AppalachianViews / Getty Images/iStockphoto

West Virginia

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
DenisTangneyJr / iStock.com

Wisconsin

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

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undefined undefined / Getty Images/iStockphoto
undefined undefined / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Wyoming

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 (1) overall total average payment; (2) retired workers average payment; and (3) disabled workers average payment. All data was collected and is up to date as of May 6, 2024.

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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: This Is the Average Social Security Payment in Every State

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