Average Social Security benefits by state

The average Social Security benefit varies quite a bit by state. The average Social Security check ranges from about $1,816 per month in Mississippi to $2,405 per month in New Hampshire. Several factors affect each state’s average Social Security benefit. Average income plays a significant role. The more money you earn from your job, the more you pay in Social Security payroll taxes. This is true at least until you exceed the $176,100 cap on this tax for 2025. More money paid into Social Security means larger checks for you in retirement. Mississippi has a low average income compared to the rest of the country. So it makes sense that its average Social Security benefit would be among the lowest. On the other hand, New Hampshire’s average annual income is among the highest in the nation. So it’s not surprising that it also has the largest average Social Security checks. A larger income might also enable residents of some wealthier states to delay their Social Security application until they’re older. The longer you delay Social Security, the larger your monthly checks become. This continues until you qualify for your maximum benefit at age 70.

State-by-state benefit variations

These benefits are just averages. No matter where you live, it’s possible to earn more than this. These three steps can help you get as much from the program as possible: 1. Work at least 35 years before applying. This prevents the Social Security Administration from including zero-income years in your calculation, which reduces your checks. 2. Maximize your income today. Unless you’re earning more than the $176,100 Social Security payroll tax cap for 2025, anything you do to increase your income today will boost your Social Security benefits in retirement. 3. Choose your claiming age carefully. Claiming early might be wise if you have a short life expectancy or cannot afford to delay. However, those who can wait to claim will see increased benefits. Keep in mind that the average checks should also increase over time due to Cost-of-Living Adjustments (COLAs). So even if you earn close to the average benefit today, you can expect a little more in future years. Image Credits: Photo by Morgan Lane on Unsplash