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How Much Americans Rely on Social Security in Every State

April 17, 2025 — 07:11 am EDT

Written by Heather Taylor for GOBankingRates->

In West Virginia, retirees depend on receiving Social Security more than any other U.S. state.

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GOBankingRates determined how much American retirees rely on Social Security by analyzing each state’s households with Social Security income. The percent of households that receive Social Security income was calculated and the states were sorted to show the places with the highest percent of households receiving Social Security checks.

Key Findings

West Virginia had the highest percentage of households, 41.2%, that depend on Social Security. West Virginia has previously ranked in several GOBankingRates studies as one of the most affordable states to retire in. It is one of nine states that does not tax Social Security income.
Of the 10 states where Americans rely on Social Security most, more than 35% of households are dependent on this income. Besides West Virginia, the remaining nine states include Maine (37.3%), Hawaii (37.2%), Florida (36.7%), Vermont (36.3%), Delaware (36%), New Mexico (35.8%), Mississippi (35.5%), Alabama (35.2%) and South Carolina (35.1%).
California is home to the largest number of households (3,779,490) that depend on Social Security.
More than 1 million households depend on Social Security in 11 U.S. states. Ranked from the most to least number of households, these states are California, Florida, Texas, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois, Michigan, North Carolina, Georgia and New Jersey.

See how many Americans rely on Social Security in every state.

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Charleston, West Virginia, USA skyline on the Kanawha River at dusk.

1. West Virginia

# of households with Social Security: 297,356
% of households with Social Security: 41.2%
Average Social Security income: $22,747
Total income from retirement and Social Security income: $48,271

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South Portland, Maine, USA at the Portland Breakwater Light.

2. Maine

# of households with Social Security: 219,575
% of households with Social Security: 37.3%
Average Social Security income: $22,925
Total income from retirement and Social Security income: $53,089

3. Hawaii

# of households with Social Security: 181,793
% of households with Social Security: 37.2%
Average Social Security income: $24,692
Total income from retirement and Social Security income: $63,436

4. Florida

# of households with Social Security: 3,139,979
% of households with Social Security: 36.7%
Average Social Security income: $24,048
Total income from retirement and Social Security income: $59,497

Rutland is a city in Rutland County, Vermont, United States.

5. Vermont

# of households with Social Security: 97,757
% of households with Social Security: 36.3%
Average Social Security income: $24,531
Total income from retirement and Social Security income: $54,417

Wilmington is the largest city in the state of Delaware, United States and is located at the confluence of the Christina River and Brandywine Creek.

6. Delaware

# of households with Social Security: 142,636
% of households with Social Security: 36%
Average Social Security income: $26,580
Total income from retirement and Social Security income: $63,029

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Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA downtown cityscape and street at twilight.

7. New Mexico

# of households with Social Security: 294,954
% of households with Social Security: 35.8%
Average Social Security income: $21,968
Total income from retirement and Social Security income: $55,960

8. Mississippi

# of households with Social Security: 401,361
% of households with Social Security: 35.5%
Average Social Security income: $21,322
Total income from retirement and Social Security income: $48,189

9. Alabama

# of households with Social Security: 692,939
% of households with Social Security: 35.2%
Average Social Security income: $22,851
Total income from retirement and Social Security income: $51,811

Spartanburg is the most populous city in and the seat of Spartanburg County, South Carolina, United States.

10. South Carolina

# of households with Social Security: 726,710
% of households with Social Security: 35.1%
Average Social Security income: $23,985
Total income from retirement and Social Security income: $54,434

11. Pennsylvania

# of households with Social Security: 1,829,023
% of households with Social Security: 34.9%
Average Social Security income: $23,989
Total income from retirement and Social Security income: $52,802

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Fort Smith is the second-largest city in Arkansas and one of the two county seats of Sebastian County.

12. Arkansas

# of households with Social Security: 415,445
% of households with Social Security: 34.9%
Average Social Security income: $22,351
Total income from retirement and Social Security income: $47,962

Overlooking the Paducah Kentucky Riverfront of the Ohio River.

13. Kentucky

# of households with Social Security: 623,010
% of households with Social Security: 34.8%
Average Social Security income: $21,889
Total income from retirement and Social Security income: $50,026

14. Michigan

# of households with Social Security: 1,402,046
% of households with Social Security: 34.7%
Average Social Security income: $24,503
Total income from retirement and Social Security income: $53,044

Aerial View of Main Street in downtown Bozeman Montana.

15. Montana

# of households with Social Security: 156,515
% of households with Social Security: 34.6%
Average Social Security income: $22,829
Total income from retirement and Social Security income: $53,421

Somersworth is a city in Strafford County, New Hampshire, United States.

16. New Hampshire

# of households with Social Security: 189,215
% of households with Social Security: 34.3%
Average Social Security income: $25,215
Total income from retirement and Social Security income: $57,026

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Downtown Phoenix Aerial View stock photo

17. Arizona

# of households with Social Security: 948,066
% of households with Social Security: 33.9%
Average Social Security income: $25,049
Total income from retirement and Social Security income: $58,315

18. Rhode Island

# of households with Social Security: 146,426
% of households with Social Security: 33.5%
Average Social Security income: $23,167
Total income from retirement and Social Security income: $55,035

19. Oregon

# of households with Social Security: 559,258
% of households with Social Security: 32.9%
Average Social Security income: $24,371
Total income from retirement and Social Security income: $58,012

20. Missouri

# of households with Social Security: 812,042
% of households with Social Security: 32.7%
Average Social Security income: $23,050
Total income from retirement and Social Security income: $51,254

Stock photograph of a row of traditionally built businesses in downtown Jackson, Wyoming, USA.

21. Wyoming

# of households with Social Security: 77,791
% of households with Social Security: 32.7%
Average Social Security income: $24,111
Total income from retirement and Social Security income: $55,608

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Memphis, Tennessee, USA Downtown Skyline stock photo

22. Tennessee

# of households with Social Security: 902,742
% of households with Social Security: 32.6%
Average Social Security income: $23,430
Total income from retirement and Social Security income: $51,309

23. Idaho

# of households with Social Security: 225,457
% of households with Social Security: 32.5%
Average Social Security income: $24,285
Total income from retirement and Social Security income: $54,973

Lake Michigan with reflections fills the foreground leading back to the skycrapers of Milwukee skyline , Wisconsin.

24. Wisconsin

# of households with Social Security: 792,438
% of households with Social Security: 32.4%
Average Social Security income: $24,879
Total income from retirement and Social Security income: $54,640

Downtown Raleigh, North Carolina, USA Drone Skyline Aerial stock photo

25. North Carolina

# of households with Social Security: 1,343,673
% of households with Social Security: 32.1%
Average Social Security income: $23,610
Total income from retirement and Social Security income: $53,599

Lower Manhattan skyline seen from Battery Park.

26. New York

# of households with Social Security: 2,445,342
% of households with Social Security: 31.9%
Average Social Security income: $23,330
Total income from retirement and Social Security income: $58,287

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Muskogee, Oklahoma Downtown photography.

27. Oklahoma

# of households with Social Security: 491,901
% of households with Social Security: 31.9%
Average Social Security income: $22,888
Total income from retirement and Social Security income: $50,928

Spring day in Canton, Ohio, USA. A boat in the water, green grass and trees stock photo

28. Ohio

# of households with Social Security: 1,538,984
% of households with Social Security: 31.9%
Average Social Security income: $22,438
Total income from retirement and Social Security income: $52,764

Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch in Hartford, Connecticut, USA commemorating the Civil War.

29. Connecticut

# of households with Social Security: 452,109
% of households with Social Security: 31.8%
Average Social Security income: $25,261
Total income from retirement and Social Security income: $62,087

Aerial view of Indianapolis, Indiana skyline above Indiana World War Memorial and University park, and along Meridian and Pennsylvania streets.

30. Indiana

# of households with Social Security: 849,961
% of households with Social Security: 31.7%
Average Social Security income: $24,097
Total income from retirement and Social Security income: $48,250

31. Louisiana

# of households with Social Security: 564,018
% of households with Social Security: 31.6%
Average Social Security income: $20,579
Total income from retirement and Social Security income: $49,919

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DES MOINES, IOWA - JULY 11, 2018: Des Moines, Iowa Skyline from the Pappajohn Sculpture Park.

32. Iowa

# of households with Social Security: 410,713
% of households with Social Security: 31.5%
Average Social Security income: $24,059
Total income from retirement and Social Security income: $50,815

Newark is the largest city in New Jersey.

33. New Jersey

# of households with Social Security: 1,085,771
% of households with Social Security: 31.2%
Average Social Security income: $25,318
Total income from retirement and Social Security income: $60,967

Rapid City, South Dakota, USA - May 2, 2019: Evening view of Main Street Square in the Heart of Downtown Rapid City.

34. South Dakota

# of households with Social Security: 111,389
% of households with Social Security: 31.1%
Average Social Security income: $22,427
Total income from retirement and Social Security income: $50,275

Fall in Reno Nevada along the riverwalk.

35. Nevada

# of households with Social Security: 366,637
% of households with Social Security: 31%
Average Social Security income: $22,935
Total income from retirement and Social Security income: $58,696

Manhattan is a city in northeastern Kansas in the United States at the junction of the Kansas River and Big Blue River.

36. Kansas

# of households with Social Security: 356,641
% of households with Social Security: 30.7%
Average Social Security income: $24,581
Total income from retirement and Social Security income: $52,786

Marblehead is a coastal New England town located in Essex County, Massachusetts.

37. Massachusetts

# of households with Social Security: 822,955
% of households with Social Security: 29.8%
Average Social Security income: $23,593
Total income from retirement and Social Security income: $59,811

Blacksburg is an incorporated town in Montgomery County, Virginia, United States.

38. Virginia

# of households with Social Security: 987,821
% of households with Social Security: 29.7%
Average Social Security income: $24,256
Total income from retirement and Social Security income: $62,888

Beautiful sunset at Duluth Canal Park Lighthouse with the background of Duluth Downtown.

39. Minnesota

# of households with Social Security: 677,328
% of households with Social Security: 29.7%
Average Social Security income: $25,048
Total income from retirement and Social Security income: $55,845

40. Georgia

# of households with Social Security: 1,170,920
% of households with Social Security: 29.2%
Average Social Security income: $22,934
Total income from retirement and Social Security income: $54,503

Frozen pond in a park in downtown Omaha.

41. Nebraska

# of households with Social Security: 228,930
% of households with Social Security: 29.1%
Average Social Security income: $24,210
Total income from retirement and Social Security income: $52,115

The Chicago Theatre, originally known as the Balaban and Katz Chicago Theatre, is a landmark theater located on North State Street in the Loop area of Chicago, Illinois.

42. Illinois

# of households with Social Security: 1,453,430
% of households with Social Security: 29.1%
Average Social Security income: $23,429
Total income from retirement and Social Security income: $59,360

43. Washington

# of households with Social Security: 876,259
% of households with Social Security: 29%
Average Social Security income: $25,031
Total income from retirement and Social Security income: $59,771

September 10, 2017, Oxen Hill, Maryland, USA: Boats dcked on the national waterfront sit in front of the pier and ferris wheeel in late summer.

44. Maryland

# of households with Social Security: 662,592
% of households with Social Security: 28.3%
Average Social Security income: $24,201
Total income from retirement and Social Security income: $65,387

Aerial view of residential neighborhood with scattered houses build on hill slopes, Mill Valley, North San Francisco Bay Area, California.

45. California

# of households with Social Security: 3,779,490
% of households with Social Security: 28.1%
Average Social Security income: $23,022
Total income from retirement and Social Security income: $62,843

Fargo is the most populous city in the state of North Dakota, accounting for over 15% of the state population.

46. North Dakota

# of households with Social Security: 89,908
% of households with Social Security: 27.7%
Average Social Security income: $22,853
Total income from retirement and Social Security income: $51,180

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47. Colorado

# of households with Social Security: 592,740
% of households with Social Security: 25.5%
Average Social Security income: $23,887
Total income from retirement and Social Security income: $61,460

Autumn Fall Colors transforms landscape over Suburb modern housing development Birds Eye View stock photo

48. Texas

# of households with Social Security: 2,720,364
% of households with Social Security: 25.3%
Average Social Security income: $22,536
Total income from retirement and Social Security income: $54,424

Aerial View of Downtown Fairbanks, Alaska during a stormy Summer Sunset.

49. Alaska

# of households with Social Security: 67,621
% of households with Social Security: 25.2%
Average Social Security income: $21,286
Total income from retirement and Social Security income: $65,008

Salt Lake City skyline at sunset with Wasatch Mountains in the background, Utah, USA.

50. Utah

# of households with Social Security: 261,238
% of households with Social Security: 23.9%
Average Social Security income: $25,269
Total income from retirement and Social Security income: $58,416

Methodology: For this study, GOBankingRates analyzed states to find out where retirees depend on Social Security benefits the most. Data was sourced from the U.S. Census American Community Survey. All data was collected on and is up to date as of April 3, 2025.

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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: How Much Americans Rely on Social Security in Every State

The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

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