How Far Will Your Social Security Go? Compare Across the U.S.

Baby boomers are the least likely generation to feel economically empowered, according to a survey commissioned by Herbalife and conducted by OnePoll, per Talker.

Perhaps that comes as no surprise, considering 53% of baby boomers who will turn 65 between 2024 and 2030 have less than $250,000 in assets, CBS News reported, and more than a third of American workers believe they'll need $1 million or more to retire comfortably.

Social Security might be able to offset the rising cost of living in some cases, but for most people, the monthly payments, which averaged $1,783.55 in August 2024, won't make up for retirement savings that fall short.

Of course, where retirees live can significantly impact exactly how far those Social Security checks go.

Researchers at GoBankingRates set out to determine the living costs that remain after applying the average Social Security benefits (for one person), using data from the U.S. Census, Social Security Administration and Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The findings revealed that Social Security doesn't cover the cost of living in any of the 50 largest cities in the U.S. The annual cost of living for one person after Social Security is lower than $10,000 in just Detroit, Michigan and Memphis, Tennessee.

The annual cost of living after Social Security is roughly $50,000 or higher in 10 U.S. cities, three of which are in California, per the analysis. The highest average Social Security benefits are in Mesa, Arizona ($24,338); Seattle, Washington ($24,071); Virginia Beach, Virginia ($23,345); Raleigh, North Carolina ($23,333); and Tulsa, Oklahoma ($23,242).

Read on to see GoBankingRates' full report, which breaks down how far Social Security goes in the top 50 largest U.S. cities (listed from least to most populous):

Arlington, Texas

Total population: 393,469
Livability: 78
Annual cost of living: $44,148
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $21,695
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $10,770

Wichita, Kansas

Total population: 395,951
Livability: 68
Annual cost of living: $35,079
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $12,626
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $1,701

Bakersfield, California

Total population: 404,321
Livability: 57
Annual cost of living: $48,504
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $26,051
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $15,126

Tulsa, Oklahoma

Total population: 411,938
Livability: 75
Annual cost of living: $35,667
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $13,213
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $2,288

Minneapolis, Minnesota

Total population: 426,877
Livability: 78
Annual cost of living: $43,835
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $21,382
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $10,457

Oakland, California

Total population: 437,825
Livability: 71
Annual cost of living: $80,769
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $58,316
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $47,391

Miami, Florida

Total population: 443,665
Livability: 81
Annual cost of living: $68,259
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $45,806
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $34,881

Virginia Beach, Virginia

Total population: 457,900
Livability: 83
Annual cost of living: $50,574
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $28,121
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $17,196

Long Beach, California

Total population: 462,293
Livability: 69
Annual cost of living: $84,194
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $61,741
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $50,816

Raleigh, North Carolina

Total population: 465,517
Livability: 84
Annual cost of living: $51,301
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $28,848
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $17,922

Colorado Springs, Colorado

Total population: 479,612
Livability: 79
Annual cost of living: $51,171
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $28,718
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $17,793

Omaha, Nebraska

Total population: 489,201
Livability: 83
Annual cost of living: $41,306
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $18,853
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $7,928

Atlanta, Georgia

Total population: 494,838
Livability: 78
Annual cost of living: $52,837
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $30,384
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $19,459

Mesa, Arizona

Total population: 503,390
Livability: 81
Annual cost of living: $52,213
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $29,760
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $18,835

Kansas City, Missouri

Total population: 505,958
Livability: 78
Annual cost of living: $37,751
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $15,298
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $4,373

Sacramento, California

Total population: 523,600
Livability: 73
Annual cost of living: $56,385
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $33,932
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $23,007

Tucson, Arizona

Total population: 541,033
Livability: 73
Annual cost of living: $43,476
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $21,023
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $10,098

Fresno, California

Total population: 541,528
Livability: 63
Annual cost of living: $48,504
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $26,051
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $15,126

Albuquerque, New Mexico

Total population: 562,551
Livability: 72
Annual cost of living: $42,258
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $19,805
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $8,880

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Total population: 573,299
Livability: 79
Annual cost of living: $35,673
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $13,220
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $2,295

Baltimore, Maryland

Total population: 584,548
Livability: 77
Annual cost of living: $35,052
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $12,599
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $1,674

Louisville, Kentucky

Total population: 629,176
Livability: 66
Annual cost of living: $38,124
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $15,671
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $4,746

Memphis, Tennessee

Total population: 630,027
Livability: 70
Annual cost of living: $31,243
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $8,790
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: -$2,136

Detroit, Michigan

Total population: 636,787
Livability: 73
Annual cost of living: $28,997
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $6,544
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: -$4,381

Las Vegas, Nevada

Total population: 644,835
Livability: 82
Annual cost of living: $53,375
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $30,922
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $19,997

Portland, Oregon

Total population: 646,101
Livability: 78
Annual cost of living: $59,286
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $36,833
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $25,908

Boston, Massachusetts

Total population: 665,945
Livability: 77
Annual cost of living: $78,055
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $55,602
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $44,677

Washington

Total population: 670,587
Livability: 75
Annual cost of living: $72,440
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $49,987
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $39,062

El Paso, Texas

Total population: 677,181
Livability: 81
Annual cost of living: $35,947
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $13,494
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $2,569

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Total population: 681,088
Livability: 81
Annual cost of living: $35,873
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $13,420
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $2,495

Nashville, Tennessee

Total population: 684,103
Livability: 78
Annual cost of living: $51,895
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $29,442
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $18,516

Denver, Colorado

Total population: 710,800
Livability: 72
Annual cost of living: $62,269
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $39,816
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $28,891

Seattle, Washington

Total population: 734,603
Livability: 75
Annual cost of living: $84,578
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $62,125
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $51,200

San Francisco, California

Total population: 851,036
Livability: 75
Annual cost of living: $120,055
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $97,602
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $86,677

Charlotte, North Carolina

Total population: 875,045
Livability: 80
Annual cost of living: $48,817
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $26,364
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $15,439

Indianapolis, Indiana

Total population: 882,006
Livability: 76
Annual cost of living: $36,673
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $14,220
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $3,295

Columbus, Ohio

Total population: 902,449
Livability: 81
Annual cost of living: $38,586
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $16,133
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $5,208

Fort Worth, Texas

Total population: 924,663
Livability: 80
Annual cost of living: $43,137
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $20,684
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $9,759

Jacksonville, Florida

Total population: 950,203
Livability: 84
Annual cost of living: $42,954
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $20,501
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $9,575

Austin, Texas

Total population: 958,202
Livability: 83
Annual cost of living: $59,365
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $36,912
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $25,987

San Jose, California

Total population: 1,001,176
Livability: 79
Annual cost of living: $126,475
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $104,022
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $93,097

Dallas, Texas

Total population: 1,300,642
Livability: 81
Annual cost of living: $44,762
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $22,309
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $11,384

San Diego, California

Total population: 1,383,987
Livability: 75
Annual cost of living: $98,980
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $76,527
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $65,602

San Antonio, Texas

Total population: 1,445,662
Livability: 80
Annual cost of living: $38,514
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $16,061
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $5,136

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Total population: 1,593,208
Livability: 76
Annual cost of living: $39,637
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $17,184
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $6,259

Phoenix, Arizona

Total population: 1,609,456
Livability: 76
Annual cost of living: $51,142
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $28,689
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $17,764

Houston, Texas

Total population: 2,296,253
Livability: 74
Annual cost of living: $40,855
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $18,402
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $7,477

Chicago, Illinois

Total population: 2,721,914
Livability: 78
Annual cost of living: $43,905
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $21,451
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $10,526

Los Angeles, California

Total population: 3,881,041
Livability: 67
Annual cost of living: $91,834
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $69,381
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $58,456

New York, New York

Total population: 8,622,467
Livability: 75
Annual cost of living: $83,596
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $61,142
Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $50,217

This Is How Far Social Security Goes Across the U.S., New Research Reveals. How Much Will It Benefit You? The annual cost of living after Social Security is roughly $50,000 or higher in 10 U.S. cities.

Key Takeaways