Millions of Americans receive Social Security benefits every month, and many of them depend on these payouts to support a large part of their monthly budget.
However, the payout can vary according to where you reside after retirement. The highest is New Jersey, at just over $20,000 a year.
Clearly, this is not an adequate amount for a comfortable living in retirement. It is prudent to save money in your active working years if you want to enjoy a financially secure retirement.
Nevertheless, about half of seniors count on their benefit for half their retirement income and for a quarter of seniors Social Security is at least 90 percent, according to census data.
Here are the top 10 states for Social Security benefits by annualized benefit and the monthly payouts. How do you rank in comparison?
New Jersey
More than 1.2 million elderly people in New Jersey receive the maximum Social Security benefits on average. In 2021, the average benefits for the full year are estimated to be $20,537. This comes to a little over $1,710 per month.
This is a large amount of money, which is why it helps pay more than 50% of the monthly living expenses for a majority of retirees.
Connecticut
Over half a million retired workers currently receive Social Security in Connecticut. In 2021, the annual benefits on average are estimated to be $20,486, which translates to about $1,707 per month.
However, it is important to note that Connecticut is one of the 13 states which impose a tax on Social Security benefits because it is income and you can start receiving social security checks at a super low age of 62.
Delaware
Nearly 163,000 elderly persons collect Social Security benefits in Delaware, according to AARP figures. In 2020, the average annual benefit for each recipient was $19,905, which will go up to an estimated $20,164 in 2021 when you account for the 1.3% year over year raise in benefits.
The average monthly benefit will come to about $1,608 for the recipients in 2021.
New Hampshire
In the Granite State, seniors will receive an estimated $19,990 in average annual Social Security benefits in 2021. This means a beneficiary will receive on average $1,666 per month.
Here’s an interesting piece of trivia: In 1936, Grace Owen of Concord, New Hampshire was issued the lowest ever social security number: 001-01-0001.
Maryland
The Social Security Administration head office is located in the Old Line state. In 2021, the average annual Social Security benefits per retiree are estimated at $19,746.
In other words, a Maryland social security beneficiary can expect to receive $1,646 per month on average.
Michigan
The number of retirees in Michigan currently stands at 1.54 million. They will receive an estimated annual Social Security benefit of $19,649 on average in 2021.
This comes to a little over $1,637 per month on average for each recipient in the Great Lake state.
Washington
With 1.01 million retired workers, Washington ranks among the 14 U.S. states where the population of Social Security beneficiaries is more than one million.
In 2021, the retirees in the evergreen state will receive an annual average benefit amount of $19,548, which is equivalent to $1,629 per month.
Minnesota
In 2021, the estimated average annual Social Security benefit to be paid to a retiree in Minnesota will be $19,380. This translates to nearly $1,615 per month.
It is worth noting that Minnesota is also one of the 13 states that collects income tax on these benefits.
Indiana
The current population of retired workers on Social Security in Indiana is 946,375 which could increase because of how well this state is managed.
In 2021, these individuals will receive an estimated $19,293 in Social Security benefits on average for the entire year, which comes to about $1,608 per month.
Pennsylvania
In 2021, the average annual Social Security benefit for Pennsylvania’s 2.01 million retired workers will be an estimated $19,246. This comes to about $1,604 per month on average.
