25 Southern ZIP Codes Where $500K in Retirement Savings Lasts the Longest

No matter where you live, you need an ample retirement savings nest egg. However, how much you need depends on where you live. If you’re living in a reasonably affordable ZIP code, a plush nest egg of $500,000 can last you many years.

To determine how long $500,000 in retirement savings will last you in select areas of the South (where tons of retirees are flocking to), GOBankingRates found the ZIP codes, the household median income, among other data points, including total cost-of-living facts.

Here’s how many years your $500,000 retirement nest egg will last you in these 25 Southern ZIP codes.

• Household median income: $42,357 
• Total annual cost of living:  $28,461  
• Total annual cost of living with Social Security benefits: $6,047 
• How long $500K will last you without Social Security benefits: 17.57 years
• How long $500K will last you with Social Security benefits: 82.69 years

• Household median income: $61,868   
• Total annual cost of living: $28,452  
• Total annual cost of living with Social Security benefits: $6,038 
• How long $500K will last you without Social Security benefits: 17.57 years
• How long $500K will last you with Social Security benefits: 82.81 years

• Household median income: $46,781     
• Total annual cost of living: $28,436  
• Total annual cost of living with Social Security benefits: $6,022  
• How long $500K will last you without Social Security benefits: 17.58 years
• How long $500K will last you with Social Security benefits: 83.03 years

• Household median income: $37,229     
• Total annual cost of living: $28,234 
• Total annual cost of living with Social Security benefits: $5,820 
• How long $500K will last you without Social Security benefits: 17.71 years
• How long $500K will last you with Social Security benefits: 85.91 years

• Household median income: $70,000 
• Total annual cost of living: $28,193 
• Total annual cost of living with Social Security benefits: $5,779 
• How long $500K will last you without Social Security benefits: 17.73 years
• How long $500K will last you with Social Security benefits: 86.51 years

• Household median income: $33,347   
• Total annual cost of living: $28,175   
• Total annual cost of living with Social Security benefits: $5,761    
• How long $500K will last you without Social Security benefits: 17.75 years
• How long $500K will last you with Social Security benefits: 86.79 years

• Household median income: $43,806 
• Total annual cost of living: $28,051   
• Total annual cost of living with Social Security benefits: $5,637   
• How long $500K will last you without Social Security benefits: 17.82 years
• How long $500K will last you with Social Security benefits: 88.69 years

• Household median income: $41,428  
• Total annual cost of living: $27,913 
• Total annual cost of living with Social Security benefits: $5,499 
• How long $500K will last you without Social Security benefits: 17.91 years
• How long $500K will last you with Social Security benefits: 90.9 years

• Household median income: $41,428  
• Total annual cost of living: $27,913 
• Total annual cost of living with Social Security benefits: $5,499 
• How long $500K will last you without Social Security benefits: 17.91 years
• How long $500K will last you with Social Security benefits: 90.92 years

• Household median income: $52,500 
• Total annual cost of living: $27,553 
• Total annual cost of living with Social Security benefits: $5,139 
• How long $500K will last you without Social Security benefits: 18.15 years
• How long $500K will last you with Social Security benefits: 97.30 years

• Household median income: $47,469 
• Total annual cost of living: $27,522 
• Total annual cost of living with Social Security benefits: $5,108 
• How long $500K will last you without Social Security benefits: 18.17 years
• How long $500K will last you with Social Security benefits: 97.89 years

• Household median income: $51,280 
• Total annual cost of living: $27,514 
• Total annual cost of living with Social Security benefits: $5,100 
• How long $500K will last you without Social Security benefits: 18.17 years
• How long $500K will last you with Social Security benefits: 98.04 years

• Household median income: $50,077 
• Total annual cost of living: $27,511 
• Total annual cost of living with Social Security benefits: $5,097 
• How long $500K will last you without Social Security benefits: 18.17 years
• How long $500K will last you with Social Security benefits: 98.10 years

• Household median income: $70,000 
• Total annual cost of living: $27,488 
• Total annual cost of living with Social Security benefits: $5,074 
• How long $500K will last you without Social Security benefits: 18.19 years
• How long $500K will last you with Social Security benefits: 98.53 years

• Household median income: $37,318  
• Total annual cost of living: $27,295   
• Total annual cost of living with Social Security benefits: $4,881         
• How long $500K will last you without Social Security benefits: 18.32 years
• How long $500K will last you with Social Security benefits: 102.45 years 

• Household median income: $47,469 
• Total annual cost of living: $27,094    
• Total annual cost of living with Social Security benefits:  $4,680      
• How long $500K will last you without Social Security benefits: 18.45 years
• How long $500K will last you with Social Security benefits: 106.85 years

• Household median income: $42,357 
• Total annual cost of living: $26,879   
• Total annual cost of living with Social Security benefits: $4,465         
• How long $500K will last you without Social Security benefits: 18.60 years
• How long $500K will last you with Social Security benefits: 111.97 years 

• Household median income: $41,851  
• Total annual cost of living: $26,682   
• Total annual cost of living with Social Security benefits: $4,268         
• How long $500K will last you without Social Security benefits: 18.74 years
• How long $500K will last you with Social Security benefits: 117.16 years

• Household median income: $41,428  
• Total annual cost of living: $26,553   
• Total annual cost of living with Social Security benefits: $4,139         
• How long $500K will last you without Social Security benefits: 18.83 years
• How long $500K will last you with Social Security benefits: 120.79 years

• Household median income: $30,740  
• Total annual cost of living: $26,399   
• Total annual cost of living with Social Security benefits: $3,985         
• How long $500K will last you without Social Security benefits: 18.94 years
• How long $500K will last you with Social Security benefits: 125.47 years 

• Household median income: $41,851  
• Total annual cost of living: $26,172   
• Total annual cost of living with Social Security benefits: $3,758         
• How long $500K will last you without Social Security benefits: 19.10 years
• How long $500K will last you with Social Security benefits: 133.03 years 

• Household median income: $41,428  
• Total annual cost of living: $26,147   
• Total annual cost of living with Social Security benefits: $3,733         
• How long $500K will last you without Social Security benefits: 19.12 years
• How long $500K will last you with Social Security benefits: 133.94 years 

• Household median income: $72,910  
• Total annual cost of living: $26,120   
• Total annual cost of living with Social Security benefits: $3,706         
• How long $500K will last you without Social Security benefits: 19.14 years
• How long $500K will last you with Social Security benefits: 134.90 years 

• Household median income: $41,428  
• Total annual cost of living: $26,044   
• Total annual cost of living with Social Security benefits: $3,630         
• How long $500K will last you without Social Security benefits: 19.20 years
• How long $500K will last you with Social Security benefits: 137.75 years 

• Household median income: $41,428 
• Total annual cost of living: $25,529   
• Total annual cost of living with Social Security benefits:  $3,115 
• How long $500K will last you without Social Security benefits: 19.59 years
• How long $500K will last you with Social Security benefits: 160.52 years  

Methodology. For this study, GOBankingRates analyzed ZIP codes in the Southern United States to find how long $500,000 in retirement savings will last. First, GOBankingRates found the ZIP codes in the Southern United States as well as their total population, population of residents aged 65 and over, household total, household median income, all sourced from the US Census American Community Survey. For each ZIP code the cost-of-living index was sourced from Sperling’s BestPlaces and using the national average expenditure costs for retired residents, the average expenditure costs can be calculated for each ZIP code. The average single family home value from April 2024 was sourced from Zillow Home Value Index and by assuming a 10% down payment and using the national average 30-year fixed mortgage rate, as sourced from the Federal Reserve Economic Data, the average mortgage cost can be calculated. The average mortgage and expenditure costs can be used to calculate the monthly total cost of living. The average Social Security benefits were sourced from the Social Security Administration’s May Snapshot, for one person earning full benefits. Using the annual cost of living, the Social Security benefits, and assuming $500,000 in retirement savings, the length of time someone can live off their retirement with and without Social Security benefits could be calculated. The ZIP codes with the shortest and longest times to use the retirement savings were kept and ranked separately to show how far $500,000 in retirement savings lasts in the Southern United States. All data was collected on and is up to date as of July 10th, 2024.