How Far the Average Social Security Check Goes in the 50 Largest US Cities

Once you’ve spent your monthly Social Security check, how much of your living costs are still left to cover? It depends not only on how big your benefit is, but also on where you live.

According to the Social Security Administration, the average monthly benefit these days is $1,871 for a single person and $2,782 for a married couple. That pencils out to $22,453 a year if you’re single and $33,378 each year for couples. Those dollars will go a lot further in some cities than they will in others.

Social Security is meant to supplement your retirement savings and any retirement income you have, not replace them. Living on Social Security alone can be challenging if not impossible, especially in America’s largest cities.

To provide an idea of how far benefits will go in the 50 largest U.S. cities, GOBankingRates gathered data from the U.S. Census American Community Survey, Sperling’s BestPlaces, the Zillow Home Value Index, the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey and Federal Reserve Economic Data. We also included a livability score for each city from AreaVibes. The full methodology is included at the end of the story.

In two of America’s most populous cities, an average married couple could actually cover their living costs with an average Social Security benefit. On the other end of the scale, a married couple in the city with the largest gap would need to come up with an additional $100,000 a year.

For the average single person, the amount needed on top of an average Social Security benefit ranges from a few thousand dollars a year to more than $100,000.

Here’s the list, counting down in reverse order from the 50^th most populous U.S. city to the most populous.

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

Methodology: For this study, GOBankingRates analyzed the 50 most populous cities according to the U.S. Census American Community Survey. For each city, a number of other factors were sourced from the survey, including total population. Cost-of-living indexes were sourced from Sperling’s BestPlaces. A livability index was sourced from AreaVibes. The average single-family home value was sourced from the Zillow Home Value Index. Using cost-of-living indexes and the national average expenditure costs as sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey, the average expenditure costs were calculated. Using the average home value, assuming a 10% down payment and using the national average 30-year fixed mortgage rate as sourced from Federal Reserve Economic Data, the average mortgage cost was calculated. Using mortgage and expenditure costs, the total cost of living was calculated. Using the average Social Security benefit as sourced from the Social Security Administration’s August 2024 monthly snapshot, the average income for one person and a married couple were determined. Using the average Social Security income and the total cost of living, the total cost of living after Social Security benefits was calculated. The cities were sorted by their total population. All data was collected on and is up to date as of Sept. 20, 2024.