Social Security benefits are paid out through a complex formula that factors in how much a taxpayer earned during their working career and at which age they file for benefits. When taken en masse, the average Social Security retirement payout for all retired workers as of January 2024 was $1,907, but the maximum possible benefit reached $4,873.
To determine which states received the most Social Security, GOBankingRates accessed data from the Social Security Administration regarding the total benefits paid by state, along with the number of Social Security beneficiaries in each state. For purposes of this analysis, only Old-Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance, or OASDI, was included. Supplemental Security Income (SSI) was not considered. States are ranked in reverse order, with the state receiving the most Social Security ranked No. 1. Read on to look at the 10 states that receive the most — and then find out about the states that receive the least.
10. Georgia
- Total Social Security Received: $3.21 billion
- Total Number of Recipients: 1,945,822
9. North Carolina
- Total Social Security Received: $3.8 billion
- Total Number of Recipients: 2,234,888
8. Illinois
- Total Social Security Received: $3.99 billion
- Total Number of Recipients: 2,285,265
7. Ohio
- Total Social Security Received: $3.99 billion
- Total Number of Recipients: 2,427,966
6. Michigan
- Total Social Security Received: $4.01 billion
- Total Number of Recipients: 2,269,413
5. Pennsylvania
- Total Social Security Received: $5.1 billion
- Total Number of Recipients: 2,898,240
4. New York
- Total Social Security Received: $6.44 billion
- Total Number of Recipients: 3,710,827
3. Texas
- Total Social Security Received: $7.5 billion
- Total Number of Recipients: 4,568,465
2. Florida
- Total Social Security Received: $8.5 billion
- Total Number of Recipients: 4,986,213
1. California
- Total Social Security Received: $10.4 billion
- Total Number of Recipients: 6,251,295