Revealed: 20 US Cities that Offer the Best Value for your Social Security Income 

According to the Social Security Administration, the average monthly retirement benefit for retired employees is $1,837. However, it’s important to remember that Social Security was never intended to be the only source of income during retirement. On average, it will only replace around 40% of your pre-retirement income, as explained by the SSA. But the reality is that monthly Social Security payments can go further in certain metropolitan areas than in others.

To help you determine which cities offer the best value for your Social Security income, CEOWORLD magazine has conducted a comprehensive analysis. We collected retirement income data from the U.S. Census Bureau and compared it with the cost of living using the Economic Policy Institute’s 2022 Family Budget Calculator. 

Based on the results, we ranked metropolitan areas where over 31.1% of households receive Social Security benefits, considering the average monthly benefit as a percentage of estimated monthly expenses for a single person. In other words, we wanted to see how much of a person’s living expenses could be covered by their Social Security payment.

1. Midland, MI
   > Avg. Social Security benefits as a share of expenses: 78.7%
   > Avg. monthly Social Security income: $2,158
   > Avg. monthly living expenses: $2,744
   > Population 65 years and over: 20.5%

2. The Villages, FL
   > Avg. Social Security benefits as a share of expenses: 77.6%
   > Avg. monthly Social Security income: $2,357
   > Avg. monthly living expenses: $3,038
   > Population 65 years and over: 57.8%

3. Salisbury, MD-DE
   > Avg. Social Security benefits as a share of expenses: 73.8%
   > Avg. monthly Social Security income: $2,184
   > Avg. monthly living expenses: $2,959
   > Population 65 years and over: 26.5%

4. Flint, MI
   > Avg. Social Security benefits as a share of expenses: 72.9%
   > Avg. monthly Social Security income: $1,854
   > Avg. monthly living expenses: $2,544
   > Population 65 years and over: 18.9%

5. Pocatello, ID
   > Avg. Social Security benefits as a share of expenses: 72.5%
   > Avg. monthly Social Security income: $1,989
   > Avg. monthly living expenses: $2,745
   > Population 65 years and over: 15.4%

6. Cedar Rapids, IA
   > Avg. Social Security benefits as a share of expenses: 72.1%
   > Avg. monthly Social Security income: $1,960
   > Avg. monthly living expenses: $2,717
   > Population 65 years and over: 18.2%

7. Sheboygan, WI
   > Avg. Social Security benefits as a share of expenses: 71.9%
   > Avg. monthly Social Security income: $1,967
   > Avg. monthly living expenses: $2,734
   > Population 65 years and over: 20.1%

8. Sebastian-Vero Beach, FL
   > Avg. Social Security benefits as a share of expenses: 71.8%
   > Avg. monthly Social Security income: $2,198
   > Avg. monthly living expenses: $3,062
   > Population 65 years and over: 35.5%

9. Sebring-Avon Park, FL
   > Avg. Social Security benefits as a share of expenses: 71.4%
   > Avg. monthly Social Security income: $1,988
   > Avg. monthly living expenses: $2,786
   > Population 65 years and over: 35.8%

10. Monroe, MI
    > Avg. Social Security benefits as a share of expenses: 71.3%
    > Avg. monthly Social Security income: $2,022
    > Avg. monthly living expenses: $2,835
    > Population 65 years and over: 19.7%

11. Michigan City-La Porte, IN
    > Avg. Social Security benefits as a share of expenses: 71.2%
    > Avg. monthly Social Security income: $1,892
    > Avg. monthly living expenses: $2,659
    > Population 65 years and over: 19.4%

12. Tucson, AZ
    > Avg. Social Security benefits as a share of expenses: 70.9%
    > Avg. monthly Social Security income: $1,961
    > Avg. monthly living expenses: $2,765
    > Population 65 years and over: 21.2%

13. Racine, WI
    > Avg. Social Security benefits as a share of expenses: 70.3%
    > Avg. monthly Social Security income: $1,985
    > Avg. monthly living expenses: $2,823
    > Population 65 years and over: 18.2%

14. Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA
    > Avg. Social Security benefits as a share of expenses: 70.1%
    > Avg. monthly Social Security income: $1,962
    > Avg. monthly living expenses: $2,798
    > Population 65 years and over: 18.5%

15. Lansing-East Lansing, MI
    > Avg. Social Security benefits as a share of expenses: 70.1%
    > Avg. monthly Social Security income: $2,012
    > Avg. monthly living expenses: $2,870
    > Population 65 years and over: 17.2%

16. North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton, FL
    > Avg. Social Security benefits as a share of expenses: 70.0%
    > Avg. monthly Social Security income: $2,235
    > Avg. monthly living expenses: $3,194
    > Population 65 years and over: 33.5%

17. Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC-NC
    > Avg. Social Security benefits as a share of expenses: 69.9%
    > Avg. monthly Social Security income: $2,125
    > Avg. monthly living expenses: $3,039
    > Population 65 years and over: 28.9%

18. La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN
    > Avg. Social Security benefits as a share of expenses: 69.9%
    > Avg. monthly Social Security income: $1,988
    > Avg. monthly living expenses: $2,846
    > Population 65 years and over: 19.1%

19. Springfield, IL
    > Avg. Social Security benefits as a share of expenses: 69.7%
    > Avg. monthly Social Security income: $2,016
    > Avg. monthly living expenses: $2,891
    > Population 65 years and over: 19.7%

20. Decatur, AL
    > Avg. Social Security benefits as a share of expenses: 69.5%
    > Avg. monthly Social Security income: $1,995
    > Avg. monthly living expenses: $2,871
    > Population 65 years and over: 18.4%

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