Most retirees understand Social Security isn’t recommended as their sole form of income in their golden years. It’s important to start saving early for retirement in accounts like a Roth IRA and 401(k) plan.
If you didn’t get a chance to save early and consistently for retirement, you’ll want to know how much money after Social Security benefits you’ll need to cover monthly expenses. The answer depends on your location.
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To find out how much money you’ll need to supplement your Social Security income, GOBankingRates analyzed all 50 states by finding the average cost of living indexes across multiple expenditures and multiplying them by the national average expenditure costs for ages 65 and over for each expenditure category.
This revealed the monthly total cost of expenditures with overall rent cost added in to provide the average total cost of living in each state. Social Security’s Monthly Statistical Supplement for January 2024 was sourced to use the average Social Security benefit amounts for retired workers — $1,860.23 — and to calculate the total monthly cost of living after Social Security benefits.
In alphabetical order, here’s how much money you’ll need in each U.S. state to supplement your Social Security monthly.
Alabama
- Rent average cost: $980
- Expenditure average cost: $2,423.62
- Monthly total cost (rent + expenditure): $3,403.62
- Leftover monthly costs after Social Security benefits: $1,543.39
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Alaska
- Rent average cost: $1,701
- Expenditure average cost: $3,744.20
- Monthly total cost (rent + expenditure): $5,445.20
- Leftover monthly costs after Social Security benefits: $3,584.97
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Arizona
- Rent average cost: $1,373
- Expenditure average cost: $3,062.33
- Monthly total cost (rent + expenditure): $4,435.33
- Leftover monthly costs after Social Security benefits: $2,575.10
Arkansas
- Rent average cost: $915
- Expenditure average cost: $2,426.81
- Monthly total cost (rent + expenditure): $3,341.81
- Leftover monthly costs after Social Security benefits: $1,481.58
California
- Rent average cost: $1,827
- Expenditure average cost: $4,118.48
- Monthly total cost (rent + expenditure): $5,945.48
- Leftover monthly costs after Social Security benefits: $4,085.25
Colorado
- Rent average cost: $1,433
- Expenditure average cost: $2,980.23
- Monthly total cost (rent + expenditure): $4,413.23
- Leftover monthly costs after Social Security benefits: $2,553
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Connecticut
- Rent average cost: $1,310
- Expenditure average cost: $3,244
- Monthly total cost (rent + expenditure): $4,554
- Leftover monthly costs after Social Security benefits: $2,693.77
Delaware
- Rent average cost: $1,210
- Expenditure average cost: $2,849.56
- Monthly total cost (rent + expenditure): $4,059.56
- Leftover monthly costs after Social Security benefits: $2,199.33
District of Columbia (DC)
- Rent average cost: $2,105
- Expenditure average cost: $4,345.11
- Monthly total cost (rent + expenditure): $6,450.11
- Leftover monthly costs after Social Security benefits: $4,589.88
Florida
- Rent average cost: $1,302
- Expenditure average cost: $2,869.64
- Monthly total cost (rent + expenditure): $4,171.64
- Leftover monthly costs after Social Security benefits: $2,311.41
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Georgia
- Rent average cost: $1,234
- Expenditure average cost: $2,547.72
- Monthly total cost (rent + expenditure): $3,781.72
- Leftover monthly costs after Social Security benefits: $1,921.49
Hawaii
- Rent average cost: $1,692
- Expenditure average cost: $5,480.44
- Monthly total cost (rent + expenditure): $7,172.44
- Leftover monthly costs after Social Security benefits: $5,312.21
Idaho
- Rent average cost: $808
- Expenditure average cost: $2,775.76
- Monthly total cost (rent + expenditure): $3,583.76
- Leftover monthly costs after Social Security benefits: $1,723.53
Illinois
- Rent average cost: $1,180
- Expenditure average cost: $2,579.29
- Monthly total cost (rent + expenditure): $3,759.29
- Leftover monthly costs after Social Security benefits: $1,899.06
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Indiana
- Rent average cost: $895
- Expenditure average cost: $2,581.81
- Monthly total cost (rent + expenditure): $3,476.81
- Leftover monthly costs after Social Security benefits: $1,616.58
Iowa
- Rent average cost: $772
- Expenditure average cost: $2,551.33
- Monthly total cost (rent + expenditure): $3,323.33
- Leftover monthly costs after Social Security benefits: $1,463.10
Kansas
- Rent average cost: $837
- Expenditure average cost: $2,473.69
- Monthly total cost (rent + expenditure): $3,310.69
- Leftover monthly costs after Social Security benefits: $1,450.46
Kentucky
- Rent average cost: $816
- Expenditure average cost: $2,476.05
- Monthly total cost (rent + expenditure): $3,292.05
- Leftover monthly costs after Social Security benefits: $1,431.82
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Louisiana
- Rent average cost: $887
- Expenditure average cost: $2,561.95
- Monthly total cost (rent + expenditure): $3,448.95
- Leftover monthly costs after Social Security benefits: $1,588.72
Maine
- Rent average cost: $1,950
- Expenditure average cost: $3,108.90
- Monthly total cost (rent + expenditure): $5,058.90
- Leftover monthly costs after Social Security benefits: $3,198.67
Maryland
- Rent average cost: $1,479
- Expenditure average cost: $3,342.66
- Monthly total cost (rent + expenditure): $4,821.66
- Leftover monthly costs after Social Security benefits: $2,961.43
Massachusetts
- Rent average cost: $1,503
- Expenditure average cost: $4,311.47
- Monthly total cost (rent + expenditure): $5,814.47
- Leftover monthly costs after Social Security benefits: $3,954.24
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Michigan
- Rent average cost: $882
- Expenditure average cost: $2,560.77
- Monthly total cost (rent + expenditure): $3,442.77
- Leftover monthly costs after Social Security benefits: $1,582.54
Minnesota
- Rent average cost: $1,126
- Expenditure average cost: $2,686.90
- Monthly total cost (rent + expenditure): $3,812.90
- Leftover monthly costs after Social Security benefits: $1,952.67
Mississippi
- Rent average cost: $813
- Expenditure average cost: $2,435.16
- Monthly total cost (rent + expenditure): $3,248.16
- Leftover monthly costs after Social Security benefits: $1,387.93
Missouri
- Rent average cost: $903
- Expenditure average cost: $2,490.46
- Monthly total cost (rent + expenditure): $3,393.46
- Leftover monthly costs after Social Security benefits: $1,533.23
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Montana
- Rent average cost: $833
- Expenditure average cost: $2,893.13
- Monthly total cost (rent + expenditure): $3,726.13
- Leftover monthly costs after Social Security benefits: $1,865.90
Nebraska
- Rent average cost: $944
- Expenditure average cost: $2,554.12
- Monthly total cost (rent + expenditure): $3,498.12
- Leftover monthly costs after Social Security benefits: $1,637.89
Nevada
- Rent average cost: $1,154
- Expenditure average cost: $2,936.06
- Monthly total cost (rent + expenditure): $4,090.06
- Leftover monthly costs after Social Security benefits: $2,229.83
New Hampshire
- Rent average cost: $1,143
- Expenditure average cost: $3,195.50
- Monthly total cost (rent + expenditure): $4,338.50
- Leftover monthly costs after Social Security benefits: $2,478.27
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New Jersey
- Rent average cost: $1,596
- Expenditure average cost: $3,254.96
- Monthly total cost (rent + expenditure): $4,850.96
- Leftover monthly costs after Social Security benefits: $2,990.73
New Mexico
- Rent average cost: $866
- Expenditure average cost: $2,655.55
- Monthly total cost (rent + expenditure): $3,521.55
- Leftover monthly costs after Social Security benefits: $1,661.32
New York
- Rent average cost: $1,722
- Expenditure average cost: $3,681.99
- Monthly total cost (rent + expenditure): $5,403.99
- Leftover monthly costs after Social Security benefits: $3,543.76
North Carolina
- Rent average cost: $1,124
- Expenditure average cost: $2,738.89
- Monthly total cost (rent + expenditure): $3,862.89
- Leftover monthly costs after Social Security benefits: $2,002.66
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North Dakota
- Rent average cost: $883
- Expenditure average cost: $2,725.03
- Monthly total cost (rent + expenditure): $3,608.03
- Leftover monthly costs after Social Security benefits: $1,747.80
Ohio
- Rent average cost: $839
- Expenditure average cost: $2,653.57
- Monthly total cost (rent + expenditure): $3,492.57
- Leftover monthly costs after Social Security benefits: $1,632.34
Oklahoma
- Rent average cost: $794
- Expenditure average cost: $2,426.45
- Monthly total cost (rent + expenditure): $3,220.45
- Leftover monthly costs after Social Security benefits: $1,360.22
Oregon
- Rent average cost: $1,216
- Expenditure average cost: $3,325.84
- Monthly total cost (rent + expenditure): $4,541.84
- Leftover monthly costs after Social Security benefits: $2,681.61
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Pennsylvania
- Rent average cost: $1,052
- Expenditure average cost: $2,680.03
- Monthly total cost (rent + expenditure): $3,732.03
- Leftover monthly costs after Social Security benefits: $1,871.80
Rhode Island
- Rent average cost: $1,071
- Expenditure average cost: $3,089.68
- Monthly total cost (rent + expenditure): $4,160.68
- Leftover monthly costs after Social Security benefits: $2,300.45
South Carolina
- Rent average cost: $1,120
- Expenditure average cost: $2,661.28
- Monthly total cost (rent + expenditure): $3,781.28
- Leftover monthly costs after Social Security benefits: $1,921.05
South Dakota
- Rent average cost: $698
- Expenditure average cost: $2,635.25
- Monthly total cost (rent + expenditure): $3,333.25
- Leftover monthly costs after Social Security benefits: $1,473.02
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Tennessee
- Rent average cost: $1,011
- Expenditure average cost: $2,513.01
- Monthly total cost (rent + expenditure): $3,524.01
- Leftover monthly costs after Social Security benefits: $1,663.78
Texas
- Rent average cost: $1,137
- Expenditure average cost: $2,603.25
- Monthly total cost (rent + expenditure): $3,740.25
- Leftover monthly costs after Social Security benefits: $1,880.02
Utah
- Rent average cost: $1,112
- Expenditure average cost: $2,895.32
- Monthly total cost (rent + expenditure): $4,007.32
- Leftover monthly costs after Social Security benefits: $2,147.09
Vermont
- Rent average cost: $1,950
- Expenditure average cost: $3,333.05
- Monthly total cost (rent + expenditure): $5,283.05
- Leftover monthly costs after Social Security benefits: $3,422.82
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Virginia
- Rent average cost: $1,540
- Expenditure average cost: $2,912.22
- Monthly total cost (rent + expenditure): $4,452.22
- Leftover monthly costs after Social Security benefits: $2,591.99
Washington
- Rent average cost: $1,486
- Expenditure average cost: $3,369.88
- Monthly total cost (rent + expenditure): $4,855.88
- Leftover monthly costs after Social Security benefits: $2,995.65
West Virginia
- Rent average cost: $672
- Expenditure average cost: $2,451.83
- Monthly total cost (rent + expenditure): $3,123.83
- Leftover monthly costs after Social Security benefits: $1,263.60
Wisconsin
- Rent average cost: $949
- Expenditure average cost: $2,767.61
- Monthly total cost (rent + expenditure): $3,716.61
- Leftover monthly costs after Social Security benefits: $1,856.38
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Wyoming
- Rent average cost: $790
- Expenditure average cost: $2,592.46
- Monthly total cost (rent + expenditure): $3,382.46
- Leftover monthly costs after Social Security benefits: $1,522.23
Methodology: For this study, GOBankingRates analyzed every state to find how much money you’ll need to supplement your Social Security Income. GOBankingRates started by finding the [1] average cost of living indexes across multiple expenditures as sourced from Missouri Economic and Research Information Center and multiplied them by the [2] national average expenditure costs for ages 65 and over for each expenditure category to find the monthly total cost of expenditures. Adding the expenditure cost to the [3] overall rent cost as sourced from ApartmentList gives the average total cost of living in each state. Using the [4] average Social Security Benefits amounts for retired workers as sourced from the Social Security’s Monthly Statistical Supplement for January 2024, the total monthly cost of living after Social Security Benefits can be calculated. The remaining amount is how much you will need to supplement your Social Security in every state. The [5] median household income was sourced from the US Census’s American Community Survey and the leftover savings after cost of living costs was calculated for supplemental information. The states were sorted to show the lowest to highest leftover cost after Social Security Benefits pay for cost of living costs. All data was collected and is up-to-date as of June 12, 2024.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: How Much Money You’ll Need To Supplement Your Social Security in Every State
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