Heather Taylor | Fri, December 13, 2024 at 8:00 AM EST - 11 min read

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

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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

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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

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

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

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

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

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 the 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 U.S. 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 Jun. 12, 2024.

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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