The Average Social Security Check the Year You Were Born
While Social Security benefits were never meant to fully replace the income you make while working, they are designed to prevent people from running out of funds in retirement. The Social Security Administration (SSA) also accounts for cost of living increases every year, and makes an adjustment to increase the benefits by a reasonable amount, as well.
If you’ve ever wondered what benefits your parents or grandparents were receiving, GOBankingRates took the average Social Security benefit from 1950 and found how much it translates to in today’s dollars. Using the SSA’s Annual Statistical Supplement of 2023, here is the average Social Security check from the year you — or a family member — were born.
Also check out what the average Social Security check will be in 15 years.
1950
Average monthly Social Security payment then: $43.86
Average monthly Social Security payment in today’s dollars: $585.20
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1951
Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then: $42.14
Average Monthly Social Security Payment in Today’s Dollars: $520.19
1952
Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then: $49.25
Average Monthly Social Security Payment in Today’s Dollars: $582.73
1953
Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then: $51.10
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars: $602.34
1954
Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then: $59.14
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars: $689.34
1955
Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then: $61.90
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars: $726.91
1956
Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then: $63.09
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars: $738.12
1957
Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then: $64.58
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars: $733.66
1958
Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then: $66.35
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars: $727.41
1959
Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then: $72.78
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars: $786.90
1960
Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then: $74.04
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars: $792.32
1961
Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then: $75.65
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars: $795.97
1962
Average monthly Social Security payment then: $76.19
Average monthly Social Security payment in today’s dollars: $796.31
1963
Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then: $76.88
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars: $792.95
1964
Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then: $77.57
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars: $787.12
1965
Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then: $83.92
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars: $843.36
1966
Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then: $84.35
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars: $831.69
1967
Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then: $85.37
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars: $813.60
1968
Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then: $98.86
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars: $909.01
1969
Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then: $100.40
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars: $884.28
1970
Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then: $118.10
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars: $979.63
1971
Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then: $132.17
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars: $1,041.25
1972
Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then: $162.35
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars: $1,238.55
1973
Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then: $166.42
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars: $1,224.90
1974
Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then: $188.21
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars: $1,266.37
1975
Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then: $207.18
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars: $1,246.85
1976
Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then: $224.86
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars: $1,268.06
1977
Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then: $243.00
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars: $1,302.43
1978
Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then: $263.20
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars: $1,320.41
1979
Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then: $294.30
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars: $1,351.06
1980
Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then: $341.40
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars: $1,375.90
1981
Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then: $385.97
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars: $1,391.04
1982
Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then: $419.30
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars: $1,394.17
1983
Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then: $440.77
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars: $1,413.11
1984
Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then: $460.57
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars: $1,417.18
1985
Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then: $478.62
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars: $1,422.47
1986
Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then: $488.44
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars: $1,397.35
1987
Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then: $512.65
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars: $1,445.51
1988
Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then: $536.77
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars: $1,454.65
1989
Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then: $566.85
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars: $1,467.67
1990
Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then: $602.56
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars: $1,482.98
1991
Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then: $629.32
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars: $1,465.99
1992
Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then: $652.64
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars: $1,481.78
1993
Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then: $674.06
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars: $1,482.12
1994
Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then: $697.34
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars: $1,495.55
1995
Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then: $719.80
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars: $1,501.61
1996
Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then: $744.96
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars: $1,512.83
1997
Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then: $774.84
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars: $1,527.02
1998
Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then: $779.69
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars: $1,512.81
1999
Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then: $804.30
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars: $1,534.92
2000
Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then: $844.48
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars: $1,568.63
2001
Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then: $874.44
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars: $1,565.84
2002
Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then: $895.00
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars: $1,584.56
2003
Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then: $922.08
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars: $1,591.17
2004
Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then: $954.89
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars: $1,616.65
2005
Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then: $1,002.00
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars: $1,647.48
2006
Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then: $1,044.40
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars: $1,651.38
2007
Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then: $1,078.60
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars: $1,670.78
2008
Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then: $1,152.90
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars: $1,712.57
2009
Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then: $1,164.30
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars: $1,728.99
2010
Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then: $1,175.50
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars: $1,700.96
2011
Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then: $1,228.57
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars: $1,749.21
2012
Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then: $1,261.61
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars: $1,745.20
2013
Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then: $1,293.83
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars: $1,761.67
2014
Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then: $1,328.58
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars: $1,780.87
2015
Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then: $1,341.77
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars: $1,800.16
2016
Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then: $1,360.13
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars: $1,800.07
2017
Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then: $1,404.15
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars: $1,813.01
2018
Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then: $1,461.31
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars: $1,848.54
2019
Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then: $1,502.85
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars: $1,872.04
2020
Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then: $1,544.15
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars: $1,876.82
2021
Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then: $1,658.03
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars: $1,987.41
2022
Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then: $1,825.14
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars: $2,035.47
2023
Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then: $1,842.87
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars: $1,931.44
2024
Average Monthly Social Security Payment: $1,912.09
Joel Anderson contributed to the reporting for this story.
Methodology: GOBankingRates used the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) “Annual Statistical Supplement, 2023” to find the average Social Security check the year you were born. Using this report, GOBankingRates referenced Table 3.C4–Average monthly amount of Social Security (OASDI) to find: (1) the average monthly Social Security payment for retired workers (amount at the time), and then used the Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI inflation calculator to find the (2) average monthly Social Security payment for retired workers (2024 dollars) for the years 1950 through 2023. All data was collected on and up to date as of May 28, 2024.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: The Average Social Security Check the Year You Were Born