10 Places Where Social Security Offers the Best Standard of Living

Social Security shouldn’t be your only income in retirement, but some 12% of men and 15% of women who receive Social Security benefits rely on those checks for 90% or more of their income, according to the Social Security Administration.

With monthly benefits for retired workers averaging just $1,837 nationally as of June 2023, trying to live on Social Security alone can be challenging. However, it’s easier to do in some U.S. counties than in others.

A recent SmartAsset analysis ranked the U.S. counties that offer the best standard of living for retirees whose income is Social Security alone. The finance website did so by comparing the average annual Social Security benefits in that county with the typical cost of living there.

Keep reading to see which counties top the SmartAsset list, starting with No. 10 and progressing to the most affordable county for Social Security beneficiaries.

10. Hartley County, Texas

Typical annual cost of living: $22,742

Average annual Social Security income: $26,112

Leftover Social Security after expenses: $3,370

Population: 5,200 as of 2022

Hartley County can be found in the Texas Panhandle, northwest of Amarillo along the New Mexico border.

Ranching has played an integral role in the history of Hartley County, which has 1,488 square miles of level to rolling grasslands, and the county remains largely rural today.

9. Keweenaw County, Michigan

Typical annual cost of living: $22,340

Average annual Social Security income: $25,350

Leftover Social Security after expenses: $3,010

Population: 2,200 as of 2022

Located at the tip of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, Keweenaw County was originally known for its copper mines but is now a popular tourist destination. Among its draws are Fort Wilkins Historic State Park and Copper Harbor, which is a departure point for boats to Isle Royale National Park, a car-free island cluster in Lake Superior near the Canadian border.

For those who don’t mind a lot of snow, Keweenaw County is also a good place for retirees to stretch their Social Security dollars.

8. Greeley County, Kansas

Typical annual cost of living: $22,317

Average annual Social Security income: $25,845

Leftover Social Security after expenses: $3,528

Population: 1,220 as of 2022

Greeley County is named after the founder and editor of the New York Tribune, Horace Greeley. He’s honored for his vocal support of land grants for farmers as well as a government-financed railroad going to the Pacific coast .

Today the county houses the Horace Greeley Museum. The area boasts clear views of sunsets and starry skies, and it offers several walk-in hunting areas.

7. Grant County, Nebraska

Typical annual cost of living: $21,486

Average annual Social Security income: $26,696

Leftover Social Security after expenses: $5,210

Population: 580 as of 2022

Grant County was once a hunting spot for Native Americans and a feeding ground for buffalo. The Nebraska Association of County Officials says that it was later home to the cowboys who drove Texas longhorn cattle throughout the area.

Grant County is largely an agricultural area with 98% of its area either fields or wetlands. Echoing its roots, the county’s most common commodity is livestock. The county seat of Hyannis, with a population of 153 as of the 2020 Census, is the largest of its three communities.

6. Jones County, South Dakota

Typical annual cost of living: $20,714

Average annual Social Security income: $24,691

Leftover Social Security after expenses: $3,977

Population: 880 as of 2022

Jones County’s county seat, Murdo, says it’s “a place where strangers become friends.” Vast open spaces provide plenty of hunting and fishing opportunities. And the Jones County Sportsmen’s Club is the place for meeting others interested in honing their archery and shooting skills.

Residents and visitors can also enjoy boating, golfing and other amenities. 1880 Town is a nearby attraction built to recreate early prairie town life, complete with antique buildings moved there from around the region.

5. Alpine County, California

Typical annual cost of living: $24,107

Average annual Social Security income: $28,064

Leftover Social Security after expenses: $3,957

Population: 1,200 as of 2022

California is typically thought of as an expensive state to live in, but Alpine County can be an affordable choice for retirees.

Located along the Nevada border and within the Sierra Nevada Mountains, Alpine County calls itself “the Heart of the California Alps.” It is the state’s least-populated county and offers plenty of outdoor recreation opportunities, from ski resorts and the back country to kayaking and fishing.

4. Pend Oreille County, Washington

Typical annual cost of living: $20,978

Average annual Social Security income: $25,178

Leftover Social Security after expenses: $4,200

Population: 14,200 as of 2022

Pend Oreille County is a great place to live, work and play. Located in the northeastern corner of Washington state, the county shares borders with both Idaho and Canada.

The mining and timber industries flourished here, and today the county boasts of having scenic beauty, small-town hospitality and a pioneer spirit. Outdoors opportunities abound on the Pend Oreille River that dissects the county and at the county’s lakes, national forest and state park.

3. Lane County, Kansas

Typical annual cost of living: $22,440

Average annual Social Security income: $26,038

Leftover Social Security after expenses: $3,598

Population: 1,560 as of 2022

If you’re looking for the most affordable places to live on your Social Security benefits, hopefully you like the rural life. Like several counties on this list, Lane County has few residents. It also has but a single incorporated city — Dighton — within its boundaries.

Dighton describes itself as “Your Home on the Range,” and among its amenities is The JOY Center. Standing for Just Older Youth, the JOY Center provides a variety of activities for area seniors.

2. Sumter County, Florida

Typical annual cost of living: $22,315

Average annual Social Security income: $27,371

Leftover Social Security after expenses: $5,056

Population: 145,000 as of 2022

Florida is a popular haven for retirees, but it has only one entry on this list and it’s the most populous.

The numerous communities in Sumter County, about an hour’s drive west of Orlando, include The Villages, a retirement complex well-known as home to many active retirees.

1. Wichita County, Kansas

Typical annual cost of living: $22,317

Average annual Social Security income: $29,693

Leftover Social Security after expenses: $7,376

Population: 2,060 as of 2022

If you’re looking to take in “rich and wild” Western history, Wichita County’s Leoti Township can deliver. The Museum of the Great Plains features historical military and Old West gear, as well as artistan items like china and quilts.

Wichita County does not contain the city of Wichita, Kansas, which is about 250 miles to the east. Its remote location makes it a great spot for relishing in the prairie’s wide-open starry skies.