The states where people get the most money from Social Security, ranked

• Social Security retirement benefits average about $1,400 a month across the US.
• Florida has a lot of retired people — over 3 million — but the average Social Security check in the sunshine state is lower than the national average.
• Delaware, Connecticut, and New Jersey are the only states where the average Social Security retirement benefit is above $1,500.

Millions of Americans rely on Social Security retirement benefits.

Data released by the Social Security Administration in April revealed that throughout the US, over 42 million retirees receive Social Security checks totaling $59.6 billion every month. That averages out to a monthly payment of about $1,400 per person.

But not everyone takes home the same amount in Social Security benefits. In 24 states, the average retiree receives a monthly Social Security check worth less than $1,400. Three states have an average Social Security retirement benefit above $1,500, but none surpass $1,600. 

The differences between some states are stark. For instance, Montana has about 15,000 more retirees than Delaware, but Delaware's total Social Security retirement benefits exceed Montana's by about $7 million. The average retiree gets roughly $125 more each month in Delaware than in Montana. Delaware has the third highest average Social Security retirement benefit amount, while Montana is in the bottom five states.

Below, see the average Social Security retirement benefit in every state and Washington DC, ranked from the lowest to the highest.

Average Social Security retirement benefit: $1,311.72

Total Social Security retirement benefits: $687,058,000

Number of retirees: 523,785

Average Social Security retirement benefit: $1,314.22

Total Social Security retirement benefits: $298,898,000

Number of retirees: 227,434

Average Social Security retirement benefit: $1,319.06

Total Social Security retirement benefits: $534,016,000

Number of retirees: 404,846

Average Social Security retirement benefit: $1,323.16

Total Social Security retirement benefits: $379,272,000

Number of retirees: 286,641

Average Social Security retirement benefit: $1,331.30

Total Social Security retirement benefits: $220,407,000

Number of retirees: 165,558

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