Women Lose $5,000 Each Year to the Social Security Gender Gap - Here's How Every State Compares

Women make up the majority of Social Security recipients in the United States, yet they collect significantly less in Social Security benefits compared to their male counterparts.

Why do women receive far less in Social Security benefits than men? The short answer is that Social Security payments are based on earnings accrued during working years, and in the U.S., the gender wage gap continues into retirement. This reflects decades of structural inequality in the workforce, as women who took time away from work for caregiving, worked part-time, or spent their careers in lower-wage industries see those choices, and those inequities, permanently encoded in their monthly benefit checks once they leave the active workforce.

To better understand the wage gap in retirement, our research team analyzed the most recently published Social Security Administration data to determine the average monthly benefit paid to male and female recipients across all 50 states and Washington, D.C., including the monthly and annual dollar differences between genders.

Key findings

• Nationally, women receive an average of $1,760 per month in Social Security, 19.9% less than the $2,198 men receive, a gap of $438 every month or $5,254 per year.
• Women make up 55.1% of all Social Security recipients (30.4 million women vs. 24.7 million men), yet the total monthly payout to men is higher ($54.4 million vs. $53.5 million), meaning women collect far less per person.
• Utah has the widest gender gap in the country: men receive 27.0% more than women ($2,400 vs. $1,751), a difference of $649 per month or $7,785 per year.
• Washington, D.C., has the narrowest gap at just 8.4%, with men receiving just $174 more per month than women ($2,087 vs. $1,913).
• Louisiana women receive the lowest average monthly Social Security benefit of any state at just $1,552, or $208 below the national average for women. Women in Delaware receive the highest monthly benefit ($1,978).

America's gender wage gap and how it impacts Social Security

According to the U.S. Census, median earnings for American women working full-time are only 83% of those of their male counterparts. That number has been steadily improving in recent decades, but still represents a major gap in pay and career earnings between men and women. Unfortunately, the impact of that divide continues to be felt long after women have retired from the workforce.

Social Security benefit payments are based on how much workers earned during their peak earning years, so pay disparities between men and women in the active labor force carry over into retirement. As a result, Social Security Administration data show that the average monthly Social Security benefit payment for women is $1,760, while the average monthly benefit for men is nearly $450 higher, at $2,198. That means women receive 19.9% less in Social Security benefits than men on average, which amounts to a gap of more than $5,250 annually between the sexes.

The states where the Social Security gender gap is widest

For many retirees, Social Security benefits are a major source of income after they leave the workforce, which can make any shortfall between male and female beneficiaries feel drastic. As it stands, the gap between what men and women receive in Social Security benefits varies dramatically by state, shaped by factors such as local labor market histories and dominant regional industries. In the states with the widest gaps, the dollar differences compound into thousands of dollars of lost Social Security income annually for women.

Utah leads all states with a 27.0% gap. Men in the Beehive State collect an average benefit of $2,400 per month while women receive just $1,751, a difference of $649 every month and $7,785 over the course of a year. Louisiana ranks second at 25.9%, and while its percentage gap is slightly narrower than Utah's, the underlying picture is especially severe: women in Louisiana receive just $1,552 per month, the lowest average benefit for women of any state in the country. Wyoming (23.9%), Texas (23.5%), and North Dakota (23.3%) round out the top five, all posting gaps above 23% and monthly shortfalls between $510 and $552.

States with the largest Social Security gender gap
State	Avg. Male Benefit	Avg. Female Benefit	Gender Gap	Monthly Difference	Annual Difference
Utah	$2,400	$1,751	27.04%	$649	$7,785
Louisiana	$2,094	$1,552	25.89%	$542	$6,508
Wyoming	$2,311	$1,759	23.89%	$552	$6,625
Texas	$2,187	$1,674	23.47%	$513	$6,159
North Dakota	$2,193	$1,683	23.25%	$510	$6,116
Idaho	$2,220	$1,707	23.10%	$513	$6,152
Ohio	$2,186	$1,684	22.96%	$502	$6,024
Colorado	$2,306	$1,784	22.67%	$523	$6,273
Alaska	$2,140	$1,670	21.99%	$471	$5,648
West Virginia	$2,120	$1,659	21.77%	$462	$5,539

These states share a common thread: economies historically dominated by male-concentrated industries like energy, agriculture, mining, and manufacturing, where higher wages boosted the lifetime earnings, and therefore the Social Security benefits, of male workers for decades.

The states where the Social Security gender gap is smallest

Washington, D.C., stands apart from all other states with a gap of just 8.4%. Men in the nation's capital receive just $174 more per month than women, less than half the average national gap of $438. The District's economy is anchored by federal government employment, which has long offered standardized pay scales and strong representation of women in professional roles.

States with the smallest Social Security gender gap
State	Avg. Male Benefit	Avg. Female Benefit	Gender Gap	Monthly Difference	Annual Difference
District of Columbia	$2,087	$1,913	8.36%	$174	$2,093
Hawaii	$2,131	$1,833	14.00%	$298	$3,581
New York	$2,185	$1,836	15.98%	$349	$4,190
Maryland	$2,348	$1,954	16.79%	$394	$4,730
Vermont	$2,235	$1,852	17.14%	$383	$4,597
Delaware	$2,411	$1,978	17.98%	$434	$5,204
New Jersey	$2,417	$1,977	18.18%	$439	$5,273
New Mexico	$2,059	$1,678	18.52%	$381	$4,577
Arkansas	$2,062	$1,679	18.56%	$383	$4,591
Nevada	$2,117	$1,723	18.61%	$394	$4,728

Following Washington, D.C., the gap widens considerably, as there are no other states where the percentage gap is within single digits. The second-smallest differential is in Hawaii, where Social Security benefits for men are 14% higher than for women, equating to an additional $298 per month. New York (16.0%, $349 per month gap) is third, and it is worth noting that both Hawaii and New York are places with diverse, service-oriented economies with higher rates of women in well-compensated careers. Maryland (16.8%) and Vermont (17.1%) round out the five smallest gaps.

Why women receive less in Social Security

The Social Security gender gap is a direct consequence of how the program calculates benefits, and of the economic inequalities that precede retirement.

• Lifetime earnings drive benefits. Social Security payments are based on a worker's 35 highest-earning years. Lower lifetime wages produce lower benefits, and women still earn less than men across most industries and occupations.
• Career interruptions compound over time. Women are far more likely than men to take time out of the workforce for caregiving, such as raising children or caring for aging parents. Each year out of the workforce can count as a zero in the benefits calculation.
• Part-time work reduces the base. Women work part-time at higher rates than men. Part-time jobs typically carry lower wages and produce a weaker Social Security earnings record.
• Occupational segregation persists. Historically, female-dominated fields such as teaching, nursing, childcare, and administrative support have commanded lower wages than male-dominated fields, even when requiring comparable skills or credentials.

The result is a retirement income system that faithfully mirrors the inequalities of working life. A woman who earned less than her male peers throughout a 35-year career doesn't just lose income during her working years; she also loses a part of it every month for the rest of her life. Nationally, that amounts to more than $5,250 per year in missing retirement income for the average female Social Security recipient. Closing that gap starts with building retirement savings independent of Social Security.

Social Security benefits by gender: All 50 states

Below is the complete state-by-state breakdown of average monthly Social Security benefits by gender, including monthly and annual dollar differences.

State	Avg. Male Benefit	Avg. Female Benefit	Gender Gap	Monthly Difference	Annual Difference
Alabama	$2,168	$1,717	20.83%	$452	$5,421
Alaska	$2,140	$1,670	21.99%	$471	$5,648
Arizona	$2,245	$1,818	19.03%	$427	$5,129
Arkansas	$2,062	$1,679	18.56%	$383	$4,591
California	$2,125	$1,720	19.06%	$405	$4,860
Colorado	$2,306	$1,784	22.67%	$523	$6,273
Connecticut	$2,457	$1,963	20.10%	$494	$5,926
Delaware	$2,411	$1,978	17.98%	$434	$5,204
District of Columbia	$2,087	$1,913	8.36%	$174	$2,093
Florida	$2,177	$1,767	18.83%	$410	$4,920
Georgia	$2,169	$1,740	19.80%	$429	$5,153
Hawaii	$2,131	$1,833	14.00%	$298	$3,581
Idaho	$2,220	$1,707	23.10%	$513	$6,152
Illinois	$2,257	$1,781	21.10%	$476	$5,714
Indiana	$2,304	$1,817	21.13%	$487	$5,841
Iowa	$2,248	$1,777	20.97%	$471	$5,658
Kansas	$2,317	$1,833	20.86%	$483	$5,800
Kentucky	$2,099	$1,650	21.41%	$450	$5,394
Louisiana	$2,094	$1,552	25.89%	$542	$6,508
Maine	$2,110	$1,682	20.26%	$428	$5,130
Maryland	$2,348	$1,954	16.79%	$394	$4,730
Massachusetts	$2,319	$1,852	20.14%	$467	$5,604
Michigan	$2,324	$1,844	20.68%	$481	$5,768
Minnesota	$2,335	$1,883	19.37%	$452	$5,428
Mississippi	$2,035	$1,648	19.03%	$387	$4,648
Missouri	$2,187	$1,734	20.74%	$454	$5,443
Montana	$2,112	$1,682	20.35%	$430	$5,158
Nebraska	$2,261	$1,798	20.47%	$463	$5,554
Nevada	$2,117	$1,723	18.61%	$394	$4,728
New Hampshire	$2,454	$1,941	20.91%	$513	$6,159
New Jersey	$2,417	$1,977	18.18%	$439	$5,273
New Mexico	$2,059	$1,678	18.52%	$381	$4,577
New York	$2,185	$1,836	15.98%	$349	$4,190
North Carolina	$2,220	$1,799	19.00%	$422	$5,062
North Dakota	$2,193	$1,683	23.25%	$510	$6,116
Ohio	$2,186	$1,684	22.96%	$502	$6,024
Oklahoma	$2,154	$1,729	19.70%	$424	$5,090
Oregon	$2,215	$1,791	19.12%	$423	$5,081
Pennsylvania	$2,293	$1,835	19.96%	$458	$5,493
Rhode Island	$2,283	$1,851	18.93%	$432	$5,188
South Carolina	$2,260	$1,793	20.67%	$467	$5,606
South Dakota	$2,163	$1,693	21.73%	$470	$5,641
Tennessee	$2,201	$1,761	19.98%	$440	$5,277
Texas	$2,187	$1,674	23.47%	$513	$6,159
Utah	$2,400	$1,751	27.04%	$649	$7,785
Vermont	$2,235	$1,852	17.14%	$383	$4,597
Virginia	$2,308	$1,850	19.85%	$458	$5,499
Washington	$2,337	$1,871	19.93%	$466	$5,588
West Virginia	$2,120	$1,659	21.77%	$462	$5,539
Wisconsin	$2,282	$1,817	20.41%	$466	$5,590
Wyoming	$2,311	$1,759	23.89%	$552	$6,625
Nationwide	$2,198	$1,760	19.92%	$438	$5,254

How women can close the Social Security gender gap

Social Security is a critical income source for millions of American women — but the gender gap means many are working with significantly less than they may expect. Here's what to keep in mind.

• Understand how your benefit is calculated: Learn the basics of Social Security so you can make informed decisions about when to claim. Delaying benefits past your full retirement age can increase your monthly check — which matters more when your baseline benefit is lower.

• Put your savings to work in the meantime: A high-yield savings account can help your money grow while remaining accessible — a simple way to make up ground while building toward retirement.
• Don't leave growth on the table: Even modest contributions to an IRA or brokerage account compound significantly over a career. Using one of the best investment apps makes it easy to start regardless of the size of the account.

Methodology

FinanceBuzz analyzed the most recently published state-level data from the Social Security Administration to calculate the average monthly Social Security benefit paid to male and female recipients in each of the 50 states and Washington, D.C. Average benefits were calculated by dividing total monthly payments to each gender by the number of recipients of that gender in each state. The gender gap percentage reflects how much more men, on average, receive than women. Monthly and annual dollar differences represent the average per-recipient gap between male and female benefit amounts.