Retirement Social Security

5 States Where Retirees Will Get the Biggest Social Security Raise in 2026

These five higher-benefit states get the biggest dollar boosts.

By Katy Willis

Edited by Laura Hohenstein

Updated Dec. 18, 2025

You might think every retiree's Social Security raise will look the same in 2026. The cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) is 2.8% nationwide, so everyone gets the same percentage bump. This is true. But in reality, retirees in a few states will see noticeably bigger dollar increases because their average checks are already higher.

The biggest 2026 boosts are clustered in a handful of higher-income states in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. Many retirees in these states have benefits higher than average because they typically have higher 35-year earnings records. This gives their budget a larger boost and helps them enjoy a stress-free retirement.

Here are the five states where retirees are on track for the largest average Social Security raises in 2026.

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Connecticut

Retired workers in Connecticut already collect the largest average Social Security checks in the country. Using 2024 data from the Social Security Administration (SSA) and adding in 2025's COLA, the average monthly benefit in this state is a little over $2,251 for retired workers. The median benefit amount is just above $2,210.

With 2026's COLA, that gives Connecticut one of the biggest actual dollar boosts in the country. A 2.8% raise on roughly $2,251 works out to about a $63 per month increase, lifting the average benefit to around $2,314 and the median check to roughly $2,275.

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New Jersey

New Jersey is right behind Connecticut for average Social Security benefits. In 2025, the typical retired worker's check in the Garden State comes in at about $2,245 a month, with the median benefit sitting at around $2,226. Both are well above the national averages.

When the 2.8% COLA lands in January 2026, that high 2025 benefit amount means New Jersey's retirees will also receive around $63 per month more. This pushes the average 2026 benefit to around $2,307 and the median to about $2,288.

New Hampshire

New Hampshire's average Social Security checks are around $2,238, with the median check a little over $2,174. That's several hundred dollars higher than what typical retirees see in lower-benefit states in the South and Southwest, and still more than the U.S. average.

Run the 2.8% COLA on that 2025 base, and you get roughly the same top-tier bump as Connecticut and New Jersey of roughly $63. That lifts the mean average benefit to $2,301 and the median to $2,235 from January 2026.

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Delaware

Delaware may be small, but its retirees collect some of the largest Social Security checks in the country. Average retired worker benefits for 2025 are $2,225 per month, with the median benefit just over $2,192. Again, well above average figures.

Payments going out in January will include the 2.8% 2026 COLA, so those checks will jump by around $62 per month. That pushes the typical Delaware Social Security benefit close to $2,287 per month and the median to $2,254.

Maryland

Maryland rounds out the top five states with the highest Social Security increase for 2026. The average benefit check in 2025 is approximately $2,193 per month, and the median benefit is a little over $2,136. Those numbers put Maryland just behind Delaware, but still ahead of the national average.

When you apply the 2026 COLA to those numbers, you'll find that Maryland retirees, on average, get an increase of almost $61 per month. So, in January, many retirees in Maryland can expect to receive, on average, $2,254. The median becomes around $2,195.

What this means if you don't live in these states

Across all 50 states, the 2026 COLA is 2.8%. On average, retired workers will see their monthly benefit rise from about $2,015 to $2,071. This is a raise of about $56 each month, or around $672 per year.

Because some states tend to have a larger portion of retirees who have 35 years of very high earnings, their base benefits are higher. Therefore, the 2.8% COLA results in a larger dollar increase for those retired workers.

Relocating won't bring you a higher check, as your benefit is tied to your earnings record. And the monthly increase isn't that much bigger. Connecticut, for example, only gets a bump that's around $7 per month higher than the U.S. average. Plus, some of these states may also have a higher cost of living or may tax retirement income, so the bigger increase may not be as significant as it seems.

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Bottom line

Wherever you live, don't use state or national averages to plan your retirement budget. Your benefit amount is tied to your specific highest 35 years of earnings. To find out how much you'll get once the new COLA is applied, check your "my Social Security" account.

You'll see your gross benefit amount, Medicare deductions, voluntary tax withholding, and your net deposit. Then you can plan your budget around the exact amount that'll show up in your January deposit.

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