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

You might think every retiree’s Social Security raise will look the same in2026. The cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) is 2.8% nationwide, so everyone getsthe same percentage bump. This is true. But in reality, retirees in a few stateswill see noticeably bigger dollar increases because their average checks arealready higher.

The biggest 2026 boosts are clustered in a handful of higher-income states inthe Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. Many retirees in these states have benefitshigher 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 averageSocial Security raises in 2026.

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1. Connecticut

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

With 2026’s COLA, that gives Connecticut one of the biggest actual dollar boostsin the country. A 2.8% raise on roughly $2,251 works out to about a $63 permonth increase, lifting the average benefit to around $2,314 and the mediancheck to roughly $2,275.

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2. New Jersey

New Jersey is right behind Connecticut for average Social Security benefits. In2025, 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 wellabove the national averages.

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

3. New Hampshire

New Hampshire’s average Social Security checks are around $2,238, with themedian check a little over $2,174. That’s several hundred dollars higher thanwhat 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 bumpas Connecticut and New Jersey of roughly $63. That lifts the mean averagebenefit to $2,301 and the median to $2,235 from January 2026.

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4. Delaware

Delaware may be small, but its retirees collect some of the largest SocialSecurity 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 aboveaverage figures.

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

5. Maryland

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

When you apply the 2026 COLA to those numbers, you’ll find that Marylandretirees, 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 medianbecomes 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 willsee their monthly benefit rise from about $2,015 to $2,071. This is a raise ofabout $56 each month, or around $672 per year.

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

Relocating won’t bring you a higher check, as your benefit is tied to yourearnings 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 maytax retirement income, so the bigger increase may not be as significant as itseems.

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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 highest35 years of earnings. To find out how much you’ll get once the new COLA isapplied, check your “my Social Security” account.

You’ll see your gross benefit amount, Medicare deductions, voluntary taxwithholding, and your net deposit. Then you can plan your budget around theexact amount that’ll show up in your January deposit.

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