Here's the Average Social Security Retired-Worker Benefit by Age (From 62 Through 99)

The average monthly Social Security check for retirees differs dramatically between ages 62 and 99.

Apr 13, 2025 - 08:50

Here's the Average Social Security Retired-Worker Benefit by Age (From 62 Through 99)

No social program is responsible for pulling more people out of poverty each year than Social Security. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, the program lifted 22 million people above the federal poverty line in 2023, including 16.3 million adults aged 65 and over.

It's also a program that retired workers lean on heavily to make ends meet. Spanning 23 years of annual surveys, pollster Gallup has found that 80% to 90% of retirees, including 88% in April 2024, require their Social Security income to cover at least some portion of their expenses.

However, average Social Security checks can meaningfully differ by age. Let's take a closer look at how retired-worker benefits are calculated, examine how much the average retired worker is bringing home each month by age, and take a wide-lens look at which, if any, ages are likeliest to maximize lifetime Social Security benefit collection, based on a comprehensive study.