GOBankingRates

The Average Social Security Check the Year You Were Born

By Jordan Rosenfeld,

2023-06-26

While Social Security benefits were never meant to fully replace the income you make while working, they are designed to prevent people from running out of funds in retirement . The Social Security Administration (SSA) also accounts for cost of living increases every year, and makes an adjustment to increase the benefits by a reasonable amount, as well.

If you’ve ever wondered what benefits your parents or grandparents were receiving, GOBankingRates took the average Social Security benefit from 1950 and found how much it translates to in today’s dollars. Using the SSA’s Annual Statistical Supplement of 2023 , here is the average Social Security check from the year you — or a family member — were born.

Also check out what the average Social Security check will be in 15 years.

https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=2o2z9l_0XyKBzFy00 — brizmaker / iStock.com

1950

Average monthly Social Security payment then : $43.86
Average monthly Social Security payment in today’s dollars : $585.20

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https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3Ey77f_0XyKBzFy00 — eric1513 / Getty Images

1951

Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then : $42.14
Average Monthly Social Security Payment in Today’s Dollars: $520.19

https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0oD8Ft_0XyKBzFy00 — Paul Bradbury / iStock.com

1952

Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then : $49.25
Average Monthly Social Security Payment in Today’s Dollars : $582.73

https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0MXIiL_0XyKBzFy00 — DNY59 / Getty Images/iStockphoto

1953

Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then : $51.10
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars : $602.34

https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=21V8pJ_0XyKBzFy00 — AleksandarNakic / iStock.com

1954

Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then : $59.14
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars: $689.34

https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1mZ6zs_0XyKBzFy00

1955

Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then : $61.90
Average Monthly Social Security P ayment In Today’s Dollars: $726.91

https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=34U8Lb_0XyKBzFy00 — Matt Bennett / Unsplash

1956

Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then : $63.09
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars : $738.12

https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=2euIkQ_0XyKBzFy00 — lorozco3D / iStock.com

1957

Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then : $64.58
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars : $733.66

https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0Ekpc9_0XyKBzFy00 — whitebalance.oatt / iStock/Getty Images

1958

Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then : $66.35
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars : $727.41

https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=388tPo_0XyKBzFy00 — DNY59 / Getty Images/iStockphoto

1959

Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then : $72.78
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars : $786.90

https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0t20Ez_0XyKBzFy00 — PeopleImages / iStock.com

1960

Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then : $74.04
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars : $792.32

https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=4QLAPQ_0XyKBzFy00 — Richard Stephen / Getty Images/iStockphoto

1961

Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then : $75.65
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars : $795.97

https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=4f83iM_0XyKBzFy00 — Johnny Greig / iStock.com

1962

Average monthly Social Security payment then : $76.19
Average monthly Social Security payment in today’s dollars : $796.31

https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3Gnw2s_0XyKBzFy00 — zimmytws / Getty Images/iStockphoto

1963

Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then : $76.88
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars : $792.95

https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0c1qGg_0XyKBzFy00 — Punnarong / Getty Images/iStockphoto

1964

Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then : $77.57
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars : $787.12

https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1jEfGF_0XyKBzFy00 — Nodar Chernishev / iStock.com

1965

Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then : $83.92
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars : $843.36

https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1fO1u0_0XyKBzFy00 — AND-ONE / Getty Images/iStockphoto

1966

Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then : $84.35
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars : $831.69

https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3WcOrj_0XyKBzFy00 — Bill Oxford / iStock.com

1967

Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then : $85.37
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars : $813.60

https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=2JK2eE_0XyKBzFy00 — RealPeopleGroup / Getty Images

1968

Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then : $98.86
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars : $909.01

https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=34zi8T_0XyKBzFy00 — Bill Oxford / Getty Images/iStockphoto

1969

Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then : $100.40
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars : $884.28

https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1rMrnI_0XyKBzFy00 — FatCamera / Getty Images

1970

Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then : $118.10
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars : $979.63

https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0zLigq_0XyKBzFy00 — zimmytws / Getty Images/iStockphoto

1971

Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then : $132.17
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars : $1,041.25

https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3qNCgE_0XyKBzFy00 — PeopleImages / Getty Images/iStockphoto

1972

Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then : $162.35
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars : $1,238.55

https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=15B9wu_0XyKBzFy00 — DNY59 / Getty Images/iStockphoto

1973

Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then : $166.42
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars : $1,224.90

https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0sKzyr_0XyKBzFy00 — shapecharge / Getty Images/iStockphoto

1974

Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then : $188.21
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars : $1,266.37

https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=2hCEPt_0XyKBzFy00 — JJ Gouin / iStock.com

1975

Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then : $207.18
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars : $1,246.85

https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=003iYZ_0XyKBzFy00 — Piyapong Thongcharoen / Getty Images/iStockphoto

1976

Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then : $224.86
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars : $1,268.06

https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1hbQhZ_0XyKBzFy00 — Kameleon007 / iStock.com

1977

Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then : $243.00
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars : $1,302.43

https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1T5qk8_0XyKBzFy00 — btrenkel / iStock.com

1978

Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then : $263.20
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars : $1,320.41

https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1xerhh_0XyKBzFy00 — mphillips007 / Getty Images/iStockphoto

1979

Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then : $294.30
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars : $1,351.06

https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1TDR05_0XyKBzFy00 — kali9 / iStock.com

1980

Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then : $341.40
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars : $1,375.90

https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=4fnXem_0XyKBzFy00 — blyjak / Getty Images/iStockphoto

1981

Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then : $385.97
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars : $1,391.04

https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1q3ilt_0XyKBzFy00 — Kali Nine LLC / iStock.com

1982

Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then : $419.30
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars : $1,394.17

https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3ey2ya_0XyKBzFy00 — NoDerog / Getty Images/iStockphoto

1983

Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then : $440.77
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars : $1,413.11

https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0maIEa_0XyKBzFy00 — dragana991 / Getty Images/iStockphoto

1984

Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then : $460.57
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars : $1,417.18

https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1aBZHb_0XyKBzFy00 — Bill Oxford / Getty Images/iStockphoto

1985

Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then : $478.62
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars : $1,422.47

https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1oG2OL_0XyKBzFy00 — alvarez / iStock.com

1986

Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then : $488.44
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars : $1,397.35

https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=2ui7dP_0XyKBzFy00 — courtneyk / Getty Images

1987

Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then : $512.65
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars : $1,445.51

https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0QWo3G_0XyKBzFy00 — Olena Miroshnichenko / iStock.com

1988

Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then : $536.77
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars : $1,454.65

https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0cNwLp_0XyKBzFy00 — Bill Oxford / iStock.com

1989

Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then : $566.85
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars : $1,467.67

https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3jURiI_0XyKBzFy00 — skynesher / iStock.com

1990

Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then : $602.56
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars : $1,482.98

https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0g7UkW_0XyKBzFy00 — DNY59 / Getty Images/iStockphoto

1991

Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then : $629.32
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars : $1,465.99

https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=21hg0G_0XyKBzFy00 — Halfpoint / Getty Images/iStockphoto

1992

Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then : $652.64
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars : $1,481.78

https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1o9R2t_0XyKBzFy00 — Barbacane / iStock.com

1993

Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then : $674.06
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars : $1,482.12

https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0fVtZq_0XyKBzFy00 — Geber86 / iStock.com

1994

Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then : $697.34
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars : $1,495.55

https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=2BWsJX_0XyKBzFy00 — eric1513 / iStock.com

1995

Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then : $719.80
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars : $1,501.61

https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1QCgpp_0XyKBzFy00 — kali9 / iStock.com

1996

Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then : $744.96
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars : $1,512.83

https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3TabN7_0XyKBzFy00 — Popartic / iStock.com

1997

Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then : $774.84
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars : $1,527.02

https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3lCiNd_0XyKBzFy00 — Zinkevych / Getty Images/iStockphoto

1998

Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then : $779.69
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars : $1,512.81

https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=4f9zrS_0XyKBzFy00 — richcano / iStock.com

1999

Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then : $804.30
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars : $1,534.92

https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0yIpZq_0XyKBzFy00 — Dean Mitchell / Getty Images

2000

Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then : $844.48
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars : $1,568.63

https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0FuP17_0XyKBzFy00 — NoDerog / Getty Images

2001

Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then : $874.44
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars : $1,565.84

https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3NS7m7_0XyKBzFy00 — Daisy-Daisy / Getty Images/iStockphoto

2002

Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then : $895.00
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars : $1,584.56

https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=174OP8_0XyKBzFy00 — BackyardProduction / Getty Images/iStockphoto

2003

Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then: $922.08
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars : $1,591.17

https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3DIuK4_0XyKBzFy00 — miodrag ignjatovic / Getty Images

2004

Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then : $954.89
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars : $1,616.65

https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3VMw1z_0XyKBzFy00

2005

Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then : $1,002.00
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars : $1,647.48

https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1jgW9z_0XyKBzFy00 — lisegagne / Getty Images

2006

Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then : $1,044.40
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars : $1,651.38

https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=4C6did_0XyKBzFy00 — LPETTET / iStock.com

2007

Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then: $1,078.60
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars : $1,670.78

https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=2YdENK_0XyKBzFy00 — MonicaNinker / iStock.com

2008

Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then : $1,152.90
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars : $1,712.57

https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0by0tV_0XyKBzFy00 — agshotime / Getty Images/iStockphoto

2009

Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then: $1,164.30
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars : $1,728.99

https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3taiVG_0XyKBzFy00 — aldomurillo / Getty Images

2010

Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then : $1,175.50
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars : $1,700.96

https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1sTedT_0XyKBzFy00 — NoDerog / Getty Images/iStockphoto

2011

Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then : $1,228.57
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars : $1,749.21

https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=47KG7y_0XyKBzFy00 — Ridofranz / Getty Images

2012

Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then : $1,261.61
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars : $1,745.20

https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3uv2qB_0XyKBzFy00 — NoDerog / Getty Images/iStockphoto

2013

Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then : $1,293.83
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars : $1,761.67

https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=14rIKq_0XyKBzFy00 — simon2579 / iStock.com

2014

Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then : $1,328.58
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars : $1,780.87

https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0QCtT1_0XyKBzFy00 — ImagePixel / iStock.com

2015

Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then: $1,341.77
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars : $1,800.16

https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=349AUq_0XyKBzFy00 — west / iStock.com

2016

Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then : $1,360.13
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars : $1,800.07

https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3xvMy3_0XyKBzFy00 — Douglas Rissing / iStock.com

2017

Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then : $1,404.15
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars : $1,813.01

https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=4BWjJF_0XyKBzFy00 — Jacob Wackerhausen / iStock.com

2018

Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then : $1,461.31
A verage Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars : $1,848.54

https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=37c3cV_0XyKBzFy00 — jetcityimage / Getty Images

2019

Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then : $1,502.85
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars : $1,872.04

https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=2NlW5o_0XyKBzFy00 — Ivan Gonzalez / iStock.com

2020

Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then : $1,544.15
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars : $1,876.82

https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0o3qOS_0XyKBzFy00 — KenTannenbaum / iStock.com

2021

Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then: $1,658.03
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars : $1,987.41

https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1NDrrl_0XyKBzFy00 — Jose carlos Cerdeno / iStock.com

2022

Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then : $1,825.14
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars : $2,035.47

https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3p9tTk_0XyKBzFy00 — eric1513 / Getty Images

2023

Average Monthly Social Security Payment Then: $1,842.87
Average Monthly Social Security Payment In Today’s Dollars : $1,931.44

https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1UxYJj_0XyKBzFy00 — brizmaker / Getty Images/iStockphoto

2024

Average Monthly Social Security Payment : $1,912.09

Joel Anderson contributed to the reporting for this story.

Methodology: GOBankingRates used the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) “Annual Statistical Supplement, 2023” to find the average Social Security check the year you were born. Using this report, GOBankingRates referenced Table 3.C4–Average monthly amount of Social Security (OASDI) to find: (1) the average monthly Social Security payment for retired workers (amount at the time), and then used the Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI inflation calculator to find the (2) average monthly Social Security payment for retired workers (2024 dollars) for the years 1950 through 2023. All data was collected on and up to date as of May 28, 2024.

This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com : The Average Social Security Check the Year You Were Born