Average Social Security Check at Age 65
Updated December 2025 · Source: Social Security Administration
SSA publishes these figures twice a year, in June and December. The June 2026 snapshot will appear here automatically once SSA releases it.
- average monthly check
- $1,607.27
- beneficiaries age 65
- 1,461,363
- average for men
- $1,772
- average for women
- $1,457.40
Social Security retirement beneficiaries who are 65 years old receive an average of $1,607.27 per month, as of December 2025, paid to 1,461,363 people at this age. Claiming before full retirement age (67 for anyone born in 1960 or later) means a permanently reduced monthly benefit.
SSA has not published 2026 figures yet. Based on how the average at this age has changed over the last 5 years, our estimate for 2026 is around $1,668.71 a month. It is a projection, not an official number, and it is flagged in the table below.
Average check at age 65 by year
| Year | Average check | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2026estimated | ~$1,668.71 | +$61.44 |
| 2025 | $1,607.27 | −$3.73 |
| 2024 | $1,611.00 | +$47.94 |
| 2023 | $1,563.06 | +$58.08 |
| 2022 | $1,504.98 | +$115.47 |
| 2021 | $1,389.51 | +$54.83 |
| 2020 | $1,334.68 | +$42.90 |
| 2019 | $1,291.78 | +$60.35 |
| 2018 | $1,231.43 | +$25.64 |
| 2017 | $1,205.79 | +$33.51 |
| 2016 | $1,172.28 | +$19.96 |
| 2015 | $1,152.32 | −$17.41 |
| 2014 | $1,169.73 | −$4.18 |
| 2013 | $1,173.91 | - |
Annual increases largely track Social Security's cost-of-living adjustment (COLA). The 2026 row marked “estimated” is our projection, not SSA data: it applies this age group's average change over the last 5 years to the December 2025 figure. SSA's actual 2026 numbers will replace it once published.
Men vs. women at age 65
At age 65, men receive about $1,772.00 per month and women about $1,457.40, a difference of $314.60 (18%), mostly reflecting differences in lifetime earnings and claiming age.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the average Social Security check at age 65?
- As of December 2025, the average monthly Social Security retirement benefit for beneficiaries age 65 is $1,607.27, based on 1,461,363 beneficiaries (SSA data).
- Do men or women get more at age 65?
- At age 65, men receive about $1,772.00 per month on average and women about $1,457.40, a gap of $314.60 (18%), largely reflecting lifetime earnings differences.
- Is age 65 a good time to claim Social Security?
- Claiming before full retirement age (67 for anyone born in 1960 or later) means a permanently reduced monthly benefit.