Average Social Security Check at Age 66
Updated June 2026 · Source: Social Security Administration
SSA publishes these figures twice a year, in June and December. The December 2026 snapshot will appear here automatically once SSA releases it.
- average monthly check
- $1,801.98
- beneficiaries age 66
- 1,890,544
- average for men
- $1,991.11
- average for women
- $1,624.63
Social Security retirement beneficiaries who are 66 years old receive an average of $1,801.98 per month, as of June 2026, paid to 1,890,544 people at this age. Age 66 is full retirement age for people born 1943-1954, and within a couple of months of it for those born just after.
SSA has not published 2027 figures yet. Based on how the average at this age has changed over the last 5 years, our estimate for 2027 is around $1,839.55 a month. It is a projection, not an official number, and it is flagged in the table below.
Average check at age 66 by year
| Year | Average check | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2027estimated | ~$1,839.55 | +$37.57 |
| 2026 | $1,801.98 | −$5.30 |
| 2025 | $1,807.28 | +$43.29 |
| 2024 | $1,763.99 | +$24.07 |
| 2023 | $1,739.92 | +$20.07 |
| 2022 | $1,719.85 | +$92.96 |
| 2021 | $1,626.89 | +$99.19 |
| 2020 | $1,527.70 | +$70.01 |
| 2019 | $1,457.69 | +$19.02 |
| 2018 | $1,438.67 | +$55.89 |
| 2017 | $1,382.78 | +$50.08 |
| 2016 | $1,332.70 | −$5.69 |
| 2015 | $1,338.39 | −$17.91 |
| 2014 | $1,356.30 | +$31.90 |
| 2013 | $1,324.40 | - |
Annual increases largely track Social Security's cost-of-living adjustment (COLA). The 2027 row marked “estimated” is our projection, not SSA data: it applies this age group's average change over the last 5 years to the June 2026 figure. SSA's actual 2027 numbers will replace it once published.
Men vs. women at age 66
At age 66, men receive about $1,991.11 per month and women about $1,624.63, a difference of $366.48 (18%), mostly reflecting differences in lifetime earnings and claiming age.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the average Social Security check at age 66?
- As of June 2026, the average monthly Social Security retirement benefit for beneficiaries age 66 is $1,801.98, based on 1,890,544 beneficiaries (SSA data).
- Do men or women get more at age 66?
- At age 66, men receive about $1,991.11 per month on average and women about $1,624.63, a gap of $366.48 (18%), largely reflecting lifetime earnings differences.
- Is age 66 a good time to claim Social Security?
- Age 66 is full retirement age for people born 1943-1954, and within a couple of months of it for those born just after.