24 Worst Big Cities To Live on Just a Social Security Check

Retirement is often a major adjustment and a formidable transition from working life. It’s not only a big lifestyle change, it brings a substantial change in income. The average retirement-aged person’s Social Security payment in March 2024 was $1,865.

Many senior Americans rely on Social Security as their sole source of income, in which case they’d be living on less than $22,400 yearly.

For retirees getting by on Social Security checks alone, absorbing high costs of living is likely not an option, especially if they have little to no retirement savings. Hence, cities with high costs of living (COL) should be avoided.

Here are the 24 worst cities in the U.S. for those living on just Social Security checks, highlighting data like the livability score, average mortgage cost, average expenditure cost and COL.

• Livability score: 73
• Average mortgage cost: $424.25 
• Average expenditure cost: $1,728.12   
• COL: $2,152.37

Detroit, a city famed for its auto industry presence, is a tough place for retirees to get by if they’re living on Social Security alone — but it’s still the best on this list.

And a 73 livability score isn’t too bad. 

• Livability score: 71 
• Average mortgage cost: $615.86 
• Average expenditure cost: $2,372.69  
• COL: $2,372.69  

Fondly known as “The Forest City,” Cleveland is among one of the more popular hubs for retirees, as far as this list goes.

According to GOBankingRates’ research, 14.6% of the city’s population is 65 and up.

• Livability score: 80 
• Average mortgage cost:  $1,345.65 
• Average expenditure cost:  $1,724.75   
• COL: $3,070.40 

Though the cost of living in El Paso isn’t necessarily affordable for retirees living on only Social Security checks, this city is much less expensive than many others, with an average cost of living 10% lower than the national average, according to Payscale.

• Livability score: 74
• Average mortgage cost:  $1,041.13 
• Average expenditure cost: $1,785.21   
• COL: $2,826.34 

Nicknamed “Mound City,” St. Louis has a slightly better than so-so livability score. But retirees may struggle with the costs of living here.

According to GOBankingRates’ research, 14.5% of the city’s population is 65 and older.

• Livability score: 86
• Average mortgage cost: $1,825.57 
• Average expenditure cost: $1,788.44  
• COL: $3,614.01 

Lexington has the best livability score on this list (86), but that sweet, sweet living comes at a steep cost for retirees living on just Social Security.

• Livability score: 75
• Average mortgage cost: $1,100.43 
• Average expenditure cost: $1,818.50  
• COL: $2,918.93   

In Baltimore, 14.8% of the population is 65 years old or older. You’ll need close to $3,000 a month to comfortably get by here. 

• Livability score: 69 
• Average mortgage cost: $884.14 
• Average expenditure cost: $1,801.30   
• COL: $2,685.44  

The cost of living in Memphis is 13% lower than the national average, according to Payscale, but that doesn’t make it a prime financial choice for frugal retirees.

Additionally, this city has the third-lowest livability score on this list.

• Livability score: 81 
• Average mortgage cost: $1,567.13 
• Average expenditure cost: $1,802.65   
• COL: $3,369.78  

In San Antonio, 12.8% of the population is ages 65 and up, which is on the lower end of this list.

Could that tie to the fact that it’s a far-from-ideal place to retire on such a slim budget? 

• Livability score: 80 
• Average mortgage cost: $1,455.16 
• Average expenditure cost: $1,816.62   
• COL: $3,271.78 

According to Payscale, the cost of living in Cincinnati is 4% lower than the national average, but it may be a difficult city to reside in for retirees skirting by on nothing but Social Security benefits.

• Livability score: 77 
• Average mortgage cost: $1,375.78 
• Average expenditure cost: $1,814.82   
• COL: $3,190.61 

Indianapolis, also known as “Crossroads of America,” has a cost of living of more than $3,000 a month.

How can you get by on that if your only income is Social Security?

• Livability score: 82 
• Average mortgage cost: $1,598.70 
• Average expenditure cost: $1,825.57   
• COL: $3,424.26 

For retirees getting by on Social Security benefits alone, Greensboro isn’t a great city to live in, despite its more than decent livability score.

• Livability score: 79 
• Average mortgage cost: $1,235.24 
• Average expenditure cost: $1,861.13   
• COL: $3,096.37 

The cost of living in Oklahoma City is 16% lower than the national average, according to Payscale. However impressive that may be, it’s still a terribly pricey city for frugal retirees with such a low fixed income.

• Livability score: 78 
• Average mortgage cost: $1,330.72 
• Average expenditure cost: $1,840.25   
• COL: $3,170.96  

Corpus Christie has a population of 317,804, and 14.5% of that number is 65 or older. Though this is on the higher end for this list, that doesn’t make this city the best financial choice for retirees on extra tight budgets.

• Livability score: 80 
• Average mortgage cost: $1,755.82 
• Average expenditure cost: $1,786.09   
• COL: $3,541.91 

Yowzers! The cost of living in Saint Paul is the second highest on this list (the No. 1 spot goes to Lexington, Kentucky). Tough town for retirees bound to incomes that consist of only Social Security benefits.

• Livability score: 78 
• Average mortgage cost: $1,199.80 
• Average expenditure cost: $1,877.25   
• COL: $3,077.05 

The cost of living in Milwaukee is right on par with the national average, according to Payscale. This fact alone makes it a difficult place for retirees living just on Social Security. 

• Livability score: 79 
• Average mortgage cost: $1,567
• Average expenditure cost: $1,832.36   
• COL: $3,399.36 

There are plenty of good reasons to retire in Columbus, among them a happening and diverse scene, but it’s not a great city for retirees living on just Social Security.  

• Livability score: 77 
• Average mortgage cost: $1,438.15 
• Average expenditure cost: $1,836.94   
• COL: $3,275.09 

If you’re a retiree living on Social Security only, think twice about residing in Kansas City, where expenses can be difficult to manage on such a frugal budget.   

• Livability score: 82 
• Average mortgage cost: $1,373.12 
• Average expenditure cost: $1,910.06   
• COL: $3,283.18 

Pittsburgh has a nice livability score, but it also has an average expenditure cost that is more than what the retirees living on Social Security make.  

• Livability score: 73 
• Average mortgage cost: $1,242.21 
• Average expenditure cost: $1,849.59   
• COL: $3,091.80 

What retiree living solely on Social Security benefits can make it in Tulsa? Furthermore, the city touts a low livability score in terms of this list.

Probably not the best city for many aged 65 and older who need to cut costs in retirement, although 15% of the head count is retirement age.  

• Livability score: 74 
• Average mortgage cost: $1,459.49 
• Average expenditure cost: $1,827.28   
• COL: $3,286.77 

There’s so much to love about New Orleans, including a strong sense of spirited passion, great food and amped up local pride, but it’s not an ideal city for people getting by on Social Security only. 

• Livability score: 74 
• Average mortgage cost: $1,663.79 
• Average expenditure cost: $1,842.71   
• COL: $3,506.50 

Houston has one of the highest costs of living on this list. If you’re a retiree on a super-slim budget, you might want to rethink settling down here. 

• Livability score: 60 
• Average mortgage cost: $1,473.54 
• Average expenditure cost: $1,753.53   
• COL: $3,227.07 

With a rock-bottom livability score (the lowest on this list), Louisville is already a possibly undesirable city for retirees looking to live out their golden years in peace.

The steep expenses only magnify the problem.

• Livability score: 77  
• Average mortgage cost: $1,278.68 
• Average expenditure cost: $1,964.46   
• COL: $3,243.14 

Nearly $2,000 in average expenditures? Not a lot of Brotherly Love for those living on Social Security exclusively.

• Livability score: 66 
• Average mortgage cost: $1,163.76 
• Average expenditure cost: $1,945.27   
• COL: $3,109.03

Wichita is at the bottom of this list, largely because of its steep expenditure cost. Should you live here if Social Security is your only source of income? That’s for you to decide, but maybe not. 

Nicole Spector contributed to the reporting for this story.

Methodology: For this study, GOBankingRates analyzed the largest 75 cities by population as sourced from the U.S. Census American Community Survey along with the total households, population aged 65 and over and median household income. For each city on the list, the cost of living indexes were sourced from Sperling’s BestPlaces, and by using the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey, the average expenditure costs can be calculated for each city. The average mortgage can be calculated by using the average single-family home value from March 2024, as sourced from the Zillow Home Value Index, and the national average 30-year fixed mortgage rate, as sourced from the Federal Reserve Economic Data. Using the average mortgage and the average expenditure cost, the total cost of living can be calculated for each city. The average Social Security Benefits was sourced from the Social Security Administration‘s Monthly Snapshot, and all cities with a total cost of living above the monthly average benefits were removed for this study. The livability index was scored, the average mortgage cost was scored, and the average expenditure cost was scored, with all three scores being combined and sorted to show the worst big cities to live on just Social Security benefits. All data was collected on and is up to date as of Apr. 18, 2024.