Social Security and geography: which states lead the pack around the USA?
Over 63 million Americans now collect Social Security benefits, and the beneficiaries include retirees, widows, disabled workers and some children. The first baby boomers began reaching retirement age in 2011 and continue to retire in large numbers each year. No U.S. state had more than 15% of its residents receiving Social Security in 2009. Fast forward to 2018 and 14 states had a population made up of more than 15% retirees, with Vermont, Maine and Florida having the highest proportion. The Villages is a popular retirement community in Central Florida and is home to one of the fastest growing areas in the country. Retirees collecting social security made up one-third of all residents in that community last year. Another takeaway in this Bloomberg article by Marie Patino is retirees make up less than 10% in Utah and Alaska and just over 10% in Texas. Read the full piece here.