A recent Retirement Living report brings to the fore the fact that seniors in Oregon, New Hampshire, and Vermont are the most susceptible to projected decreases in Social Security in the US. The weakness results from an over-reliance on funds from Social Security funds as the funds to sustain funds for living basics, funds with a high cost of living, and scarce local funds support agencies. The results come out as sweeping changes to the Social Security Administration (SSA) ordered by the Trump administration have threatened the long-term sustainability of issuing benefits to millions of retired workers.
States where seniors rely most on Social Security
Based on the Retirement Living study, the most financially vulnerable condition is Vermont. Approximately 90.9% of Vermont seniors depend on Social Security checks for livelihood, receiving a monthly average of $1,949.07. Vermont is also eighth highest in the country on the cost of living index and 9.6% of its seniors are living in poverty, so its seniors are extremely reliant on these checks to pay bills. Similarly, New Hampshire and Oregon seniors depend mostly on Social Security, with a high cost of living and no other source of income.
Massachusetts, number three on the vulnerability list, illustrates the squeeze that seniors experience in expensive states. Its seniors take home a median monthly benefit payment of $1,979.84 but have the second-highest cost-of-living index and senior poverty rate among the top 20 states nationally. All of these add up to a precarious financial picture for many in the Northeast and Pacific Northwest.
Effect of SSA workforce reducing and policy realignment
The report’s release occurs as the Social Security Administration is undergoing significant restructuring. In 2025, earlier this year, the SSA announced it would cut 7,000 positions and close many field and regional offices as part of the Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) bid to cut federal spending. Opponents argue such cuts already have led to delays and disruptions in processing benefits, disproportionately affecting seniors and disabled recipients who rely on in-person service.
Richtman, the head of the Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, cautioned that the dismissals are harmful with numerous members finding it difficult to receive their benefits on time. Closings of nearby SSA locations also make life difficult for underprivileged segments of society who might not be conversant online or possess access to transportations to utilize other channels of service.
More general concerns relating to Social Security’s financial health
Apart from the administrative issues, Social Security is also contending with a forthcoming financing crisis. The program’s trust fund savings will run out as early as 2025 and would require potential reductions in benefits to about 76% of those scheduled unless Congress acts. Such a scenario jeopardizes millions of retirees across the country, particularly in states where Social Security is the only or primary source of financial support.
A poll cited in the report showed that 59% of working-age Americans worry that Social Security won’t be around when they retire, a common fear about the program’s future. Some reassurance comes from the projected 2025 cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) of 2.5% to 3.0%. That may not keep pace with seniors’ actual costs, however, particularly healthcare and housing costs that escalate at a higher level than inflation.
Economic and social impacts on vulnerable older persons
Experts point out that Social Security benefit cuts would have dire impacts on seniors’ financial well-being and fiscal stability. Financial education instructor Alex Beene explained that increased living expenses and increased rates of fraud in states put more pressure on benefits. Seniors in those states find it hard to support their lifestyle, and cuts would contribute to poverty and dependency on other social programs.
The Retirement Living representative emphasized that for most retirees, Social Security is not just supplemental income but also a lifeline. In economically disadvantaged neighborhoods, losing even part of the benefits can be the difference between being able to pay basic bills and living in stark poverty. This is to appeal to policymakers to think carefully about the human costs of SSA reform and funding choices.
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