Top 15 U.S. States Where People Mostly Rely on Social Security

Americans face much uncertainty surrounding the longevity of Social Security. But about 61% of beneficiaries’ income came from Social Security, as of 2014, according to the Social Security Administration. That’s alarming considering the average monthly payout is only about $1,342 per month.

Some people have begun investing elsewhere to ease the pressure of a potentially dismal payout in the future. Other Americans? Not so much. You can’t rely on a 401(k) if you don’t have one — or more commonly if it gets depleted within a few years because you didn’t save enough. Luckily, Social Security is guaranteed retirement income you can count on — for now.

So where will Americans have to rely on Social Security the most? The most obvious choice is in places where people are likely to have no other income options. To get a definitive ranking of states where this is the case, we analyzed states whose populations are the worst with money, are least likely to be saving for retirement, and have the largest senior population.

Put all these financial factors together, and it could become a not-so-perfect storm in which retirees need cash faster than states can provide it.

Here are 15 states where people are banking on Social Security the most.