How much was the average monthly Social Security check (retired worker)?
The average monthly Social Security check (retired worker) was $118.10 in 1970 and $2,071 in 2025: about 18 times as much.
Over the same years, prices in general (US inflation, measured by the consumer price index, CPI) rose about 8.3 times. That makes $118.10 in 1970 worth about $980 in 2025 money. So it grew faster than prices in general: it buys about 111% more than in 1970.
The biggest change between two listed years came between 1970 and 1975, when it went up 75%, from $118.10 to $207.18.
Social Security check: price by year
| Year | Amount | In 2025 dollars |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | $118.10 | $980 |
| 1975 | $207.18 | $1,240 |
| 1980 | $341.40 | $1,330 |
| 1985 | $478.60 | $1,430 |
| 1990 | $602.60 | $1,480 |
| 1995 | $719.80 | $1,520 |
| 2000 | $844.50 | $1,580 |
| 2005 | $1,002 | $1,650 |
| 2010 | $1,176 | $1,730 |
| 2015 | $1,342 | $1,820 |
| 2020 | $1,544 | $1,920 |
| 2025 | $2,071 | $2,070 |
"In 2025 dollars" adjusts each amount for inflation with the CPI, so the years can be compared fairly. How this works.
Where the numbers come from
From the Social Security Administration's Annual Statistical Supplement and Medicare's official yearly figures (CMS).
Source: Annual Statistical Supplement, 2026, Table 5.C2: Average monthly retired-worker or dependent benefit, by basis of entitlement and sex, December 1940-2025, selected years (SSA). View the source.
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