Annual Statistical Supplement, 2020

Highlights and Trends

Social Security (Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance)

Employment and Earnings

Workers in OASDI covered employment, 2019 177.9 million
Average earnings, 2019 $51,822
Earnings required in 2020 for—  
1 quarter of coverage $1,410
Maximum of 4 quarters of coverage $5,640
Earnings test exempt amounts for 2020  
Under full retirement age for entire year $18,240
For months before reaching full retirement age in 2020 $48,600
Beginning with month of reaching full retirement age in 2020 Test eliminated

Program Data

Cost-of-living adjustment for December 2019 1.6 percent
Average monthly benefit, December 2019  
Retired workers $1,503
Widows and widowers, nondisabled $1,423
Disabled workers $1,258
Number of beneficiaries, December 2019  
Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance 64.1 million
Old-Age Insurance  
Total 48.2 million
Retired workers 45.1 million
Survivors Insurance  
Total 5.9 million
Widows and widowers, nondisabled 3.6 million
Disability Insurance  
Total 9.8 million
Disabled workers 8.4 million
Benefit payments, 2019  
Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance $1,047.9 billion
Old-Age and Survivors Insurance $902.8 billion
Disability Insurance $145.1 billion
Administrative expenses, 2019  
Old-Age and Survivors Insurance  
Amount $3.7 billion
As a percentage of total benefits paid 0.4 percent
Disability Insurance  
Amount $2.7 billion
As a percentage of total benefits paid 1.9 percent

Program Trends

Supplemental Security Income

Annual Payment Adjustments

Monthly federal benefit rate, effective January 2020  
Individual living in his or her own household $783
Couple with both members eligible $1,175
Cost-of-living adjustment 1.6 percent

Program Data

Federally administered payments  
Benefits paid in 2019 $55.9 billion
Number of recipients, December 2019 8.1 million
Average benefit, December 2019 $565.69
Federal SSI payments  
Benefits paid in 2019 $53.3 billion
Number of recipients, December 2019 7.9 million
Average benefit, December 2019 $549.61
Federally administered state supplementation  
Benefits paid in 2019 $2.6 billion
Number of recipients, December 2019 a 1.5 million
Average benefit, December 2019 $145.39
a. Includes more than 1.3 million persons receiving federal SSI and state supplementation and almost 150,000 persons receiving state supplementation only.

Program Trends

Poverty Data

Weighted average poverty thresholds, 2019  
Individual, aged 65 or older $12,261
Couple, householder aged 65 or older $15,468
Family of four $26,172