10 states where Social Security benefits go furthest

Social Security benefits are a financial lifeline for many retirees.

According to senior advocacy group AARP, 42% of American women and 37% of men rely on Social Security to provide at least half their income.

Those benefits go further in some states than others.

Social Security benefits vary from state to state because payments are based on an individual’s lifetime work and earnings history, not a geographic location. Retirees in states with higher average wages typically receive higher benefits, while those living in states with lower wages generally receive smaller benefits.

READ MORE: Social Security payment schedule: When will September’s checks arrive? SSI payments?

The reverse is true for cost of living. It’s more expensive to live in some states than others and retirees in high-cost places spend more on daily living than others.

AARP recently analyzed those factors to determine the 10 states where Social Security benefits go the furthest. The rankings are based on the average benefit, as well as the Elder Index, a tool developed by the Gerontology Institute at the University of Massachusetts Boston that measures how much income older Americans who are aging in place need to meet their basic needs.

The average Social Security payment is currently $2,082, though individual benefits vary widely based on lifetime earnings, work history, and the age at which you start collecting.

10 states where Social Security goes the furthest

Based on those factors, here are the 10 states where Social Security goes the furthest:

1. Indiana – $2,034 average monthly benefit, $2,332 monthly basic expenses, 87.2% covered by benefits
2. West Virginia – $1,898 average monthly benefit, $2,202 monthly basic expenses, 86.2% covered by benefits
3. Alabama – $1,920 average monthly benefit, $2,279 monthly basic expenses, 84.2% covered by benefits
4. Michigan – $2,066 average monthly benefit, $2,495 monthly basic expenses, 82.8% covered by benefits
5. South Carolina – $1,996 average monthly benefit, $2,422 monthly basic expenses, 82.4% covered by benefits
6. Delaware – $2,171 average monthly benefit, $2,656 monthly basic expenses, 81.7% covered by benefits
7. Tennessee – $1,958 average monthly benefit, $2,400 monthly basic expenses, 81.6% covered by benefits
8. Missouri – $1,937 average monthly benefits, $2,383 monthly basic expenses, 81.3% covered by benefits
9. North Carolina – $1,980 average monthly benefit, $2,460 monthly basic expenses, 80.5% covered by benefits
10. Kansas – $2,055 average monthly benefit, $2,555 monthly basic expenses, 80.4% covered by benefits

The states where benefits cover the least amount of basic monthly expenses were Hawaii (47%), New York (49%) and California (49%).

You can go here to see how every state stacks up.