Baby boomers are the least likely generation to feel economically empowered, according to a survey commissioned by Herbalife and conducted by OnePoll, per Talker.

Perhaps that comes as no surprise, considering 53% of baby boomers who will turn 65 between 2024 and 2030 have less than $250,000 in assets, CBS News reported, and more than a third of American workers believe they’ll need $1 million or more to retire comfortably.

Social Security might be able to offset the rising cost of living in some cases, but for most people, the monthly payments, which averaged $1,783.55 in August 2024, won’t make up for retirement savings that fall short.

Of course, where retirees live can significantly impact exactly how far those Social Security checks go.

Researchers at GoBankingRates set out to determine the living costs that remain after applying the average Social Security benefits (for one person), using data from the U.S. Census, Social Security Administration and Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The findings revealed that Social Security doesn’t cover the cost of living in any of the 50 largest cities in the U.S. The annual cost of living for one person after Social Security is lower than $10,000 in just Detroit, Michigan and Memphis, Tennessee.

The annual cost of living after Social Security is roughly $50,000 or higher in 10 U.S. cities, three of which are in California, per the analysis. The highest average Social Security benefits are in Mesa, Arizona ($24,338); Seattle, Washington ($24,071); Virginia Beach, Virginia ($23,345); Raleigh, North Carolina ($23,333); and Tulsa, Oklahoma ($23,242).

Read on to see GoBankingRates’ full report, which breaks down how far Social Security goes in the top 50 largest U.S. cities (listed from least to most populous):

Arlington, Texas

• Total population: 393,469
• Livability: 78
• Annual cost of living: $44,148
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $21,695
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $10,770

Wichita, Kansas

• Total population: 395,951
• Livability: 68
• Annual cost of living: $35,079
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $12,626
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $1,701

Bakersfield, California

• Total population: 404,321
• Livability: 57
• Annual cost of living: $48,504
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $26,051
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $15,126

Tulsa, Oklahoma

• Total population: 411,938
• Livability: 75
• Annual cost of living: $35,667
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $13,213
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $2,288

Minneapolis, Minnesota

• Total population: 426,877
• Livability: 78
• Annual cost of living: $43,835
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $21,382
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $10,457

Oakland, California

• Total population: 437,825
• Livability: 71
• Annual cost of living: $80,769
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $58,316
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $47,391

Miami, Florida

• Total population: 443,665
• Livability: 81
• Annual cost of living: $68,259
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $45,806
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $34,881

Virginia Beach, Virginia

• Total population: 457,900
• Livability: 83
• Annual cost of living: $50,574
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $28,121
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $17,196

Long Beach, California

• Total population: 462,293
• Livability: 69
• Annual cost of living: $84,194
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $61,741
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $50,816

Raleigh, North Carolina

• Total population: 465,517
• Livability: 84
• Annual cost of living: $51,301
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $28,848
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $17,922

Colorado Springs, Colorado

• Total population: 479,612
• Livability: 79
• Annual cost of living: $51,171
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $28,718
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $17,793

Omaha, Nebraska

• Total population: 489,201
• Livability: 83
• Annual cost of living: $41,306
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $18,853
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $7,928

Atlanta, Georgia

• Total population: 494,838
• Livability: 78
• Annual cost of living: $52,837
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $30,384
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $19,459

Mesa, Arizona

• Total population: 503,390
• Livability: 81
• Annual cost of living: $52,213
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $29,760
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $18,835

Kansas City, Missouri

• Total population: 505,958
• Livability: 78
• Annual cost of living: $37,751
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $15,298
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $4,373

Sacramento, California

• Total population: 523,600
• Livability: 73
• Annual cost of living: $56,385
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $33,932
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $23,007

Tucson, Arizona

• Total population: 541,033
• Livability: 73
• Annual cost of living: $43,476
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $21,023
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $10,098

Fresno, California

• Total population: 541,528
• Livability: 63
• Annual cost of living: $48,504
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $26,051
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $15,126

Albuquerque, New Mexico

• Total population: 562,551
• Livability: 72
• Annual cost of living: $42,258
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $19,805
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $8,880

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

• Total population: 573,299
• Livability: 79
• Annual cost of living: $35,673
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $13,220
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $2,295

Baltimore, Maryland

• Total population: 584,548
• Livability: 77
• Annual cost of living: $35,052
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $12,599
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $1,674

Louisville, Kentucky

• Total population: 629,176
• Livability: 66
• Annual cost of living: $38,124
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $15,671
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $4,746

Memphis, Tennessee

• Total population: 630,027
• Livability: 70
• Annual cost of living: $31,243
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $8,790
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: -$2,136

Detroit, Michigan

• Total population: 636,787
• Livability: 73
• Annual cost of living: $28,997
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $6,544
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: -$4,381

Las Vegas, Nevada

• Total population: 644,835
• Livability: 82
• Annual cost of living: $53,375
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $30,922
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $19,997

Portland, Oregon

• Total population: 646,101
• Livability: 78
• Annual cost of living: $59,286
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $36,833
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $25,908

Boston, Massachusetts

• Total population: 665,945
• Livability: 77
• Annual cost of living: $78,055
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $55,602
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $44,677

Washington

• Total population: 670,587
• Livability: 75
• Annual cost of living: $72,440
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $49,987
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $39,062

El Paso, Texas

• Total population: 677,181
• Livability: 81
• Annual cost of living: $35,947
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $13,494
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $2,569

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

• Total population: 681,088
• Livability: 81
• Annual cost of living: $35,873
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $13,420
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $2,495

Nashville, Tennessee

• Total population: 684,103
• Livability: 78
• Annual cost of living: $51,895
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $29,442
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $18,516

Denver, Colorado

• Total population: 710,800
• Livability: 72
• Annual cost of living: $62,269
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $39,816
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $28,891

Seattle, Washington

• Total population: 734,603
• Livability: 75
• Annual cost of living: $84,578
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $62,125
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $51,200

San Francisco, California

• Total population: 851,036
• Livability: 75
• Annual cost of living: $120,055
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $97,602
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $86,677

Charlotte, North Carolina

• Total population: 875,045
• Livability: 80
• Annual cost of living: $48,817
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $26,364
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $15,439

Indianapolis, Indiana

• Total population: 882,006
• Livability: 76
• Annual cost of living: $36,673
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $14,220
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $3,295

Columbus, Ohio

• Total population: 902,449
• Livability: 81
• Annual cost of living: $38,586
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $16,133
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $5,208

Fort Worth, Texas

• Total population: 924,663
• Livability: 80
• Annual cost of living: $43,137
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $20,684
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $9,759

Jacksonville, Florida

• Total population: 950,203
• Livability: 84
• Annual cost of living: $42,954
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $20,501
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $9,575

Austin, Texas

• Total population: 958,202
• Livability: 83
• Annual cost of living: $59,365
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $36,912
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $25,987

San Jose, California

• Total population: 1,001,176
• Livability: 79
• Annual cost of living: $126,475
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $104,022
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $93,097

Dallas, Texas

• Total population: 1,300,642
• Livability: 81
• Annual cost of living: $44,762
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $22,309
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $11,384

San Diego, California

• Total population: 1,383,987
• Livability: 75
• Annual cost of living: $98,980
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $76,527
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $65,602

San Antonio, Texas

• Total population: 1,445,662
• Livability: 80
• Annual cost of living: $38,514
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $16,061
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $5,136

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

• Total population: 1,593,208
• Livability: 76
• Annual cost of living: $39,637
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $17,184
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $6,259

Phoenix, Arizona

• Total population: 1,609,456
• Livability: 76
• Annual cost of living: $51,142
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $28,689
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $17,764

Houston, Texas

• Total population: 2,296,253
• Livability: 74
• Annual cost of living: $40,855
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $18,402
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $7,477

Chicago, Illinois

• Total population: 2,721,914
• Livability: 78
• Annual cost of living: $43,905
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $21,451
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $10,526

Los Angeles, California

• Total population: 3,881,041
• Livability: 67
• Annual cost of living: $91,834
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $69,381
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $58,456

New York, New York

• Total population: 8,622,467
• Livability: 75
• Annual cost of living: $83,596
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for one person: $61,142
• Annual cost of living after the average Social Security benefit for a married couple: $50,217