Older women in the United States continue to receive significantly less in Social Security benefits than men, highlighting persistent income disparities that leave many female retirees financially vulnerable.
According to an analysis of federal data by personal finance website FinanceBuzz, women age 62 and older receive an average monthly Social Security benefit of $1,760, compared with $2,198 for men. The difference amounts to $438 per month, or $5,254 annually, meaning women collect roughly 20% less than their male counterparts.
The gap is particularly significant because women account for 55% of all Social Security beneficiaries and are more likely to rely on those payments as a primary source of retirement income.
The financial disparity is contributing to higher poverty rates among older women. Data from the National Women’s Law Center (NWLC) show that the poverty rate for women age 65 and older rose to 16.2% in 2024, up from 15.0% the previous year. By comparison, the poverty rate for older men remained unchanged at 13.5%.
The situation becomes more severe with age. Women age 80 and older recorded a poverty rate of 21.0%, the highest among all senior demographic groups.
Single women face even greater financial challenges. Widowed, divorced, separated, or never-married women age 65 and older had a poverty rate of 21.4%, nearly double the 10.9% rate reported among married women in the same age group.
Experts point to the long-standing gender pay gap as a primary cause of the disparity in Social Security benefits. Because Social Security payments are calculated based on lifetime earnings, lower wages during working years translate directly into smaller retirement benefits.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, women working full-time earned approximately 83% of what men earned in 2024. Career interruptions also play a significant role. Women are more likely to leave the workforce to care for children or aging parents, resulting in years with little or no earnings recorded in their Social Security history.
In addition, women are more likely to work part-time and are often concentrated in professions such as education, nursing, childcare, and administrative support, which historically offer lower wages than male-dominated industries.
The size of the Social Security gender gap varies considerably by state.
Washington, D.C., recorded the smallest gap, with men receiving just $174 more per month than women. Hawaii and New York also reported relatively narrow disparities, reflecting higher female participation in professional and higher-paying occupations.
California, home to the nation’s largest Korean American population, reported a gap close to the national average. Men receive an average monthly benefit of $2,125, while women receive $1,720, a difference of $405 per month, or 19.1%.
Utah recorded the largest disparity in the nation. Men there receive an average monthly benefit of $2,400 compared with $1,751 for women, creating a gap of $649 per month, or $7,785 annually. Louisiana and Wyoming ranked second and third, respectively.
Researchers say these states have historically relied on industries such as energy, mining, agriculture, and manufacturing, where men have traditionally earned higher wages, contributing to larger lifetime earnings gaps and, ultimately, wider retirement income disparities.
The issue has taken on greater urgency as the Social Security trust fund faces projected depletion. The Old-Age and Survivors Insurance (OASI) Trust Fund is expected to run out of reserves in 2032. Without congressional action, beneficiaries could face an automatic reduction of roughly 22% in scheduled benefits.
Such cuts would likely have a disproportionate impact on women, who already receive lower benefits and experience higher poverty rates in retirement.
Financial and retirement planning experts advise women not to rely solely on Social Security for retirement security. They recommend taking advantage of employer-sponsored 401(k) plans, Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs), and other long-term savings vehicles. Starting early, maximizing employer matching contributions, and allowing investments to grow through compounding can significantly strengthen retirement preparedness.
As policymakers debate the future of Social Security, advocates warn that addressing gender-based income disparities remains critical to improving retirement security for millions of American women.
