Average Retiree Has a Cushion in Only 9 States

Study sees a shortfall in savings, expenses in most states
Posted Sep 7, 2025 5:00 PM CDT
Average Retiree Has a Cushion in Only 9 States
   (Getty / Nutthaseth Vainchaichana)

On average, the retirement math for Americans doesn't work, reports USA Today. Citing new stats from the senior living platform Seniorly, the outlet finds that the typical older person faces a $115,000 shortfall in what they are projected to spend over retirement and what they have in savings and Social Security payments. The Seniorly assessment finds one key difference in all this is where seniors live—in only nine states is there an average surplus in retirement funds. They are:

  1. Washington state, $146,000 cushion
  2. Utah, $121,000
  3. Montana, $43,000
  4. Colorado, $38,000
  5. Iowa, $32,000
  6. Minnesota, $23,000
  7. Maryland, $13,000
  8. Kansas, $8,000
  9. South Carolina, $2,000

Here are the top 10 states (including DC) with the biggest financial shortfalls for retirees:

  1. New York, $448,000 shortfall
  2. Hawaii, $417,000
  3. District of Columbia, $407,000
  4. Alaska, $342,000
  5. California, $337,000
  6. Massachusetts, $294,000
  7. Rhode Island, $284,000
  8. Vermont, $248,000
  9. Louisiana, $244,000
  10. Connecticut, $193,000

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