Social Security Won’t Cover Housing Costs: Are you planning to use your Social Security check to pay for accommodation during retirement? If you are planning to retire and rely exclusively on these benefits, your choice of residence may become unaffordable.
To ascertain which regions of the United States will no longer be affordable with Social Security alone, GOBankingRates examined the average home values for metropolitan U.S. areas in January 2024 via Zillow and computed the average mortgage amount using the 30-year national average fixed rate mortgage, which was obtained from the Federal Reserve Economic Data. In addition, Zillow was consulted for the one-year home value projection as of January 2025. In addition to mortgage calculations, the average income from Social Security benefits was also incorporated.
Determine, in descending order, which 23 cities offer the most expensive accommodation for an individual with only a Social Security check.
23 Cities Where Social Security Won’t Cover Housing Costs
Lewiston, Idaho
- Average home value (Jan. 2024): $337,621
- Average home value (Jan 2025): $353,827
- YOY home value change: 4.80%
- Average mortgage (Jan. 2024): $1,779
- Average mortgage (Jan. 2025): $1,864
- January 2024 amount left of average Social Security benefits: $81.37
- January 2025 amount left of average Social Security benefits: -$4.01
Deltona, Florida
- Average home value (Jan. 2024): $336,76
- Average home value (Jan 2025): $353,091
- YOY home value change: 5.10%
- Average mortgage (Jan. 2024): $1,774
- Average mortgage (Jan. 2025): $1,865
- January 2024 amount left of average Social Security benefits: $86.03
- January 2025 amount left of average Social Security benefits: -$4.45
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Blackfoot, Idaho
- Average home value (Jan 2025): $353,242
- YOY home value change: 6.60%
- Average mortgage (Jan. 2024): $1,751
- Average mortgage (Jan. 2025): $1,866
- January 2024 amount left of average Social Security benefits: $109.36
- January 2025 amount left of average Social Security benefits: -$6.20
Daphne, Alabama
- Average home value (Jan. 2024): $336,265
- Average home value (Jan 2025): $354,695
- YOY home value change: 5.40%
- Average mortgage (Jan. 2024): $1,772
- Average mortgage (Jan. 2025): $1,867
- January 2024 amount left of average Social Security benefits: $88.52
- January 2025 amount left of average Social Security benefits: -$7.16
Ontario, Oregon
- Average home value (Jan. 2024): $330,256
- Average home value (Jan 2025): $354,695
- YOY home value change: 7.40%
- Average mortgage (Jan. 2024): $1,740
- Average mortgage (Jan. 2025): $1,869
- January 2024 amount left of average Social Security benefits: $120.17
- January 2025 amount left of average Social Security benefits: -$8.59
Dover, Delaware
- Average home value (Jan. 2024): $337,874
- Average home value (Jan 2025): $354,768
- YOY home value change: 5.00%
- Average mortgage (Jan. 2024): $1,780
- Average mortgage (Jan. 2025): $1,869
- January 2024 amount left of average Social Security benefits: $80.04
- January 2025 amount left of average Social Security benefits: -$8.97
Rapid City, South Dakota
- Average home value (Jan. 2024): $336,365
- Average home value (Jan 2025): $354,865
- YOY home value change: 5.50%
- Average mortgage (Jan. 2024): $1,772
- Average mortgage (Jan. 2025): $1,870
- January 2024 amount left of average Social Security benefits: $87.99
- January 2025 amount left of average Social Security benefits: -$9.48
Knoxville, Tennessee
- Average home value (Jan. 2024): $327.779
- Average home value (Jan 2025): $354,985
- YOY home value change: 8.30%
- Average mortgage (Jan. 2024): $1,727
- Average mortgage (Jan. 2025): $1,870
- January 2024 amount left of average Social Security benefits: $133.23
- January 2025 amount left of average Social Security benefits: -$10.12
Keene, New Hampshire
- Average home value (Jan. 2024): $334,429
- Average home value (Jan 2025): $356,836
- YOY home value change: 6.70%
- Average mortgage (Jan. 2024): $1,762
- Average mortgage (Jan. 2025): $1,880
- January 2024 amount left of average Social Security benefits: $98.19
- January 2025 amount left of average Social Security benefits: -$19.87
Mountain Home, Idaho
- Average home value (Jan. 2024): $328,580
- Average home value (Jan 2025): $357,167
- YOY home value change: 8.70%
- Average mortgage (Jan. 2024): $1,731
- Average mortgage (Jan. 2025): $1,882
- January 2024 amount left of average Social Security benefits: $129.01
- January 2025 amount left of average Social Security benefits: -$21.61
Crescent City, California
- Average home value (Jan. 2024): $348,749
- Average home value (Jan 2025): $357,859
- YOY home value change: 2.60%
- Average mortgage (Jan. 2024): $1,837
- Average mortgage (Jan. 2025): $1,885
- January 2024 amount left of average Social Security benefits: $22.74
- January 2025 amount left of average Social Security benefits: -$25.03
Bakersfield, California
- Average home value (Jan. 2024): $340,170
- Average home value (Jan 2025): $357,859
- YOY home value change: 5.20%
- Average mortgage (Jan. 2024): $1,792
- Average mortgage (Jan. 2025): $1,885
- January 2024 amount left of average Social Security benefits: $67.94
- January 2025 amount left of average Social Security benefits: -$25.26
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Athens, Georgia
- Average home value (Jan. 2024): $335,673
- Average home value (Jan 2025): $359,170
- YOY home value change: 7.00%
- Average mortgage (Jan. 2024): $1,769
- Average mortgage (Jan. 2025): $1,892
- January 2024 amount left of average Social Security benefits: $91.64
- January 2025 amount left of average Social Security benefits: -$32.17
Laramie, Wyoming
- Average home value (Jan. 2024): $348,637
- Average home value (Jan 2025): $359,794
- YOY home value change: 3.20%
- Average mortgage (Jan. 2024): $1,837
- Average mortgage (Jan. 2025): $1,896
- January 2024 amount left of average Social Security benefits: $23.33
- January 2025 amount left of average Social Security benefits: -$35.45
Winchester, Virginia
- Average home value (Jan. 2024): $347,034
- Average home value (Jan 2025): $360,221
- YOY home value change: 3.80%
- Average mortgage (Jan. 2024): $1,828
- Average mortgage (Jan. 2025): $1,898
- January 2024 amount left of average Social Security benefits: $31.78
- January 2025 amount left of average Social Security benefits: -$37.70
Fallon, Nevada
- Average home value (Jan. 2024): $348,996
- Average home value (Jan 2025): $362,606
- YOY home value change: 3.90%
- Average mortgage (Jan. 2024): $1,839
- Average mortgage (Jan. 2025): $1,911
- January 2024 amount left of average Social Security benefits: $21.44
- January 2025 amount left of average Social Security benefits: -$50.27
Pittsfield, Massachusetts
- Average home value (Jan. 2024): $343,819
- Average home value (Jan 2025): $363,073
- YOY home value change: 5.60%
- Average mortgage (Jan. 2024): $1,812
- Average mortgage (Jan. 2025): $1,913
- January 2024 amount left of average Social Security benefits: $48.72
- January 2025 amount left of average Social Security benefits: -$52.73
Philadelphia
- Average home value (Jan. 2024): $350,083
- Average home value (Jan 2025): $365,137
- YOY home value change: 4.30%
- Average mortgage (Jan. 2024): $1,845
- Average mortgage (Jan. 2025): $1,924
- January 2024 amount left of average Social Security benefits: $15.71
- January 2025 amount left of average Social Security benefits: -$63.60
Richmond, Virginia
- Average home value (Jan. 2024): $351,266
- Average home value (Jan 2025): $366,370
- YOY home value change: 4.30%
- Average mortgage (Jan. 2024): $1,851
- Average mortgage (Jan. 2025): $1,930
- January 2024 amount left of average Social Security benefits: $9.48
- January 2025 amount left of average Social Security benefits: -$70.10
Moses Lake, Washington
- Average home value (Jan. 2024): $345,662
- Average home value (Jan 2025): $366,747
- YOY home value change: 6.10%
- Average mortgage (Jan. 2024): $1,821
- Average mortgage (Jan. 2025): $1,932
- January 2024 amount left of average Social Security benefits: $39.01
- January 2025 amount left of average Social Security benefits: -$72.09
Whitewater, Wisconsin
- Average home value (Jan. 2024): $352,631
- Average home value (Jan 2025): $367,793
- YOY home value change: 4.30%
- Average mortgage (Jan. 2024): $1,858
- Average mortgage (Jan. 2025): $1,938
- January 2024 amount left of average Social Security benefits: $2.29
- January 2025 amount left of average Social Security benefits: -$77.60
Tucson, Arizona
- Average home value (Jan. 2024): $351,244
- Average home value (Jan 2025): $368,103
- YOY home value change: 4.80%
- Average mortgage (Jan. 2024): $1,851
- Average mortgage (Jan. 2025): $1,939
- January 2024 amount left of average Social Security benefits: $9.60
- January 2025 amount left of average Social Security benefits: -$79.23
Twin Falls, Idaho
- Average home value (Jan. 2024): $347,989
- Average home value (Jan 2025): $372,696
- YOY home value change: 7.10%
- Average mortgage (Jan. 2024): $1,833
- Average mortgage (Jan. 2025): $1,964
- January 2024 amount left of average Social Security benefits: $26.74
- January 2025 amount left of average Social Security benefits: -$103.43
Tarique Anwer Tarique Anwer is a finance writer, editor, and digital publishing professional with a background in banking and financial services. Before entering the media industry, he worked at Bank of America in online fraud operations, gaining firsthand experience with banking systems, financial processes, and consumer financial services. Today, Tarique writes about personal finance, banking, retirement benefits, government programs, consumer technology, and business trends. His goal is to translate complex financial and technical topics into clear, practical guidance that helps readers navigate important decisions with confidence. With an MBA and more than a decade of experience in digital media, journalism, and content leadership, Tarique brings both industry knowledge and editorial expertise to his work.