More than 17% of Maine residents received Social Security retiree benefits in 2018, Bloomberg’s Marie Patino reports, the highest proportion in the country.
Other states with a high percentage of retired Social Security beneficiaries include Vermont (16.98%), Florida (16.71%) and Montana (16.68%). Only two states come in under 10% – Utah and Alaska – with Texas rounding out the bottom three at 10.33%.
The numbers have changed significantly in the last few years, Patino says, as the baby boom generation enters retirement at a steady clip. In 2009, no state had more than 15% of their population receiving Social Security retiree benefits, while in 2018, 14 states did.
The trend is expected to continue, with the number of retirees receiving payments growing at a 3% clip, compared to a workforce that is growing at just 1.9%.
