Retirees Can Live On Social Security Alone In These 14 US Cities

There are a few essential Social Security facts Americans should know, like how much the average benefit pays out and how you should work that knowledge into where you choose to live in retirement. As per the Social Security Administration, that amount is currently $1,976 per month. The maximum Social Security benefit in 2025 for someone retiring at 70 years old is $5,108 per month, while the amount at full-retirement age is $4,018. The difference between these numbers shows waiting until at least full retirement is one of the easiest Social Security Rules that can drastically increase your monthly benefits.

There are cities in the U.S you can live comfortably on just Social Security. The latest facts from the U.S. Census Bureau places the average median value of homes in the U.S. at $303,400, monthly cost of living with a mortgage at $1,902, and median rent at $1,348, however, these amounts cover up to 2023. Adjusted for 2025 by Zillow, the average value of a home in the U.S. is now $355,328, with the average rent around $1,968, and the median mortgage, as per the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) sitting at $2,205 per month. So with these numbers in mind, what follows are 15 U.S. cities retirees can live on social security alone, all located in Texas, one of the best states in which to retire.

According to GoBankingRates, the annual estimated cost of living in the state of Texas is $55,640, with $33,203 being the annual cost of living after considering your Social Security benefit. You would need an average retirement savings of $830,083 to live comfortably in the state. However, you can do better than the state average in several cities in Texas, and by better we mean living entirely on Social Security. For instance, Burkburnett, which borders Oklahoma — one of the cheapest states to buy a house in the U.S. — offers all the amenities you need to enjoy your retirement. River Creek Golf Club, fishing, hunting, half a dozen parks, and an annual rodeoall on the docket.

As per the U.S. Census Bureau, the median rent in this small town of 11,089 people is $950 per month, while, according to Zillow, the average 2025 home value in Burkburnett is $168,707. The median cost of housing, with a mortgage included, is an average $1,664 per month. With that average Social Security payout of $1,976 per month, whether renting or covering a mortgage, your retirement is totally covered.

Galveston is a city five times the size of the previous listing, but with a population of just 53,237, you're unlikely to ever feel overwhelmed by human traffic. The median value of the homes here are a little higher than Burkburnett at $294,300. So is the average monthly cost of housing with mortgage, utilities, insurance, and additional fees included, of $2,176. The median gross rent in Galveston is also a win at a pretty impressive $1,278, which again includes utilities and additional fees.

Obviously, a mortgage in Galveston is going to make living on just your Social Security a little more of a challenge, since $2,176 is more than the average $1,976 paid out by Social Security. If you earned the full retirement average of $4,108 per month, however, affording life in Galveston would be a breeze. Renting in Galveston falls well within the average Social Security payment, so if you're in the latter situation, retiring as a renter in Galveston makes a lot of sense.

Beaumont, just outside of Houston, is a city of 112,193 people, making the population twice as large as the last city, but still far from a teeming metropolis. A house in Beaumont is valued at around $148,978, or an incredible $206,350 less than the national average of $355,328. As you would expect, housing costs for mortgage holders are affordable at $1,671 per month. The average mortgage across the U.S. is currently $2,205 per month, meaning Beaumont's median represents a difference of $534 per month, or a significant annual savings of $6,408.

The median rent in this Texan city is about $1,094 per month, again beating the national average of $1,968 by $874 per month. Right there, you've earned $10,488 in total savings, which is a genius way to make money after retirement that won't require you to go back out into the job market or pull extra from your retirement fund.

Small town Bay City had a population of around 17,561 people in 2023 with around 13.2% of those people being at least 65 years old. With an average home value of around $197,581 in 2025, you'll still be far ahead of anyone paying the national average of $355,328. With a median rent of $708, not only are you looking at less than half the national average, you would also be paying well below the average Social Security benefit. As if that wasn't enough of a reason to put Bay City on your list of potential retirement cities, being in a state without any income tax means you'll get to keep even more of your Social Security benefits in your bank account.

While the cost of living appears quite affordable, over a quarter of the city — 26.7% — live below the poverty line, and 27% survive without health insurance. According to data provided by NeighborhoodScout, Bay City is only considered safer than 7% of other cities in the U.S., with crime 1.24 points above the national median, which is also a higher rate than the rest of the state. So if you want to take advantage of the low cost of living, location will be very important.

Not far from the U.S.-Mexico border is Weslaco, a city boasting a cost of living around 22% lower than the U.S. national average. In this city of 43,053 people, 13.2% are 65 plus. You might grow that percentage after you hear the median average value of homes is $175,368. Rent in Weslaco averages out to $1,069 per month, providing an $899 windfall when compared with the $1,968 national average. On top of being able to retire on Social Security alone, that's the equivalent of earning $10,788 per year just by choosing to retire and rent in Weslaco. While the average mortgage brings you a little close to the razor's edge, it's still doable at a median of around $1,496 per month. Of course, there are always additional costs that can change the situation. As such, never forget about other major expenses when planning your retirement that can have a major impact on your financial retirement planning.

Although Marshall has a cost of living 5% below the national average, it feels like it should be much more when considering housing. Marshall's median housing value of $142,462 is about 60% lower than the 2025 national average of $355,328, while the average rent is a somewhat comfortable $1,150 per month, and the monthly mortgage payment is around $1,298. That puts your living expenses at $13,800 per year if you rent, and $15,576 per annum with an average mortgage payment.

When you compare the average cost of living per year in the state of Texas at $55,640, which means a minimum retirement savings of $830,083, Marshall represents a retirement destination offering tens of thousands of dollars per year in savings. It's also well within the average Social Security benefit of $1,976 per month, or $23,712 per year. While Marshall's housing costs are pretty low, like the rest of the cities on this list, it's an outlier.

Clute is another awesome Texas city that has close proximity to Houston and the aforementioned Galveston, both within an hour's drive. If nature and a slower pace are selling points for you in retirement, Clute has options like a wildlife reserve, Surfside Beach, with warm water courtesy of the Gulf of Mexico and lots of green space for amenities like a bird observatory and golfing.

In Clute, you can expect an average monthly rent of $822, which is less than half the average lower-end monthly Social Security payment of $1,976. Maybe you're looking to buy a home or downsize into something you can own instead of renting. Here, the average home value is $192,089, with housing listing in the city for about $218,000. If you're not too concerned with financial security in your retirement, and renting versus owning sounds better to you, don't let society pressure you into buying a home. Carrying a mortgage and the cost of owning a home in Clute will cost you an average $1,924 per month, or an extra $1,102 above the cost of renting.

If being close to the water is a love and a goal of yours in retirement, life in Lufkin is for you. Lake Sam Rayburn offers you all the fun and amenities of lakeside living, including bass and catfish fishing, kayaking, and canoeing. Not one but two national forests with hiking trails, and the golf course at the Crown Colony Country Club, will keep you busy in the rural parts of the city. In town, The Ellen Trout Zoo, the Naranjo Museum of Natural History, and the Museum of East Texas will feed your cultural appetites. Restaurants, a wine bar, and cafes will help keep your evenings interesting.

Where your finances are concerned, Lufkin makes living on your Social Security much easier than you would think, with homes valued at $184,318 on average, and the average rent being around $1,192. The cost of owning a home, including mortgage, will cost you about $1,502 per month, or $18,024 per year. Again, there are ways renting can help you build wealth, so consider what makes the most sense for you in this situation.

When you consider how essential healthcare may become unaffordable for Boomers in the next decade, the benefit of living in a city where medical facilities like Faith Medical Clinic are within arms' length is a benefit any way you look at it. With a cost of living 14% below the national average, you should be able to afford any healthcare needs that come up in retirement with your residual income, and your proximity to a clinic should allow you to take advantage of the free healthcare benefits that come with Medicare.

If owning property is of interest to you, you should know that the $277,165 average value of homes in Canyon isn't the lowest on this list, nor does that represent the actual median listing price, which is closer to $381,817. As such, you'll do better in Canyon as a renter than an owner, unless of course, you're in a position to buy a home outright without a mortgage. The average rent in Canyon is $1,200 per month, while on the other hand, the average mortgage is about $1,751 per month. 

Small town life awaits you in Athens, where a population of around 12,000 people entertain themselves with walks through public parks, membership in the local Botanical Society at The East Texas Arboretum, and a theatre. There's even wine country here, with wineries like Castle Oaks and Tara Vineyard allowing retirees the opportunity to relax with a glass of their favorite tipple.

Another benefit of small town living is rents that are less than the national average at $975 per month. Purchasing a home in Athens is a little more expensive, with homes valued at $235,270, which is still over $100,000 less the national average. A median mortgage, with housing expenses included, is $1,410 per month. That means being a homeowner in Athens will cost an average $16,920 per year, while being a renter will be an annual expense of $11,700. With the state's annual cost of living sitting at $55,640, not only are you able to live solely on your Social Security benefits, but you could live at a significant discount of $38,720 and $43,940 per year below the state average. 

Port Arthur offers retirees great outdoor activities thanks to its location to bodies of water Sabine Lake and the Sabine Neches Intracoastal Waterway. Paradise island, a man-made destination, offers retirees the opportunity to fish, windsurf, kayak, hike park trails, and golf at a course where the World Disc Golf Championships were held twice. A port city makes boating a fun possibility, with a place to dock one in the local marina, which can host boats anywhere from 20 to 80 feet long.

However, if you're trying to live on your Social Security alone, a yacht isn't likely as big a concern as the cost of living, which you'll be pleased to hear is 12% below the national average. To start, that looks like an average rent of just $911 per month or $10,932 per year. That's around a fifth the state's average annual cost of living. A home purchase will cost you a stupendously low $105,526, with the median listing price of homes in early 2025 averaging $141,583. Unsurprisingly, the average homeowner is typically looking at expenses of $1,390 per month including utilities and maintenance, or $16,680 per year. 

Not to be outdone, Kermit is a decent retirement location for those who like to commune with nature, or just be outdoors. Watching wildlife on long hikes through the countryside, golfing, or even camping are all on offer at this little known small town of 5,952. While pitching a tent is a popular activity in Kermit, you'll want to stay away from purchasing this popular vehicle new retirees will instantly regret buying if you want to stay within your plan to live solely on your Social Security.

Housing in Kermit will cost an average of $122,592, with the cost of housing being around $1,227 per month or $14,724 per year. The average median rent in Kermit is $930 per month, or $11,160 per year. On the face, Kermit is a city where buying a home if you can afford to might actually make more sense than renting, since the difference between the two is only $3,564 in expenses per year, which doesn't take into consideration the power of your home as an appreciative asset in a city where homes values have appreciated 6.5% over the last year. 

Arlington is the closest thing to a big city on our list, and as such, provides the most local amenities to retirees of any other place on it. For sports lovers, the Dallas Cowboys call Arlington home, as do the Texas Rangers. If you're a retired thrill seeker, you've got two different Six Flags to choose from, Six Flags over Texas and Six Flags Hurricane Harbour, plus restaurants, bars, and cafes aplenty.

While Arlington's cost of living may not be much lower than the national average — it's just 3% lower — where you win on cost in the city is on rent. The median rent in Arlington is only $1,085 per month, or $13,020 per year. That makes it still lower than the national average rent by almost half, and significantly lower than Texas' average cost of living. When you consider that Arlington is a major city of around 398,431 people — certainly the largest city on this list — the cost savings implied by renting are hard to ignore. However, if you were to actually buy a property here, you would be looking at an average home value of $311,857, in a city where the median listing price in 2025 is closer to $344,983. That is not that far from the national average of $355,328, and as such, is going to dig into that average Social Security check more than purchasing a home in the other cities on our list. 

Longview is another outdoorsy retirement location where you can take in events like The Great Texas Ballon Race, and any number of water sports and leisure activities in any of the 25 lakes within 75 miles of the city. Downtown Main Street in Longview is home to the Arts!Longview Cultural District, three museums, live concerts, and events like farmer's markets, block parties, and parades. Touted for its access to healthcare, this is a perfect place for a retiree to spend the rest of their days. 

Housing in Longview is valued at $221,269, although the 2025 average listing price is more like $288,050. With that, the median cost of owning a home in Longview is $1,459 per month. While that's good, where you'll do really well in Longview is on rent, where the median is $908 per month. That's the equivalent of spending $17,508 per year as a homeowner, or $10,896 per year as a renter. Ultimately, both fall below the state's average cost of living, as well as the national averages for mortgage and rent.