The 2027 Social Security Raise Is Official: Retirees in These 10 States Will See the Biggest Dollar Gains

For the roughly 55 million retired workers who collect Social Security, few dates on the calendar matter more than the day the cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) is revealed. That day arrived last week. On Wednesday, October 14, the government announced that Social Security recipients will get a 3.6% cost-of-living adjustment for 2027.

The number didn’t come as a shock. It matched what most forecasters had predicted for months. Still, the 3.6% figure is significant. It’s the largest increase since 2023 and ties for the fifth-biggest COLA in the past 35 years. It also arrives at a time when many retirees say their monthly checks aren’t keeping pace with what they pay at the grocery store, the gas pump, and the pharmacy.

And while every beneficiary gets the same percentage increase, the actual dollar amount varies widely from person to person and from state to state. In 10 states in particular, retirees will see noticeably larger raises than the national average.