Independent Social Security reference
Find your local Social Security office and understand your benefits.
Plain-English Social Security office finder, benefit guides, and reference tables.
Social Security at a glance
Field offices listed
1,172
Active Social Security offices
States & territories
56
Including DC and territories
2025 COLA
2.5%
Applied to January 2025 checks
Average monthly benefit
$1,976
Retired worker, 2025
Social Security help by topic
Use a section below to find an office, read about a benefit, or look up a specific number.
Find a Social Security office
Addresses, phone numbers, and hours for every listed field office, with directions and nearby alternatives.
Browse officesSocial Security retirement
How benefits are calculated, full retirement age by birth year, and when to claim, with every reference table SSA publishes each year.
Open retirement sectionSocial Security disability
SSDI, Supplemental Security Income, the application process, appeals, and what to expect during a disability claim.
Open disability sectionStates with the most Social Security offices
California, Texas, and New York each operate more than a hundred Social Security field offices. Use the chart to jump to a state directory.
Social Security COLA history by year
The Social Security cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) is announced every October and applies to checks starting in January. The 2023 COLA of 8.7% was the largest since 1981.
| Year | COLA | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 2.5% | Applied to January 2026 checks. |
| 2025 | 2.5% | Standard annual adjustment. |
| 2024 | 3.2% | Standard annual adjustment. |
| 2023 | 8.7% | Largest adjustment since 1981. |
| 2022 | 5.9% | Standard annual adjustment. |
| 2021 | 1.3% | Standard annual adjustment. |
| 2020 | 1.6% | Standard annual adjustment. |
Frequently asked questions
Related Social Security resources
Social Security offices
Find and visit your local field office.
Retirement
Plain-English help for the decisions people ask about most.
Disability & Medicare
The other main SSA-administered programs.