Planning where you’ll spend your retirement can be difficult, especially for folks who will be relying heavily on Social Security as a main source of income.
There are, however, places across the Yellowhammer State where Social Security goes further than others and in a new study, SmartAsset, a New York-based financial company, has crunched the numbers to find them.
In its third annual study, SmartAsset analyzed Social Security income, cost of living data, and taxes across all counties to determine where people are getting the most bang for their buck when it comes to their Social Security checks.
Here’s a look at the top 10 places in Alabama where Social Security benefits will cover the most of a person’s cost of living after paying taxes:
Rank | County | Cost of Living | Annual Social Security | Social Security Taxed? | Social Security Goes Furthest Index |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Morgan, Ala. | $17,292 | $18,225 | No | 77.23 |
2 | Lauderdale, Ala. | $17,594 | $18,247 | No | 75.66 |
3 | Colbert, Ala. | $17,762 | $18,268 | No | 74.83 |
4 | Lawrence, Ala. | $17,128 | $17,581 | No | 74.53 |
5 | Cherokee, Ala. | $17,303 | $17,471 | No | 72.93 |
6 | Etowah, Ala. | $16,766 | $16,895 | No | 72.71 |
7 | Pickens, Ala. | $16,790 | $16,918 | No | 72.71 |
8 | Chilton, Ala. | $17,251 | $17,313 | No | 72.34 |
9 | Marion, Ala. | $16,681 | $16,696 | No | 72.07 |
10 | Marshall, Ala. | $16,977 | $16,740 | No | 70.66 |