Disclaimer: General educational research only — not legal, tax or financial advice. Rules differ by state and by family. Talk to an estate planning attorney in your state before you act.
Estate Planning Data & Research → Children Getting Survivor Benefits by State
When a parent who worked and paid Social Security taxes dies, the children can receive a monthly survivor benefit. Social Security Administration records show 2,014,202 children in the 50 states and D.C. were receiving one in December 2024. That check helps, but it doesn’t do two things a parent’s plan does: it doesn’t name who raises the child, and it doesn’t decide who manages money the child inherits.
This page shows children receiving Social Security survivor benefits in every state and D.C., alongside each state’s under-18 population.
Survivor benefits help with monthly costs, but a will names the guardian and a trust can hold what a child inherits. See how a trust and a will differ.
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Key findings
- 2,014,202 children in the 50 states and D.C. received Social Security survivor benefits in December 2024 (2,050,895 in all areas, including territories and abroad), according to SSA’s OASDI Beneficiaries by State and County, 2024, Table 2.
- That is about 27.6 for every 1,000 residents under 18, using the Census ACS 2024 1-year under-18 count (table B09001).
- The rate is highest in West Virginia (52.4), Mississippi (48.7), Louisiana (41.3), Alabama (41.1), Kentucky (40.5), Maine (40.5). It is lowest in Utah (19.0), California (19.5), Washington (21.4), Colorado (21.5), Hawaii (21.7).
- The largest counts are in Texas (166,319), California (163,616), Florida (123,775), New York (98,069), Ohio (87,128).
- Another 3,560,329 widows, widowers and dependent parents in the 50 states and D.C. received survivor benefits.
Children receiving survivor benefits by state
| State | Children receiving survivor benefits | Residents under 18 | Per 1,000 residents under 18 | Widow(er)s and parents receiving survivor benefits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 46,531 | 1,132,203 | 41.1 | 71,778 |
| Alaska | 4,978 | 174,198 | 28.6 | 5,518 |
| Arizona | 42,300 | 1,585,751 | 26.7 | 76,720 |
| Arkansas | 26,765 | 698,141 | 38.3 | 41,791 |
| California | 163,616 | 8,411,338 | 19.5 | 350,365 |
| Colorado | 25,899 | 1,206,847 | 21.5 | 47,535 |
| Connecticut | 18,654 | 727,220 | 25.7 | 33,320 |
| Delaware | 6,711 | 213,746 | 31.4 | 11,125 |
| District of Columbia | 3,382 | 130,018 | 26.0 | 3,308 |
| Florida | 123,775 | 4,491,936 | 27.6 | 259,410 |
| Georgia | 74,871 | 2,531,131 | 29.6 | 108,116 |
| Hawaii | 6,366 | 293,560 | 21.7 | 13,568 |
| Idaho | 11,116 | 467,247 | 23.8 | 19,370 |
| Illinois | 71,956 | 2,692,660 | 26.7 | 128,897 |
| Indiana | 51,178 | 1,578,728 | 32.4 | 79,772 |
| Iowa | 19,769 | 727,370 | 27.2 | 34,761 |
| Kansas | 19,318 | 686,628 | 28.1 | 30,537 |
| Kentucky | 41,284 | 1,020,211 | 40.5 | 68,079 |
| Louisiana | 43,860 | 1,062,537 | 41.3 | 76,356 |
| Maine | 9,915 | 244,679 | 40.5 | 17,522 |
| Maryland | 34,306 | 1,368,343 | 25.1 | 51,029 |
| Massachusetts | 35,472 | 1,354,765 | 26.2 | 59,203 |
| Michigan | 72,208 | 2,103,755 | 34.3 | 124,847 |
| Minnesota | 28,962 | 1,290,824 | 22.4 | 48,086 |
| Mississippi | 32,756 | 671,997 | 48.7 | 42,146 |
| Missouri | 49,266 | 1,366,801 | 36.0 | 73,355 |
| Montana | 7,230 | 230,015 | 31.4 | 12,914 |
| Nebraska | 11,427 | 479,649 | 23.8 | 18,378 |
| Nevada | 15,975 | 687,705 | 23.2 | 29,168 |
| New Hampshire | 7,948 | 248,169 | 32.0 | 13,774 |
| New Jersey | 44,845 | 2,043,575 | 21.9 | 85,050 |
| New Mexico | 17,600 | 443,837 | 39.7 | 25,265 |
| New York | 98,069 | 3,972,535 | 24.7 | 189,133 |
| North Carolina | 73,374 | 2,349,516 | 31.2 | 110,938 |
| North Dakota | 4,985 | 178,027 | 28.0 | 8,120 |
| Ohio | 87,128 | 2,568,566 | 33.9 | 156,597 |
| Oklahoma | 32,563 | 963,347 | 33.8 | 52,260 |
| Oregon | 21,140 | 825,249 | 25.6 | 44,851 |
| Pennsylvania | 84,300 | 2,624,989 | 32.1 | 159,015 |
| Rhode Island | 5,848 | 203,536 | 28.7 | 9,877 |
| South Carolina | 41,898 | 1,149,839 | 36.4 | 65,811 |
| South Dakota | 6,239 | 217,535 | 28.7 | 9,372 |
| Tennessee | 58,541 | 1,576,399 | 37.1 | 88,391 |
| Texas | 166,319 | 7,657,490 | 21.7 | 314,213 |
| Utah | 17,718 | 932,753 | 19.0 | 23,880 |
| Vermont | 3,976 | 112,028 | 35.5 | 6,924 |
| Virginia | 48,324 | 1,874,030 | 25.8 | 86,748 |
| Washington | 35,273 | 1,652,049 | 21.4 | 69,716 |
| West Virginia | 18,205 | 347,578 | 52.4 | 36,814 |
| Wisconsin | 36,304 | 1,233,276 | 29.4 | 60,124 |
| Wyoming | 3,759 | 124,986 | 30.1 | 6,482 |
Source: Social Security Administration, OASDI Beneficiaries by State and County, 2024, Table 2 (beneficiaries in current-payment status, December 2024); U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 1-year, table B09001. SSA’s “children” category can include students 18-19 and adults disabled before 22, so the per-1,000 rate is an approximation.
What survivor benefits don’t cover
- Guardianship. A benefit doesn’t decide who raises a child. A will is where a parent names a guardian; without one, a court decides. See who would raise the kids.
- Managing an inheritance. Social Security pays benefits for a minor to a representative payee. Money the child inherits from life insurance, accounts or a house is a separate question. Without a trust or a named custodian, a court may need to oversee it until the child is an adult.
- Children in foster care. When a child is in state custody, the state agency is often the payee. States handle those benefits differently, and several have changed their policies in recent years. Rules vary by state.
- Benefits depend on the parent’s work record. Not every child who loses a parent qualifies. See Social Security’s share of state income.
Related: chance of dying before 65 by state · life events that make a will outdated
Methodology
SSA OASDI Beneficiaries by State and County, 2024, Table 2, column “Survivors: Children,” read from the SSA statistics page on Oct. 13, 2026. These are children of deceased insured workers in current-payment status in December 2024. The per-1,000 rate divides that count by the Census ACS 2024 1-year population under 18 (table B09001), pulled from the Census API on Oct. 13, 2026. Because SSA’s child category includes some students age 18-19 and disabled adult children, the rate slightly overstates the share of minors. Territories and beneficiaries abroad are excluded from state totals.
What this doesn’t measure. Benefit amounts, how many children lost a parent without qualifying for benefits, or whether a guardian was named.
Frequently asked questions
How many children get Social Security survivor benefits?
2,014,202 in the 50 states and D.C. in December 2024, and 2,050,895 including territories and abroad (SSA).
Does a survivor benefit replace a will?
No. It provides monthly income. A will names a guardian, and a will or trust decides who manages what the child inherits.
Which state has the highest rate?
West Virginia, at 52.4 per 1,000 residents under 18.
Is this legal advice?
No. Talk to an estate planning attorney about guardianship and trusts for children.
Sources
Public-domain government sources only. Fetched 2026-10-13.
Data
- Social Security Administration, OASDI Beneficiaries by State and County, 2024, Table 2: https://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/statcomps/oasdi_sc/2024/table02.html
- U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 1-year, table B09001 (Population under 18 years by age): https://api.census.gov/data/2024/acs/acs1/groups/B09001.html
Cite this data
Family Estate Guide, “Kids Who Lost a Parent: Social Security Survivor Benefits by State,” October 2026. https://familyestateguide.com/estate-planning-data/children-survivor-benefits-by-state/
You’re welcome to reuse the table with a link back to this page. The underlying government data is public.
Published October 13, 2026 by Family Estate Guide. Data vintage: SSA OASDI by State and County 2024 (December 2024); Census ACS 2024 1-year. Editorial standards.