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 → Households With Retirement Income by State
About one in four American households has retirement income: pensions, annuities or withdrawals from retirement accounts. Census data counts 32,435,969 such households. Retirement accounts and many annuities don’t pass under a will. They go to whoever is named on the beneficiary form, which can be years out of date.
This page shows households with retirement income in every state and D.C., from the Census Bureau’s 2024 American Community Survey.
A will or trust works best when beneficiary forms match it. See how a trust and a will differ.
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Cite this page URL when reusing findings. Not a substitute for official sources or professional advice.
Key findings
- 32,435,969 U.S. households (24.4%) had retirement income in the past 12 months, according to the Census ACS 2024 1-year (table B19059).
- The share is highest in Delaware (34.3%), Hawaii (30.4%), Michigan (28.3%), New Hampshire (28.3%), West Virginia (28.2%), Maine (28.0%).
- It is lowest in District of Columbia (16.8%), Texas (19.4%), North Dakota (20.1%), Utah (20.5%), Louisiana (21.9%), California (22.0%).
- The largest counts are in California (3,039,722), Florida (2,349,222), Texas (2,218,266), New York (1,961,126), Pennsylvania (1,476,855).
Households with retirement income by state
| State | Households | With retirement income | Share (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 2,059,528 | 523,035 | 25.4 |
| Alaska | 274,045 | 66,714 | 24.3 |
| Arizona | 2,982,475 | 796,010 | 26.7 |
| Arkansas | 1,246,754 | 293,585 | 23.5 |
| California | 13,797,638 | 3,039,722 | 22.0 |
| Colorado | 2,479,892 | 557,730 | 22.5 |
| Connecticut | 1,455,235 | 380,368 | 26.1 |
| Delaware | 412,304 | 141,559 | 34.3 |
| District of Columbia | 329,687 | 55,294 | 16.8 |
| Florida | 9,141,675 | 2,349,222 | 25.7 |
| Georgia | 4,220,732 | 942,921 | 22.3 |
| Hawaii | 493,151 | 149,844 | 30.4 |
| Idaho | 751,181 | 196,303 | 26.1 |
| Illinois | 5,105,448 | 1,238,738 | 24.3 |
| Indiana | 2,775,637 | 697,014 | 25.1 |
| Iowa | 1,343,422 | 331,372 | 24.7 |
| Kansas | 1,204,374 | 296,108 | 24.6 |
| Kentucky | 1,865,456 | 476,079 | 25.5 |
| Louisiana | 1,848,965 | 404,329 | 21.9 |
| Maine | 615,235 | 172,341 | 28.0 |
| Maryland | 2,401,394 | 633,967 | 26.4 |
| Massachusetts | 2,829,804 | 669,715 | 23.7 |
| Michigan | 4,131,281 | 1,167,107 | 28.3 |
| Minnesota | 2,363,442 | 584,400 | 24.7 |
| Mississippi | 1,176,690 | 276,625 | 23.5 |
| Missouri | 2,563,244 | 674,833 | 26.3 |
| Montana | 468,981 | 121,623 | 25.9 |
| Nebraska | 824,012 | 182,543 | 22.2 |
| Nevada | 1,238,925 | 309,764 | 25.0 |
| New Hampshire | 570,689 | 161,375 | 28.3 |
| New Jersey | 3,543,944 | 883,765 | 24.9 |
| New Mexico | 856,970 | 228,435 | 26.7 |
| New York | 7,828,074 | 1,961,126 | 25.1 |
| North Carolina | 4,496,359 | 1,108,733 | 24.7 |
| North Dakota | 349,705 | 70,139 | 20.1 |
| Ohio | 4,929,322 | 1,290,683 | 26.2 |
| Oklahoma | 1,603,748 | 358,507 | 22.4 |
| Oregon | 1,744,270 | 448,419 | 25.7 |
| Pennsylvania | 5,361,724 | 1,476,855 | 27.5 |
| Rhode Island | 448,318 | 115,729 | 25.8 |
| South Carolina | 2,222,890 | 608,174 | 27.4 |
| South Dakota | 382,302 | 85,212 | 22.3 |
| Tennessee | 2,928,765 | 706,165 | 24.1 |
| Texas | 11,449,769 | 2,218,266 | 19.4 |
| Utah | 1,184,428 | 242,709 | 20.5 |
| Vermont | 285,548 | 76,328 | 26.7 |
| Virginia | 3,449,307 | 936,525 | 27.2 |
| Washington | 3,168,080 | 768,859 | 24.3 |
| West Virginia | 740,840 | 209,212 | 28.2 |
| Wisconsin | 2,535,198 | 682,575 | 26.9 |
| Wyoming | 256,289 | 69,313 | 27.0 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 1-year, table B19059 (Retirement income in the past 12 months for households). Census defines retirement income as pensions and survivor benefits, IRA and other retirement-account withdrawals, and annuities. Social Security is counted separately and is not included.
Why beneficiary forms matter
- The form usually controls, not the will. IRAs, 401(k)s and many annuities pay the named beneficiary. A will that says something different generally doesn’t change that. See money that skips the will.
- Old forms cause surprises. A former spouse or a deceased person may still be listed. Review forms after marriage, divorce, a birth or a death. See life events that make a will outdated.
- Heirs face withdrawal rules. Most non-spouse heirs must empty an inherited IRA within 10 years. See the inherited IRA 10-year rule.
- Minors and trusts. Naming a minor directly can require a court-supervised account; some families name a trust instead.
Related: Social Security’s share of state income · the great wealth transfer tracker
Methodology
Census ACS 2024 1-year estimates, table B19059, pulled from the Census API on Oct. 14, 2026, for the 50 states, D.C. and the U.S. Share equals households with retirement income divided by all households. ACS figures are survey estimates with margins of error.
What this doesn’t measure. Account balances, whether a household has a retirement account it isn’t yet drawing from, or whether beneficiary forms are current.
Frequently asked questions
How many households have retirement income?
32,435,969, or 24.4% of U.S. households (ACS 2024).
Does Social Security count as retirement income here?
No. Census reports Social Security separately. This table covers pensions, annuities and retirement-account withdrawals.
Does my will control my IRA?
Usually not. The beneficiary form generally controls. If no beneficiary is named, the account may pass to the estate under the plan’s rules.
Is this legal advice?
No. Talk to an estate planning attorney in your state.
Sources
Public-domain government sources only. Fetched 2026-10-14.
Data
- U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 1-year, table B19059: https://api.census.gov/data/2024/acs/acs1/groups/B19059.html
Cite this data
Family Estate Guide, “Households With Retirement Income by State,” October 2026. https://familyestateguide.com/estate-planning-data/retirement-income-households-by-state/
You’re welcome to reuse the table with a link back to this page. The underlying government data is public.
Published October 14, 2026 by Family Estate Guide. Data vintage: Census ACS 2024 1-year. Editorial standards.