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.
About one in twenty U.S. households — 6,658,317, or 5.0% — reported Supplemental Security Income (SSI) in the past 12 months. SSI is a needs-based federal benefit for people who are aged, blind or disabled and have limited income and resources. A sudden inheritance or poorly structured gift can reduce or stop those benefits.
This page shows Census ACS household counts and shares by state. For the $2,000 resource limit and how special needs trusts fit, see our companion explainer on the SSI asset limit.
If someone you love relies on SSI, the way you leave money matters as much as how much you leave. 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
- 6,658,317 households (5.0%) reported SSI income (Census ACS 2024, table B19056).
- Highest shares: Mississippi (7.6%), West Virginia (7.2%), Kentucky (7.0%), Arkansas (6.6%), Louisiana (6.6%) and Alabama (6.4%).
- Lowest shares: Colorado (3.1%), Utah (3.1%), Alaska (3.4%), North Dakota (3.5%) and Kansas (3.7%).
- Largest counts: California (790,850), Texas (505,111), New York (469,566), Florida (442,597) and Pennsylvania (295,026).
- State median share: 4.6%.
Households with SSI income by state
| State | Households | With SSI income | Share (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mississippi | 1,176,690 | 89,429 | 7.6 |
| West Virginia | 740,840 | 53,565 | 7.2 |
| Kentucky | 1,865,456 | 130,597 | 7.0 |
| Arkansas | 1,246,754 | 81,976 | 6.6 |
| Louisiana | 1,848,965 | 122,396 | 6.6 |
| Alabama | 2,059,528 | 131,556 | 6.4 |
| New Mexico | 856,970 | 55,098 | 6.4 |
| New York | 7,828,074 | 469,566 | 6.0 |
| Rhode Island | 448,318 | 27,052 | 6.0 |
| Maine | 615,235 | 36,142 | 5.9 |
| California | 13,797,638 | 790,850 | 5.7 |
| Ohio | 4,929,322 | 279,843 | 5.7 |
| Oklahoma | 1,603,748 | 92,172 | 5.7 |
| Michigan | 4,131,281 | 230,806 | 5.6 |
| Pennsylvania | 5,361,724 | 295,026 | 5.5 |
| Massachusetts | 2,829,804 | 151,041 | 5.3 |
| Missouri | 2,563,244 | 136,492 | 5.3 |
| Indiana | 2,775,637 | 144,322 | 5.2 |
| Tennessee | 2,928,765 | 150,036 | 5.1 |
| Connecticut | 1,455,235 | 70,857 | 4.9 |
| Delaware | 412,304 | 20,017 | 4.9 |
| Georgia | 4,220,732 | 208,624 | 4.9 |
| Vermont | 285,548 | 13,889 | 4.9 |
| Florida | 9,141,675 | 442,597 | 4.8 |
| Montana | 468,981 | 21,823 | 4.7 |
| District of Columbia | 329,687 | 15,101 | 4.6 |
| Illinois | 5,105,448 | 234,029 | 4.6 |
| New Jersey | 3,543,944 | 163,556 | 4.6 |
| Oregon | 1,744,270 | 80,945 | 4.6 |
| Idaho | 751,181 | 33,998 | 4.5 |
| North Carolina | 4,496,359 | 200,773 | 4.5 |
| South Carolina | 2,222,890 | 100,137 | 4.5 |
| Washington | 3,168,080 | 142,741 | 4.5 |
| Texas | 11,449,769 | 505,111 | 4.4 |
| Maryland | 2,401,394 | 101,704 | 4.2 |
| Virginia | 3,449,307 | 145,921 | 4.2 |
| Hawaii | 493,151 | 20,318 | 4.1 |
| New Hampshire | 570,689 | 23,314 | 4.1 |
| Wisconsin | 2,535,198 | 103,852 | 4.1 |
| Nebraska | 824,012 | 32,827 | 4.0 |
| Iowa | 1,343,422 | 51,887 | 3.9 |
| Arizona | 2,982,475 | 113,472 | 3.8 |
| Minnesota | 2,363,442 | 90,613 | 3.8 |
| Nevada | 1,238,925 | 47,484 | 3.8 |
| Kansas | 1,204,374 | 44,382 | 3.7 |
| South Dakota | 382,302 | 14,194 | 3.7 |
| Wyoming | 256,289 | 9,581 | 3.7 |
| North Dakota | 349,705 | 12,385 | 3.5 |
| Alaska | 274,045 | 9,385 | 3.4 |
| Colorado | 2,479,892 | 77,952 | 3.1 |
| Utah | 1,184,428 | 36,883 | 3.1 |
| United States | 132,737,146 | 6,658,317 | 5.0 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 1-year, table B19056 (Supplemental Security Income in the past 12 months for households). Sorted by share of households. These are survey-reported household income flags, not SSA caseload counts.
Inheritance and SSI eligibility
- SSI has a strict resource test. In most cases countable resources over $2,000 for an individual ($3,000 for a couple) can stop benefits. See the SSI asset limit and special needs trusts.
- A special needs trust can hold an inheritance for a beneficiary’s supplemental needs without counting as that person’s resource, when drafted to meet federal and state rules.
- Wills that leave assets outright to an SSI recipient can do unintended harm. Coordinate with an attorney who handles special needs planning.
Related: who would raise the kids · older adults in poverty by state
Related research: children with disabilities by state shows where parents most often need a special needs trust and a guardian plan.
Methodology
Census ACS 2024 1-year estimates, table B19056, pulled from the Census API on Oct. 17, 2026, for the 50 states, D.C. and the U.S. Share equals households with SSI income divided by all households. ACS figures are survey estimates with margins of error.
What this doesn’t measure. Individual SSI payment amounts, whether the recipient is a child or adult, concurrent Social Security Disability Insurance, or whether a special needs trust is already in place.
Frequently asked questions
How many households report SSI?
6,658,317, or 5.0% of U.S. households (ACS 2024).
Can an inheritance stop SSI?
It can, if it pushes countable resources over the limit. A properly drafted special needs trust is one tool families use; get state-specific legal advice.
Is this legal advice?
No. Talk to an estate planning attorney in your state.
Sources
Public-domain government sources only. Fetched 2026-10-17.
Data
- U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 1-year, table B19056: https://api.census.gov/data/2024/acs/acs1/groups/B19056.html
Related data
More in Income, benefits, disability and life stages.
Cite this data
Family Estate Guide, “SSI Households by State,” October 2026. https://familyestateguide.com/estate-planning-data/ssi-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 17, 2026 by Family Estate Guide. Data vintage: Census ACS 2024 1-year, table B19056. Editorial standards.