Although you can claim Social Security beginning at age 62, many people choose to wait until age 65 because it coincides with Medicare eligibility and doesn't result in as much of a benefits reduction (though it's still less than claiming at full retirement age).
Benefit amounts at any age vary widely, ranging from less than $1,000 to more than a few thousand. However, knowing the average benefit at a given age can help put into perspective how much Social Security could contribute to your retirement income.
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The average Social Security benefit at 65
As of the end of December 2025, the average monthly Social Security benefit for a 65-year-old was $1,607.27.
Since someone's monthly Social Security benefit is largely based on their career earnings (and therefore how much they paid in Social Security payroll taxes), there is a discrepancy between the average benefit for men and women. At 65, the average monthly benefit for men is $1,772. For women, it's $1,457.40.
If your full retirement age is 67 -- which is the case for anyone born in 1960 or later -- claiming Social Security at 65 would reduce your monthly benefit by 13 1/3%. Some people would rather have the smaller benefit for a longer period, others a larger benefit for a shorter period. There's no "right" or "wrong" time to claim Social Security; just the time that works best for your personal situation.
