COLUMBUS, Ohio — Nearly 2.5 million Ohioans who depend on Supplemental Security Income as their primary financial lifeline receive just $118 per month on average — matching the national average but falling $9 short of what recipients in the nation’s top-paying states receive, according to a new analysis of federal Social Security Administration data.
The figures, drawn from the SSA Statistical Supplement 2024 and analyzed by Minnesota-based Madia Law, place Ohio tied for 40th among all 50 states in per-recipient SSI payouts — sharing that ranking with Oregon and Delaware. Of the 50 states, 39 pay more per recipient than Ohio does.
SSI is a federal program designed to provide a financial floor for disabled adults, blind individuals, and seniors with limited income and resources. For nearly 2.45 million Ohioans, it is not supplemental income — it is the primary check keeping them housed and fed…