SmartAsset recently released its 7th annual study on the places where Social Security income lasts longest. The study compares Social Security income in each county against the local cost of living to see where retirees can stretch their money furthest.
According to the study, Pima County ranks among the top places for stretching Social Security income:
| Rank | County, State | Cost of Living | Annual Social Security | Social Security Taxed? | Social Security Goes Furthest – Index |
| 1 | Pima, AZ | $19,557 | $20,707 | No | 76.12 |
| 2 | Pinal, AZ | $21,133 | $22,245 | No | 75.96 |
| 3 | Mohave, AZ | $19,946 | $20,998 | No | 75.73 |
| 4 | Yavapai, AZ | $20,997 | $21,382 | No | 73.10 |
| 5 | Greenlee, AZ | $19,377 | $19,703 | No | 72.87 |
| 6 | La Paz, AZ | $19,833 | $19,989 | No | 72.20 |
| 7 | Gila, AZ | $20,733 | $20,885 | No | 72.18 |
| 8 | Maricopa, AZ | $21,317 | $21,302 | No | 71.53 |
| 9 | Navajo, AZ | $19,881 | $19,677 | No | 70.78 |
| 10 | Yuma, AZ | $20,013 | $19,232 | No | 68.51 |
To find the places where Social Security goes furthest, SmartAsset first looked at the average Social Security income for residents in each county, then calculated the taxes a typical retiree would pay on that income based on state-specific Social Security tax rules. SmartAsset then subtracted the taxes from that average Social Security income to determine the net income from Social Security.
Next, SmartAsset calculated how far that net income would go in every county to cover the basic necessities, like food, housing and transportation. Then subtracted the county-level cost of typical living expenses from each county’s net Social Security income.
Finally, SmartAsset the results to 100, with 100 showing where Social Security would go furthest in covering the cost of living for residents in any given county. Higher scores reflect the places where Social Security income best covers living expenses.