According to Social Security Administration state statistics from December 2005, for social security payments,
“In Massachusetts, benefits were paid to 1,071,720 persons. This number included 694,340 retired workers, 93,380 widows and widowers, 153,820 disabled workers, 45,920 wives and husbands, and 84,260 children. Social Security beneficiaries represented 16.7 percent of the total population of the state and 90.5 percent of the state’s population aged 65 or older.”
“Retired workers in Massachusetts received an average of $1,009 per month; widows and widowers, $980; disabled workers, $924; and wives and husbands of retired and disabled workers, $508. Average benefits for children were $506 for children of retired workers, $705 for children of deceased workers, and $283 for children of disabled workers.” . . .
“As of January 2006, the maximum monthly federal SSI payment for an individual living in his or her own household and with no other countable income is $603, and for a couple, $904. A state may supplement the payment levels of all or selected categories of recipients. These supplemental payments may be administered by the state or the Social Security Administration.” . . .
“In Massachusetts, 171,488 persons—44,653 aged and 126,835 disabled and blind—received federally administered SSI payments in December 2005. A total of 47,814 recipients were aged 65 or older, 105,699 were aged 18 to 64, and 17,975 were under the age of 18.