COLA at a glance

14.3%Largest COLA (1981)

3Years with no COLA (2010, 2011, 2016)

3.1%Average COLA, last 10 years

6.35x$1,000 in 1975 grew to $6,351.86 by 2026

A cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) is the automatic yearly increase SSA applies to retirement, disability, and survivor benefits so payments keep up with inflation. COLAs are based on the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W). When the third-quarter average CPI-W rises versus the prior year, benefits rise the following January. When prices do not rise, the COLA is 0 percent and benefits stay flat; they are never reduced.

Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) COLA table, as compiled in the Congressional Research Service report on Social Security cost-of-living adjustments. Figures below are the COLA payable in the listed year.

COLA by year chart

Hover a bar to see the exact value. The 1976 to 1983 stretch, with five years above 6 percent and a 14.3 percent peak in 1981, has no modern parallel; the closest recent stretch is 2022 to 2023 at 5.9 and 8.7 percent.

Full COLA table

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Year ↕	COLA ↕

Benefit compounding calculator

See what decades of COLAs do to a benefit. Enter a starting monthly benefit and a year range, and the calculator applies each year's actual COLA in sequence.

Starting monthly benefit ($)

Start year

End year

Example: a $1,000 monthly benefit in 1975 becomes $6,351.86 by 2026 after all 51 COLAs, a 6.35x increase. Milestones along the way: $3,280.04 in 2000, $4,310.36 in 2010, $5,009.21 in 2020.

Guides

Frequently asked questions

What is a Social Security COLA?

A cost-of-living adjustment is the automatic annual increase the Social Security Administration applies to retirement, disability (SSDI), and survivor benefits. Congress created the automatic mechanism in the 1972 Social Security Amendments so benefits track inflation without a new act of Congress each time.

How is the COLA calculated?

SSA compares the average CPI-W for the third calendar quarter (July, August, September) of the current year with the average for the third quarter of the last year a COLA was determined. The percentage increase, rounded to the nearest tenth of a percent, becomes the COLA. The adjusted benefit is then rounded down to the next lowest dime.

Which years had no COLA?

Three years since 1975: 2010, 2011, and 2016, when the third-quarter CPI-W did not rise. In those years benefits were held at the prior level; the law does not allow benefits to be reduced when prices fall.

What was the largest Social Security COLA ever?

14.3 percent in 1981, during the high inflation of the late 1970s and early 1980s. The second largest was 11.2 percent in 1982. In the modern era, 8.7 percent in 2023 was the biggest in four decades.

When does the COLA take effect?

The COLA is effective in December of the current year and payable in January of the following year, because Social Security payments reflect benefits due for the preceding month. SSA announces the new COLA each October after the September CPI report is released.

Is a COLA the same as a raise?

No. A COLA is meant to preserve purchasing power as prices rise, not to increase real income. A bigger COLA usually just means inflation was running hot.

Related tools

Sources: U.S. Social Security Administration COLA table; Congressional Research Service, "Social Security: Cost-of-Living Adjustments"; Kiplinger, "2026 Social Security COLA is 2.8%". This page is an independent compilation for reference and education, not affiliated with SSA. Figures verified October 2026.