House of Representatives

Social Security Recipients by Congressional District

108th Congress

The Social Security Administration on March 8, 2004, following our request for the data, posted Social Security beneficiary tables from December 2002 by congressional district on the web. While Members of Congress have received the figures for their own districts, the data for all congressional districts apparently were not generally available.

We have taken the data published in spreadsheets by state and congressional district and created a single interactive table, which is found below. The table includes a percentage of total recipients to the voting age population for a congressional district from the 2000 census. The table is initially displayed from the highest percentage of social security recipients to lowest and may be sorted by other columns.

Federal Reserve Board Chairman Alan Greenspan in testimony to the House Budget Committee recently suggested cutting back Social Security benefits for future retirees, heightening the controversy over Social Security. The debate has turned in part on contrasting tax cuts directly benefiting wealthier persons against possible reductions in Social Security benefits. We have also prepared a table which shows Member votes on the tax cut bill on May 9, 2003 compared with percentage of Social Security recipients in a Member's district. Seven of the eight districts with the highest percentage of Social Security recipients, and 11 of the top 15, are represented by Republicans who voted for the tax cut bill.

The congressional district figures confirm in the House context that there is a reason that Social Security is considered to be the third rail of American politics. In 244 congressional districts, Social Security recipients of voting age are 20 percent or greater of the voting age population. For congressional districts represented by Republicans, social security recipients eighteen and older make up at least 20 percent of the voting age population in 153 districts. Congresswoman Ginny Brown-Waite (R-FL) represents a district in which nearly 40 percent of the voting age population is made up of Social Security recipients age 18 and older.

The percentages have been modified using SSA state estimates to eliminate children beneficiaries under 18 (others may be disabled adults). Note that census figures on voting age population by district from the end of 2002 are compared with 2000 census data taken in 1999. When spouses and parents of child beneficiaries under 18 are added, along with those approaching eligibility age, the percentages become much higher. And surveys have shown that seniors vote at much higher rates than younger persons. That is the ready explanation for proposed changes to social security being set for a number of years in the future.

FairData has added maps to the Congressional Mapper to show the percentages of age 18+ Social Security recipients of voting age population by congressional district and total number of recipients by district (use box under Compare Maps to left of the map).

Beneficiaries under the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program administered by the Social Security Administration are shown in a table reached through the link that begins this sentence.

Data Set Sorted By ((total-children*percentunder18)/vapall)*100 in Descending Order

<
Representative
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District
Party Sort
Total Beneficiaries Sort
Beneficiaries as % of Voting AgePopulation
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Retired Workers
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Disabled Workers
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Widow(er)s
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Wives and Husbands
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Children
Sort
BROWN-WAITE, VIRGINIA
FL
5
R
211,801
39.7%
150,745
21,304
16,686
11,723
11,343
WEXLER, ROBERT
FL
19
D
186,834
35.1%
144,353
9,598
16,979
9,873
6,031
HARRIS, KATHERINE
FL
13
R
186,738
34.5%
137,787
12,963
16,910
11,655
7,423
FOLEY, MARK
FL
16
R
179,896
34.1%
129,387
15,112
15,008
10,916
9,473
GOSS, PORTER J
FL
14
R
180,250
33.2%
132,564
12,500
14,895
12,238
8,053
FRANKS, TRENT
AZ
2
R
161,928
31.7%
115,845
14,971
13,363
9,126
8,623
WELDON, DAVE
FL
15
R
157,066
29.9%
106,980
15,892
14,248
9,912
10,034
TAYLOR, CHARLES H
NC
11
R
149,402
29.1%
96,523
19,771
14,909
8,552
9,647
STUPAK, BART
MI
1
D
155,851
29.1%
98,996
17,664
16,979
11,882
10,330
MURTHA, JOHN P MR
PA
12
D
152,898
28.6%
88,094
16,384
24,806
13,469
10,145
RAHALL, NICK J II M C
WV
3
D
146,375
28.6%
63,194
31,772
22,085
12,420
16,904
EMERSON, JO ANN
MO
8
R
143,739
28.5%
79,408
24,133
17,081
9,002
14,115
MICA, JOHN L
FL
7
R
148,855
28.3%
100,778
15,801
13,987
8,410
9,879
YOUNG, C W BILL
FL
10
R
153,481
28.1%
106,707
15,829
16,111
7,466
7,368
BILIRAKIS, MICHAEL
FL
9
R
147,704
28.1%
101,554
15,598
13,869
7,767
8,916
KANJORSKI, PAUL E
PA
11
D
148,193
27.8%
96,192
17,903
15,995
6,608
11,495
BOUCHER, FREDERICK CARLYLE
VA
9
D
152,362
27.5%
75,212
32,514
18,611
10,267
15,758
WALDEN, GREGORY PAUL
OR
2
R
146,082
27.2%
97,750
15,439
14,128
9,672
9,093
BERRY, MARION
AR
1
D
146,239
27.1%
82,365
23,352
17,475
8,200
14,847
DAVIS, LINCOLN
TN
4
D
139,775
27.0%
79,430
22,791
16,250
8,410
12,894
PUTNAM, ADAM H
FL
12
R
138,784
27.0%
89,680
17,177
12,821
7,516
11,590
KING, STEVEN A
IA
5
R
121,063
26.6%
77,810
10,884
14,901
9,699
7,769
ROGERS, HAROLD D
KY
5
R
152,360
26.6%
54,537
40,570
21,689
12,855
22,709
SAXTON, H JAMES
NJ
3
R
137,045
26.6%
97,864
11,386
12,783
6,764
8,248
ROSS, MICHAEL AVERY
AR
4
D
142,838
26.5%
81,292
21,381
17,653
8,521
13,991
CARSON, BRAD
OK
2
D
146,139
26.5%
84,183
21,195
17,729
9,280
13,752
JENKINS, WILLIAM L
TN
1
R
139,597
26.4%
77,548
23,959
16,884
9,002
12,204
OSBORNE, THOMAS WILLIAM
NE
3
R
116,218
26.4%
75,389
9,981
14,182
9,633
7,033
HART, MELISSA
PA
4
R
135,374
26.4%
86,264
11,160
18,879
11,403
7,668
SHERWOOD, DONALD L
PA
10
R
137,807
26.3%
90,335
15,246
14,299
7,645
10,282
OBERSTAR, JAMES L
MN
8
D
127,982
26.3%
81,982
14,324
13,884
8,886
8,906
PETERSON, COLLIN CLARK
MN
7
D
124,775
26.2%
80,997
10,384
15,437
10,255
7,702
MURPHY, TIM
PA
18
R
136,063
26.0%
89,158
10,501
18,109
10,962
7,333
ADERHOLT, ROBERT B
AL
4
R
135,150
26.0%
73,053
23,043
17,246
8,707
13,101
WHITFIELD, ED
KY
1
R
141,955
25.9%
77,320
24,244
18,367
9,421
12,603
MICHAUD, MICHAEL H
ME
2
D
128,873
25.8%
76,041
21,208
12,870
7,568
11,186
DELAHUNT, WILLIAM D
MA
10
D
132,775
25.8%
91,650
12,499
12,851
7,745
8,030
QUINN, JACK
NY
27
R
136,231
25.8%
85,387
15,933
16,301
7,873
10,737
MOLLOHAN, ALAN B
WV
1
D
127,861
25.7%
72,295
16,705
18,447
10,761
9,653
SMITH, CHRISTOPHER H
NJ
4
R
130,063
25.7%
93,936
10,693
12,804
5,477
7,153
CAPITO, SHELLEY MOORE
WV
2
R
126,705
25.7%
69,417
19,487
16,679
9,685
11,437
OBEY, DAVID R
WI
7
D
134,408
25.6%
89,178
13,029
14,576
8,796
8,829
BONO, MARY
CA
45
R
122,525
25.6%
84,523
11,685
10,473
7,473
8,371
HERGER, WALTER WILLIAM (WALLY) JR
CA
2
R
128,313
25.5%
77,792
18,515
12,953
8,707
10,346
KOLBE, JAMES T
AZ
8
R
132,481
25.5%
90,041
13,060
12,157
9,333
7,890
BALLANCE, FRANK W JR
NC
1
D
127,401
25.3%
69,955
23,209
14,474
5,459
14,304
LATHAM, TOM
IA
4
R
116,614
25.3%
77,242
9,673
14,056
8,956
6,687
SANDLIN, MAX
TX
1
D
131,684
25.2%
77,952
16,323
17,513
8,513
11,383
ENGLISH, PHILIP S
PA
3
R
130,886
25.2%
80,507
14,645
16,110
9,422
10,202
GOODE, VIRGIL H JR
VA
5
R
133,819
25.1%
83,785
18,762
13,422
6,503
11,347
BOEHLERT, SHERWOOD L
NY
24
R
132,637
24.9%
84,558
16,943
12,207
6,459
12,470
SKELTON, IKE
MO
4
D
123,767
24.9%
76,232
16,392
13,122
7,264
10,757
EVANS, LANE A
IL
17
D
130,165
24.8%
83,033
13,721
15,695
8,703
9,013
MORAN, JERRY
KS
1
R
128,681
24.8%
85,088
10,577
15,771
9,465
7,780
STEARNS, CLIFFORD B
FL
6
R
130,055
24.8%
87,275
14,307
11,373
7,392
9,708
SHUSTER, WILLIAM FRANKLIN
PA
9
R
127,963
24.7%
80,904
13,425
15,480
9,747
8,407
DOYLE, MIKE
PA
14
D
132,588
24.7%
81,948
14,485
19,177
7,896
9,082
HOLDEN, TIM
PA
17
D
128,259
24.7%
88,180
12,460
13,190
6,228
8,201
PETERSON, JOHN E
PA
5
R
130,215
24.6%
83,195
14,531
14,803
8,894
8,792
STRICKLAND, TED
OH
6
D
125,370
24.4%
70,250
14,524
19,348
12,062
9,186
TOOMEY, PATRICK***
PA
15
R
125,702
24.3%
86,676
12,057
12,533
6,104
8,332
BARRETT, JAMES GRESHAM
SC
3
R
133,090
24.3%
82,136
21,646
11,479
5,375
12,454
DEFAZIO, PETER A
OR
4
D
134,367
24.3%
87,554
15,169
13,913
9,428
8,303
MCINTYRE, MIKE
NC
7
D
123,547
24.3%
69,697
22,836
12,708
5,552
12,754
CAMP, DAVID LEE
MI
4
R
128,593
24.3%
81,885
14,339
13,568
9,006
9,795
STENHOLM, CHARLIE W.
TX
17
D
125,142
24.2%
77,946
12,089
16,087
9,515
9,505
SHIMKUS, JOHN M
IL
19
R
127,097
24.2%
79,119
12,795
16,423
9,245
9,515
SHAW, E CLAY JR
FL
22
R
130,292
24.2%
94,106
8,865
13,527
8,149
5,645
GUTKNECHT, GILBERT WILLIAM JR
MN
1
R
115,634
24.2%
77,529
9,101
13,435
9,093
6,476
DOOLITTLE, JOHN T REP
CA
4
R
121,357
24.2%
80,447
13,843
10,765
8,120
8,182
BONNER, JOSIAH ROBINS JR.
AL
1
R
123,973
24.1%
68,192
18,562
14,700
7,688
14,831
BLUNT, ROY
MO
7
R
121,085
24.1%
73,821
16,959
12,809
7,511
9,985
HOEFFEL, JOSEPH M
PA
13
D
124,549
24.1%
85,904
10,372
14,130
6,635
7,508
HOUGHTON, AMORY JR
NY
29
R
125,177
24.1%
82,620
14,480
11,801
6,723
9,553
PENCE, MIKE
IN
6
R
129,045
24.0%
82,137
14,659
14,434
8,073
9,742
RENZI, RICHARD GEORGE
AZ
1
R
119,752
23.9%
73,850
15,075
11,179
8,105
11,543
BOOZMAN, JOHN NICHOLS
AR
3
R
128,968
23.9%
74,681
21,872
12,719
7,266
12,430
WICKER, ROGER F
MS
1
R
137,922
23.8%
74,615
26,364
14,253
5,911
16,779
MCNULTY, MICHAEL R
NY
21
D
126,318
23.7%
83,326
14,932
12,300
5,851
9,909
ALLEN, THOMAS H
ME
1
D
128,702
23.7%
81,042
17,743
12,340
7,155
10,422
NUSSLE, JIM
IA
1
R
108,395
23.7%
70,141
10,569
12,784
7,868
7,033
BALLENGER, THOMAS CASS
NC
10
R
118,922
23.7%
76,861
18,141
10,062
3,939
9,919
HOSTETTLER, JOHN NATHAN
IN
8
R
128,604
23.7%
79,514
15,891
15,267
7,962
9,970
WALSH, JAMES T
NY
25
R
122,314
23.7%
81,019
14,065
10,864
6,126
10,240
ROGERS, MICHAEL
AL
3
R
124,066
23.6%
68,288
23,132
13,125
5,379
14,142
GOODLATTE, ROBERT W
VA
6
R
125,329
23.6%
80,955
15,839
12,585
6,497
9,453
LEWIS, JERRY
CA
41
R
115,374
23.6%
74,135
13,638
10,887
7,094
9,620
COBLE, JOHN HOWARD
NC
6
R
117,173
23.5%
80,778
14,116
9,491
5,018
7,770
WAMP, ZACH
TN
3
R
122,553
23.5%
72,000
18,976
13,604
7,149
10,824
DAVIS, ARTUR GENESTRE
AL
7
D
124,638
23.5%
60,663
23,612
16,083
5,700
18,580
LAHOOD, RAY
IL
18
R
123,118
23.5%
80,250
10,977
14,464
8,438
8,989
BURR, RICHARD
NC
5
R
118,217
23.5%
77,543
15,759
11,270
5,451
8,194
EVERETT, TERRY
AL
2
R
121,442
23.5%
68,415
19,682
13,795
6,184
13,366
TANNER, JOHN S
TN
8
D
119,468
23.5%
69,988
18,216
13,079
5,917
12,268
NEY, ROBERT W
OH
18
R
116,668
23.5%
66,554
14,175
16,103
9,876
9,960
RYAN, TIMOTHY J
OH
17
D
118,866
23.5%
71,913
11,911
16,700
9,674
8,668
DUNCAN, JOHN JAMES JR
TN
2
R
122,069
23.4%
73,238
17,830
13,954
7,301
9,746
VACANT
SD
A-L
R
137,238
23.4%
87,765
12,767
16,180
10,631
9,895
SLAUGHTER, LOUISE M
NY
28
D
121,330
23.3%
73,277
18,391
12,519
5,674
11,469
SWEENEY, JOHN E
NY
20
R
122,365
23.3%
79,444
14,954
11,930
6,461
9,576
LOBIONDO, FRANK A.
NJ
2
R
120,684
23.3%
79,523
13,885
11,649
5,166
10,461
REYNOLDS, THOMAS M
NY
26
R
120,617
23.2%
80,480
12,333
12,629
7,077
8,098
COSTELLO, JERRY F
IL
12
D
122,275
23.2%
72,210
15,460
15,757
7,581
11,267
PETRI, THOMAS E
WI
6
R
122,461
23.2%
84,533
10,974
12,312
6,912
7,730
KILDEE, DALE E
MI
5
D
120,640
23.1%
69,342
16,570
14,153
8,222
12,353
FEENEY, TOM
FL
24
R
120,769
23.1%
80,380
13,555
11,104
6,977
8,753
HALL, RALPH MOODY
TX
4
R
117,591
23.1%
74,313
13,170
13,632
7,441
9,035
DICKS, NORMAN D
WA
6
D
119,872
23.1%
76,659
15,132
11,893
7,806
8,382
LARSON, JOHN B
CT
1
D
126,014
23.0%
87,580
13,289
10,318
4,998
9,829
HOEKSTRA, PETER
MI
2
R
117,817
23.0%
74,477
14,706
11,520
7,177
9,937
KENNEDY, PATRICK J
RI
1
D
98,315
23.0%
67,723
12,191
8,336
3,570
6,495
LUCAS, FRANK D
OK
3
R
126,147
23.0%
77,965
13,195
15,988
9,061
9,938
KING, PETER T
NY
3
R
119,742
23.0%
80,911
11,707
12,251
6,859
8,014
GREEN, MARK A
WI
8
R
119,362
22.9%
80,175
10,637
12,778
8,031
7,741
PICKERING, CHARLES W
MS
3
R
133,269
22.9%
72,812
21,741
15,264
7,023
16,429
TURNER, JAMES (JIM)WILLIAM
TX
2
D
119,066
22.8%
69,794
13,992
15,790
9,014
10,476
REGULA, RALPH S
OH
16
R
112,059
22.8%
71,639
9,796
14,490
9,055
7,079
KUCINICH, DENNIS J
OH
10
D
114,810
22.8%
76,314
9,990
14,532
7,336
6,638
MILLER, JEFFERSON B.
FL
1
R
118,901
22.8%
70,726
16,047
12,991
8,474
10,663
POMEROY, EARL RALPH
ND
A-L
D
114,122
22.7%
70,908
9,630
15,807
10,588
7,189
HINCHEY, MAURICE D.
NY
22
D
121,431
22.7%
76,209
16,779
11,512
5,948
10,983
SPRATT, JOHN MCKEE JR
SC
5
D
121,826
22.6%
71,143
20,330
12,561
4,667
13,125
NEAL, RICHARD E
MA
2
D
114,643
22.6%
72,738
15,863
10,806
4,927
10,309
MCHUGH, JOHN M
NY
23
R
118,944
22.6%
70,293
16,761
13,295
7,686
10,909
JONES, STEPHANIE TUBBS
OH
11
D
112,031
22.6%
70,442
12,517
13,799
5,727
9,546
LEVIN, SANDER
MI
12
D
122,624
22.6%
77,548
12,971
15,413
7,447
9,245
GILCHREST, WAYNE T
MD
1
R
118,484
22.6%
82,203
10,569
11,491
6,329
7,892
TAYLOR, GENE
MS
4
D
131,060
22.5%
69,265
22,483
15,048
7,972
16,292
CLAY, WILLIAM LACY JR
MO
1
D
112,920
22.5%
68,487
15,940
11,226
4,556
12,711
WELDON, CURT
PA
7
R
115,971
22.5%
80,288
8,676
12,983
6,536
7,488
REHBERG, DENNIS R
MT
A-L
R
161,193
22.5%
101,656
18,079
17,581
11,405
12,472
HULSHOF, KENNY CHARLES
MO
9
R
112,349
22.4%
69,012
14,949
11,959
6,524
9,905
CRAMER, ROBERT EDWARD 'BUD' JR
AL
5
D
114,783
22.4%
66,252
16,561
13,941
7,874
10,155
TURNER, MIKE
OH
3
R
112,123
22.4%
68,483
13,529
13,508
7,915
8,688
PLATTS, TODD R
PA
19
R
115,289
22.4%
81,506
10,158
10,888
5,998
6,739
OXLEY, MICHAEL G
OH
4
R
110,320
22.4%
68,167
11,638
13,875
8,547
8,093
ALEXANDER, RODNEY
LA
5
D
114,540
22.3%
58,510
14,736
18,144
9,478
13,672
KIND, RONALD JAMES
WI
3
D
117,313