India, Sept. 26 -- Social Security remains the cornerstone of retirement income for millions of Americans, but new research highlights just how far those benefits can stretch and where they fall short. A Realtor.com analysis compared median Social Security benefits with the Elder Economic Security Standard Index, which tracks older adults' basic living expenses. The results reveal that benefits alone are enough to cover costs in only 10 states, while retirees in most of the country face annual shortfalls.

The study comes at a critical time, as a report from the Senior Citizens' League (TSCL) noted that nearly three-quarters of older Americans rely on Social Security for more than half of their income, and 22 million seniors depend on it ...