The 5 key levels of income in retirement for US boomers — where do you sit versus other seniors?

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Measuring retirement success isn’t easy. Without any job titles to lean on, you can’t easily tell if your retired peers are earning more or less money than you.

Fortunately, there’s plenty of data on how much U.S. seniors earn every year, and this information can help you see where your lifestyle fits in.

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Here are the five key levels of income for Baby Boomers across the country.

1. Vulnerable — under $25,000 a year

Not all seniors were fortunate enough to participate in the wealth creation that played out over the past few decades. Some have entered retirement with no savings or personal safety net. Based on the latest available data, roughly 9.9% of seniors over the age of 65 were living below the official poverty line, according to the Federal Reserve (1).

For many of these seniors, Social Security is their only lifeline. Nearly 27% of American seniors relied on benefits from this program for 100% of their monthly income, according to a 2024 survey by The Senior Citizens League (2). Given that the average benefit check was $2,084.40 a month in June, according to the Social Security Administration (3), it’s probably fair to assume that any retirees earning less than $25,000 a year fall into this vulnerable category.

If this is you, or a parent, the priority is squeezing every available benefit. AARP offers free tools to identify overlooked programs like SNAP, Medicare Savings and property-tax relief that quietly add up to thousands a year. The best part? Sign up with AARP today and get 25% off your first year.

After all, in this bracket, every dollar counts.

Read More: Millionaires under 43 hold only 25% of their wealth in stocks. Here’s where their money is actually going

2. Afloat — $25,000 to $40,000

Nearly 18% of retirees are “struggling” according to a 2021 study by the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) (4). This cohort has less than $99,000 in financial assets and earns less than $40,000 a year in income.

Although officially above the poverty rate, these seniors are financially strained and barely making ends meet. A single unexpected expense — a roof, a hospital stay — can tip the whole budget.

The good news is that it doesn’t take much to move the needle at this level. Even modest, automated saving helps rebuild a cushion. Apps like Acorns round up everyday purchases into an investment account, a low-friction way to grow a rainy-day fund without touching fixed income. So, every $3.50 latte turns into an extra 50 cents of long-term investment in a diversified portfolio of ETFs managed by experts at leading firms like Vanguard and BlackRock.

Even better, you can invest in a dividend ETF with as little as $5 — and, if you sign up today with a small recurring contribution, Acorns will add a $20 bonus to help you begin your investment journey.

A few years of accelerated saving and investing could put you or your loved ones closer to average.

3. Average — $68,860

The median annual income for households led by someone between the ages of 65 and 69 was $68,860, according to data from the CPS 2025 Annual Social and Economic Supplement analyzed by Empower (5).

In other words, if your annual income is modestly above or below this threshold you’re in the middle of the pack. Whether or not your retirement is comfortable probably hinges more on your location, lifestyle and spending patterns.

4. Upper-class — $100,000

Nearly 19% of retirees fit into the “affluent” category, according to EBRI (4), which says the threshold for this group is at least $100,000 in annual income. In general, this cohort is full of mortgage-free homeowners, with no debt, who have diverse sources of retirement income and high levels of life satisfaction.

At this level of income, the primary concern shifts away from saving and budgeting to protecting and diversifying wealth. A good way to achieve both is to diversify into gold, which is traditionally considered a safe haven asset. The logic is simple: Unlike fiat currency the precious yellow meta can’t be printed at will be central banks during a downturn, and its value tends to hold better during a crash.

Opening a gold IRA with the help of Goldco allows you to invest in gold and other precious metals in physical forms while also providing the significant tax advantages of an IRA.

With a minimum purchase of $10,000, Goldco offers free shipping and access to a library of retirement resources. Plus, the company will match up to 10% of qualified purchases in free silver.

If you’re curious whether this is the right investment to diversify your portfolio, you can download your free gold and silver information guide today. Just remember the gold is usually best deployed as one part of a balanced investment strategy — not a wholesale replacement.

5. Rich — $200,000 or more

Earning $200,000 or more per year from active employment or business is impressive enough. But to earn this much in passive income during retirement is truly exceptional. This is the level of income you would probably need to consider yourself a “rich retiree.”

Now your top concern isn’t outliving your money, it’s navigating the tax system efficiently. This level of income probably exposes you to a wide range of surcharges, missed tax credits and claw backs. Managing it all yourself is potentially expensive.

If you have a portfolio of $250,000 or more, platforms like WiserAdvisor can connect you with vetted professionals who specialize in this kind of planning.

Simply answer a few questions about your savings, retirement timeline and overall investment portfolio.

From there, WiserAdvisor reviews its network to match you — for free — with up to three vetted, reputable advisors aligned with your specific needs.

You can then schedule no-obligation consultations with your matches to determine who is the best fit for your long-term goals.

WiserAdvisor is a matching service and does not provide financial advice directly. All matched advisors are third parties, and specific financial results are not guaranteed.

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Article Sources

We rely only on vetted sources and credible third-party reporting. For details, see our ethics and guidelines.

Federal Reserve Economic Data (1); Seniors League (2); Social Security Administration (3); Employee Benefit Research Institute (4); Empower (5)

This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.