2027 Social Security COLA tracker
The cost-of-living adjustment in January 2027 payments is set by consumer prices for urban wage earners and clerical workers (CPI-W) in July, August and September 2026, compared with the same three months of 2025. This page works it out with the Social Security Administration’s method as each month comes in.
CPI-W through Sep 2026
Where it stands
3.6%
The 2027 COLA, from the third-quarter average CPI-W of 328.746 against 317.265 a year earlier. It takes effect for December 2026 benefits, paid in January 2027. SSA’s announcement is the official figure.
The numbers
| CPI-W | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| July | 316.349 | 327.104 |
| August | 317.306 | 328.481 |
| September | 318.139 | 330.654 |
| Average | 317.265 | 328.746 |
CPI-W, U.S. city average, all items, not seasonally adjusted (1982–84 = 100), from the Bureau of Labor Statistics via FRED. SSA rounds each average to three decimals and the COLA to the nearest tenth of a percent.
What it means for your check
Before Medicare premiums or tax withholding come out. SSA rounds payments down to the whole dollar, so your notice can differ by a dollar.
Past COLAs
| Paid from January | COLA | Q3 CPI-W |
|---|---|---|
| 2027 | 3.6% | 328.746 |
| 2026 | 2.8% | 317.265 |
| 2025 | 2.5% | 308.729 |
| 2024 | 3.2% | 301.236 |
| 2023 | 8.7% | 291.901 |
| 2022 | 5.9% | 268.421 |
| 2021 | 1.3% | 253.412 |
| 2020 | 1.6% | 250.200 |
Worked out from the same CPI-W data with SSA’s method; each matches the COLA SSA announced.
How the COLA is set
By law the COLA follows CPI-W, the consumer price index for urban wage earners and clerical workers, not the better-known CPI-U. SSA averages CPI-W for July, August and September and compares that with the same average for the last year that had a COLA. The percentage increase, rounded to the nearest tenth, is the COLA. If prices didn’t rise, there is no COLA, and benefits never go down because of it.
The raise takes effect for December benefits, which are paid in January. SSA announces it the morning the September CPI comes out, usually in mid-October. The same COLA applies to Supplemental Security Income, though SSI payments for January are made at the end of December.
SSA’s COLA worksheet shows the official calculation. The CPI release schedule is on the CPI page.