Social Security recipients collect $1,295 a month on average, but that payment won’t cover  basic living costs in any state, including Colorado, according to a survey from HowMuch.net and GoBankingRates.

That monthly payment covers only 36.3 percent of basic living costs in Colorado, ranking the state 11th worst for coming up short. Hawaii, California, Massachusetts, Alaska and New York are the toughest states for those trying to get by on just Social Security, while Arkansas, West Virginia, Oklahoma, Alabama and Mississippi are where payments go the furthest.

But even in Arkansas, average Social Security payments only covered 52.9 percent of living costs. In 45 states, Social Security doesn’t cover half of basic living costs, as defined by the study.

In Colorado, monthly living costs included a median rent of $1,925, an average grocery bill of $298, an average utility bill of $262, average transportation costs of $574 and average health care costs of $513, according to the study.

Read the full story on denverpost.com.