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Social Security benefits to rise 3.6% in 2027, up from 2.8% this year

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Coverage spectrum

Covered by 19 outlets across the spectrum.

34 articles in total, 5 of them opinion. The spectrum counts each outlet once and leaves opinion out. How we measure bias

Brick building entrance with Social Security Administration sign and agency seal above glass doors.
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The Social Security Administration announced Wednesday that benefits will rise 3.6 percent in 2027, up from the 2.8 percent adjustment this year. The agency said the increase averages about $75 a month for retirees and will reach nearly 72 million recipients in January, with about 7.3 million Supplemental Security Income recipients seeing it on December 31. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that consumer prices rose 3.7 percent in the 12 months to September, up from 3.4 percent in August. Common Dreams, quoting the Alliance for Retired Americans, says a good part of the gain will be offset by a projected rise in Medicare Part B premiums to $209.50 a month in January.

Headline and summary written by Mantle’s AI from the coverage below, under published rules. How this works

What happened

Key points

Each point shows who reports it, from Far Left to Far Right.

  1. The Social Security Administration announced a 3.6 percent cost-of-living increase for 2027, up from 2.8 percent for 2026.

    Reported byFar Left1Center2Right1Far Right2See the outletsHide the outlets
    Far Left
    Common Dreams
    Center
    Roll Call, The Hill
    Right
    New York Post
    Far Right
    Just the News, Townhall

  2. The agency said the increase averages about $75 a month for retirees.

    Reported byCenter2Far Right3See the outletsHide the outlets
    Center
    Roll Call, The Hill
    Far Right
    Just the News, The Daily Wire, Townhall

  3. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that consumer prices rose 3.7 percent in the 12 months to September.

    Reported byLeft1Center1See the outletsHide the outlets
    Left
    NPR
    Center
    Roll Call

  4. The 2027 adjustment is the largest since 2023, according to reports from all three sides.

    Reported byLeft1Center1Right1See the outletsHide the outlets
    Left
    CBS News
    Center
    Roll Call
    Right
    New York Post

  5. The adjustment covers nearly 72 million Social Security recipients and about 7.3 million SSI recipients, according to the agency.

    Reported byCenter2Far Right1See the outletsHide the outlets
    Center
    Roll Call, The Hill
    Far Right
    The Daily Wire

  6. The Alliance for Retired Americans said a projected rise in Medicare Part B premiums to $209.50 a month would offset much of the gain.

    One outletCommon Dreams· Far Left

What is contested

Where accounts differ

Points the coverage does not agree on, and who says what.

  • Number of Social Security beneficiaries who will receive the increase.

    Figures range from 71 million (New York Post) to over 80 million (Townhall); Roll Call says nearly 72 million, Just the News 73 million, and Townhall quotes the commissioner at 76 million.

  • Average monthly size of the increase.

    The agency’s figure of about $75 a month appears in Just the News, Roll Call, The Daily Wire and Townhall; Common Dreams cites about $74 a month.

  • Size of the 2023 adjustment that the 2027 increase is compared with.

    Roll Call gives 8.7 percent; the New York Post gives 8.2 percent.

How each side tells it

Compare views

Every side reports a 3.6 percent cost-of-living increase for 2027, up from 2.8 percent. The left stresses that it may not keep pace with costs, the center its size against inflation, and the right the monthly dollar gain.

  • the left

    7 outlets · 3 opinion

    Left headlines focus on whether the raise keeps up with costs, as in The Conversation’s hedged headline; the Far Left headline is a statement by a retiree group.

    Social Security benefits are rising again, but probably not enough to offset healthcare costs
    The ConversationLeftAll left-leaning headlines

  • the center

    4 outlets

    Center headlines state the 3.6 percent rise and its comparison with last year’s 2.8 percent in plain terms, without judging whether it is enough.

    Social Security benefits set for a boost next year
    Roll CallCenterAll center headlines

  • the right

    8 outlets

    Right headlines present the rise as a benefit, Far Right ones leading with its dollar value, while the New York Post frames it around veterans and whether it will be enough.

    Social Security recipients to get cost-of-living adjustment equal to $75 per month
    Just the NewsFar RightAll right-leaning headlines

The words they chose

Language to notice

Words that carry a judgement beyond the facts. Tap a highlighted word anywhere on the page to see why.

  • Left4

    sizzledadvocates saybedevilpromises

  • Center2

    Some saysome argue

  • Right4

    may be brutalsoaring pricesPay The Pricesky-high

In the outlets’ own words

  • Vague attribution

    Some sayMore neutral: A survey says it may not be enough

    The headline attributes the view that the increase is not enough to unnamed people, although the article names the AARP survey behind it.

    Some say it's not enough

    Used byCNBC (Center)The Hill (Center)

  • Sensational language

    may be brutalMore neutral: may be severe

    Calling the possible benefit cuts brutal describes them with a judgement of severity that the cited projections do not state.

    …next year, the potential benefit cuts that could eventually accompany this bump may be brutal.

    Used byNew York Post (Right)

  • Sensational language

    sizzledMore neutral: rose

    Sizzled is a figurative word that makes a 3.7% annual rise in prices sound more dramatic than the figure itself.

    Inflation sizzled in September -- and Social Security benefits will get a boost

    Used byNPR (Left)

  • Vague attribution

    advocates sayMore neutral: The Senior Citizens League, an advocacy group, says

    The claim that the increase falls short is attributed to unnamed advocates in the outlet’s own voice.

    But advocates say it’s still unlikely to go far enough for many struggling seniors.

    Used byNBC News (Left)

Show 6 more phrasesShow fewer

  • Loaded verb

    bedevilMore neutral: weigh on

    Bedevil is a dramatic verb that adds a sense of affliction to a routine inflation report.

    Elevated inflation continues to bedevil the U.S.

    Used byNBC News (Left)

  • Sensational language

    soaring pricesMore neutral: rising prices

    The description describes rising prices with a stronger word than the 3.7% inflation figure reported in the same coverage needs.

    …beginning in 2027, with some recipients complaining that is not enough to offset soaring prices.

    Used byNew York Post (Right)

  • Loaded verb

    promisesMore neutral: announces

    ‘Promises’ presents an announced adjustment as a pledge, which implies a commitment the article does not establish.

    Trump administration promises social security recipients 3.6% increase in 2027

    Used byThe Guardian (Left)

  • Vague attribution

    some argueMore neutral: The Senior Citizens League says the increase may not be enough

    Attributes a view to unnamed people when the view comes from one named organization.

    That may not be enough, some argue.

    Used byThe Hill (Center)

  • Sensational language

    Pay The PriceMore neutral: Retirees Get a 3.6% Increase in Benefits

    The headline asserts that others bear a cost from the raise, which the article’s reporting does not establish.

    Boomers Get A Bigger Check While The Rest Of Us Pay The Price

    Used byThe Daily Caller (Far Right)

  • Sensational language

    sky-highMore neutral: 8.2% increase

    The adjective adds drama to a figure that can be stated without it.

    …jump from last year’s 2.8% adjustment, and the largest annual increase since 2023’s sky-high 8.2% increase.

    Used byNew York Post (Right)

Words quoted from someone else (4)Hide the quoted words

Loaded words that outlets reported someone else saying. They show what was said, not how the outlet chose to say it.

  • Loaded modifier

    Quoted

    war of choiceMore neutral: military conflict with Iran

    The phrase presents the military conflict with Iran as unnecessary, a judgement the excerpt does not establish.

    The Trump administration's war of choice with Iran and tariff chaos have driven gasoline prices up nearly 40 percent, and…

    Quoted byCommon Dreams (Far Left)

    These are Nancy Altman’s words. The outlets are reporting them.

  • Sensational language

    Quoted

    tariff chaosMore neutral: tariffs

    The phrase characterizes tariff policy with a dramatic judgement rather than describing its effects.

    The Trump administration's war of choice with Iran and tariff chaos have driven gasoline prices up nearly 40 percent, and caused grocery costs to…

    Quoted byCommon Dreams (Far Left)

    These are Nancy Altman’s words. The outlets are reporting them.

  • Sensational language

    Quoted

    skyrocketMore neutral: rise

    The word describes grocery price increases more dramatically than the figures given.

    …chaos have driven gasoline prices up nearly 40 percent, and caused grocery costs to skyrocket.

    Quoted byCommon Dreams (Far Left)

    These are Nancy Altman’s words. The outlets are reporting them.

  • Partisan shorthand

    Quoted

    guilt-by-association politicsMore neutral: the GOP's argument that Democrats are tied to Piker's views

    A phrase that names the other party's tactic and contains its conclusion; the words are Hasan Piker's own and are reported as his.

    And, streamer Hasan Piker says the GOP's "guilt-by-association politics" won't drag Democrats down in the midterms.

    Quoted byNPR (Left)

    These are Hasan Piker’s words. The outlets are reporting them.

See the full language guide

See for yourself

Side by side

What each side leads with and what it leaves out. Open a side to read its headlines.

From the left

7 outlets · 3 opinion

Leads with

  • whether the raise keeps pace with costs
  • projected Medicare Part B premium increase
  • the inflation index used for the adjustment
See the 11 headlines from the leftHide the headlines

From the center

4 outlets

Leads with

  • 3.6 percent versus 2.8 percent last year
  • inflation at 3.7 percent in September
  • about $75 a month on average

Leaves out

  • projected Medicare Part B premium rise reported by the left

Reported by other sides, not found in this side’s coverage.

See the 5 headlines from the centerHide the headlines

From the right

8 outlets

Leads with

  • the $75 monthly figure
  • benefits going up for recipients
  • veterans’ VA benefits

Leaves out

  • projected Medicare Part B premium rise

Reported by other sides, not found in this side’s coverage.

See the 9 headlines from the rightHide the headlines

Articles you open from here build My Mix, a private picture of how your reading spreads across the spectrum, kept on this device. What is My Mix?

The left is Far Left and Left together. The right is Right and Far Right together. Every outlet keeps its own five-point rating.

Who reported it when

How the coverage built up

  • Left

    1 day 21 hr later

    Its first report, Oct 14, 9:28 AM EDT

  • Center

    First to report

    MarketWatch, Oct 12, 11:47 AM EDT

  • Right

    1 hr 5 min later

    Its first report, Oct 12, 12:51 PM EDT

See the order the outlets reported inHide the order
  1. MarketWatchCenterOct 12, 11:47 AM EDT
  2. New York PostRightOct 12, 12:51 PM EDT
  3. CNBCCenterOct 13, 1:34 PM EDT
  4. Roll CallCenterOct 14, 8:03 AM EDT
  5. CBS NewsLeftOct 14, 9:28 AM EDT
  6. NPRLeftOct 14, 9:33 AM EDT
  7. NBC NewsLeftOct 14, 9:35 AM EDT
  8. Business InsiderLeftOct 14, 9:36 AM EDT
  9. ABC NewsLeftOct 14, 9:45 AM EDT
  10. The Daily WireFar RightOct 14, 9:51 AM EDT
  11. The Washington TimesRightOct 14, 10:17 AM EDT
  12. The HillCenterOct 14, 10:32 AM EDT
  13. The Epoch TimesFar RightOct 14, 10:33 AM EDT
  14. TownhallFar RightOct 14, 11:55 AM EDT
  15. The GuardianLeftOct 14, 12:08 PM EDT
  16. Al Jazeera EnglishLeftOct 14, 12:10 PM EDT
  17. The Center SquareRightOct 14, 4:43 PM EDT
  18. The Daily CallerFar RightOct 15, 10:58 AM EDT

Times are the ones the outlets published in their own feeds, in Eastern time. Opinion is left out. Just the News gave only a date, so it is not placed.

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