The Social Security Administration (SSA) is set to close dozens of offices across the United States this year as part of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)’s efforts to cut the size of the federal government and eliminate waste. This decision has raised concerns regarding its potential impact on the efficiency of the SSA and the timely delivery of benefits to the millions of Americans who rely on them.
What’s at Stake: Impact on Millions of Beneficiaries
The SSA provides Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits to more than 72.5 million Americans, including some of the most vulnerable populations in the U.S.
These individuals, including the elderly and disabled, depend on monthly checks to cover their living expenses. The closure of SSA offices, many of which serve as important locations for in-person services, has sparked worries that beneficiaries might face delays or disruptions in receiving their benefits.
What We Know About the Closures
According to the SSA, there are about 1,200 field offices across the country. On its website, DOGE, which is led by Elon Musk, lists 47 SSA offices across 18 states that are set to be closed. These closures are primarily concentrated in the South and Southeast regions.
The closures are part of a larger initiative to reduce federal spending, but according to an SSA spokesperson, most of the offices slated for closure are used primarily for in-person hearings, which are being phased out in favor of virtual hearings.
While only 26 of the 47 closures have been confirmed with specific dates, we now know the following closure dates and locations:
Arkansas
- Forrest City: 965 Holiday Drive, closing April 25
- Texarkana: 4083 Jefferson Ave., closing May 25
Colorado
- Grand Junction: 825 N. Crest Drive, closing June 21
Florida
- Melbourne: 4740 Dairy Road, closing May 16
Georgia
- Columbus: 1338 Broadway, closing September 30
Kentucky
- Hazard: 825 High St., closing April 24
Louisiana
- Houma: 178 Civic Center Drive, closing April 25
Mississippi
- Meridian: 4717 26th St., closing June 1
- Greenwood: 604 Yalobusha St., closing June 1
- Grenada: 2383 Sunset Drive, closing May 1
Montana
- Missoula: 3701 American Way, closing June 21
North Carolina
- Roanoke Rapids: 730 Roanoke Ave., closing August 1
- Franklin: 2123 Lakeside Drive, closing June 23
- Greenville: 2805 Charles Blvd., closing June 24
- Elizabeth City: 1865 W. City Drive, closing June 24
North Dakota
- Minot: 1414 20th Ave. SW, closing June 21
Nevada
- Las Vegas: 701 Bridger Ave., closing June 1
New York
- White Plains: 75 S. Broadway, closing May 31
- Poughkeepsie: 332 Main St., closing July 31
Ohio
- Mansfield: 30 N. Diamond St., closing May 17
Oklahoma
- Lawton: 1610 SW Lee Blvd., closing April 25
Texas
- Nacogdoches: 1122 N. University Drive, closing May 7
- Corpus Christi: 8208 NE Zac Lentz Parkway, closing May 25
West Virginia
- Logan: 1103 George Kostas Drive, closing April 30
Wyoming
- Rock Springs: 79 Winston Drive, closing June 20
Efforts to Cut Workforce and Services
Alongside these closures, 12% of the SSA’s workforce will be cut as part of the efficiency measures. On Tuesday, Lee Dudek, acting SSA Commissioner, announced that the agency would also be scaling back its phone services in an effort to combat fraud.
“We’re spending the next two weeks to train our field offices to respond to these changes,” Dudek said. “These changes are not intended to hurt our customers.”
What Critics Are Saying
The move has drawn sharp criticism from various groups and individuals, including those who advocate for retirees and the disabled. Richard Fiesta, Executive Director of the Alliance for Retired Americans, expressed concerns over the SSA’s decision to terminate telephone services for benefit claims:
“President Trump, Elon Musk, and their hand-picked acting Social Security Commissioner have lost sight of who Social Security is meant to serve.”
Fiesta went on to say:
“In just two weeks, the SSA will force millions of elderly and disabled Americans to either visit understaffed and closing field offices or navigate an online-only system to access the benefits they have earned. They claim this move will reduce fraud—yet they have provided no evidence to support this assertion.”
Rep. John Larson (D-CT), who sits on the House Committee on Ways and Means, also criticized the decision:
“Let me be clear—laying off half the workforce at the Social Security Administration and shuttering field offices will mean the delay, disruption and denial of benefits.”
Everett Kelley, National President of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), stated:
“If Trump and his allies were really looking for efficiency and effectiveness, they’d be investing in SSA’s workforce, not dismantling it.”
