Independent guide · not the SSA
SSDI · Massachusetts
SSDI in Massachusetts: disability decisions, hearings and beneficiaries
151,027 disabled workers in Massachusetts got SSDI in December 2025. Here is how the state's disability agency decided claims in the last 12 months, the hearing offices for appeals and the numbers by county.
Disability decisions in Massachusetts
A state agency, the Disability Determination Services (DDS), makes the medical decision on SSDI and SSI disability claims for SSA. In the 12 months from August 2025 to July 2026, the Massachusetts DDS made 41,147 initial decisions and allowed 35.4% of them, 0.9 points below the all-state figure of 36.3%.
Initial allowance rate by month (%)
- Aug36
- Sep35
- Oct34
- Nov32
- Dec36
- Jan32
- Feb36
- Mar36
- Apr40
- May38
- Jun34
- Jul36
- SSDI-only initial claims allowed37.9%
- SSI-only initial claims allowed44.2%
- New initial claims received (12 months)39,620
- Reconsiderations pending, end of July 20266,650
An allowance rate is a share of past decisions, not a prediction for any one claim.
Hearing offices in Massachusetts
If reconsideration is denied, the next step is a hearing with an administrative law judge. Massachusetts has 3 hearing offices in SSA's data.
- Boston, MADisability hearing office · Thomas P. O'Neill, Jr. Federal Building9.0months average wait for a hearing311 days to a decision
- Lawrence, MADisability hearing office · Suite 3019.5months average wait for a hearing292 days to a decision
- Springfield, MADisability hearing office · Suite 45010.0months average wait for a hearing330 days to a decision
Disabled workers by county
All 14 counties
| County | All beneficiaries | Disabled workers |
|---|---|---|
| Barnstable | 82,540 | 4,595 |
| Berkshire | 37,450 | 4,285 |
| Bristol | 132,770 | 18,890 |
| Dukes | 5,245 | 210 |
| Essex | 168,650 | 17,475 |
| Franklin | 20,320 | 2,425 |
| Hampden | 107,710 | 16,935 |
| Hampshire | 37,530 | 3,785 |
| Middlesex | 275,380 | 23,230 |
| Nantucket | 2,035 | 65 |
| Norfolk | 138,410 | 11,310 |
| Plymouth | 125,615 | 12,410 |
| Suffolk | 101,995 | 13,920 |
| Worcester | 173,380 | 21,490 |
December 2025. SSA rounds county counts to the nearest 5. In Massachusetts, SSA paid disabled workers $248.2 million that month.
2027 amounts
- Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2026SSI payment for December 2026
- Nov. 10, 2026 · Nov. 18, 2026 · Nov. 25, 2026SSDI in November 2026, by birth date (1st–10th, 11th–20th, 21st–31st)
More for Massachusetts
SSI in Massachusetts: state supplement and recipientsQuestions people ask
How many SSDI claims are allowed in Massachusetts?
In the 12 months through July 2026, the Massachusetts DDS allowed 35.4% of initial disability decisions and 16.8% of reconsiderations.
How many people get SSDI in Massachusetts?
SSA counted 151,027 disabled workers getting benefits in Massachusetts in December 2025, plus 20,679 children and 1,247 spouses of disabled workers.
How much is SSDI?
It depends on your work record. SSA's estimate for all disabled workers is an average of $1,701 a month after the 2027 raise ($1,642 before it).
Where do I apply for SSDI in Massachusetts?
With SSA: online at ssa.gov, by phone at 1-800-772-1213 or at one of the 30 Social Security offices in Massachusetts.
Independent guide · not the SSA. Green Tips 1 US is a private guide. We are not the Social Security Administration, we are not part of it, and we do not take applications. We are not a law firm and do not refer cases to lawyers.
Sources: SSA State Agency Monthly Workload Data (SSA-SA-MOWL.csv), August 2025 to July 2026; SSA, OASDI Beneficiaries by State and County, December 2025 (oasdi_sc25); SSA Office of Hearings Operations: hearing office locator file, average wait until hearing (Aug 2026), average processing time and ALJ dispositions (12 months through Jul 31, 2026); SSA 2027 COLA fact sheet; SSA, Disability Determination Process (ssa.gov/disability/determination.htm). Official site, typed by hand: ssa.gov. Read in October 2026; data dates as noted.