How the 2026 COLA compares to previous years
Although the 2026 COLA is higher than 2025's, it's still low compared to historical COLAs. Since COLAs became annual in 1975, the average has been 3.6%. In the past decade, the average has been around 2.8%, so 2026 is right on par with that. The only years without a COLA are 2010, 2011, and 2016.
https://www.fool.com/retirement/2025/11/09/social-securitys-2026-cola-is-official-retirees-in/