The agency released new performance metrics showing shorter wait times and increased use of digital services, noting that it is “handling more customer requests than ever, with shorter wait times and more convenient service options.”
Through July 2025, requests had already reached 623 million, with the agency projecting 761 million by the end of the fiscal year. Online services continue to dominate, with an estimated 560 million transactions expected in 2025. Calls to the National 800 Number are projected to grow to 97 million, up from 81 million in 2023.
Field office calls and in-person visits have fluctuated over the past few years, with field office calls reported at 59 million in 2023, dropping to 57 million in 2024, then climbing to 60 million so far in 2025. Visits ranged from roughly 25 million to 32 million over the same period.
Online transactions with SSA have increased significantly past few years. Between October 2024 and July 2025, more than 17.3 million people registered for a “my Social Security” account, up from 14 million during the same period the year before. Through these accounts, users can apply for benefits, request replacement cards, and update records. SSA also reported nearly 459 million successful online transactions through July, compared with 375 million the previous year.
The SSA data also shows that phone services also improved. Nearly 90 percent of callers used self-service tools in 2025, a significant increase from two years ago. For those needing to speak with an agent, average wait times dropped from 24 minutes in July 2024 to just eight minutes in July 2025, while the answer rate improved from 63 percent to 78 percent over the same period.
The agency credited callback options and automated systems for reducing delays, reporting that more than 31 million calls were handled through self-service in fiscal 2025, compared with only 10 million the previous year.
In-person visits still have longer wait times, as average wait times for people with appointments at local offices fell to six minutes, down from an average wait time of seven minutes a year earlier. Walk-in visitors without appointments waited about 28 minutes on average in July, compared to 32 minutes in 2024.
The SSA data also reported faster claim processing. About 87 percent of retirement and survivor claims were processed on time in July 2025, up from 84 percent the previous year. Disability claim processing times also improved, with average wait times for an initial disability decision falling from 240 days in January 2025 to 220 days in July, and pending claims dropping from 1.2 million to under 936,000 year-over-year.
Appeals hearings, which often take years, have also reported improvements. Average processing times decreased from 322 days in July 2024 to 285 days in July 2025. SSA reported that 88 percent of hearings this year were conducted virtually, up from 82 percent a year earlier.