How Much Does Assisted Living Cost?

Many people end up feeling sidelined by the costs of senior care. We know that almost 70% of people 65 and up will end up needing to pay for some kind of long-term senior care in their lifetime. Nonetheless, many families find themselves unprepared when the time comes.

If you purchase long-term care insurance or have a financial plan in place well in advance you’ll be ahead of the curve. To make sure you plan adequately though, you need to make sure you understand what to expect of long-term care costs. Genworth performs a yearly survey to identify long-term care costs to give consumers an idea of what to expect.

Keep in mind that costs for the different types of care the survey covers have grown anywhere from 1-4% over the last 5 years – nursing homes having gone up at the highest rate, at 3.95% for a private room. The numbers for 2015 won’t tell you everything you need to know to be prepared for a long-term care stay in 2020 or even 2016, but it can give you an idea of how the market looks now.

We’ve got some of the most important numbers for you to know below. For more information and details on the methodology of finding these numbers, check out the full report.

2015 National Averages for Senior Care Costs:

These are the annual averages throughout the country for each of three common types of senior care.

Home health: $45,760

Assisted living: $43,200

Nursing home (private room): $91,250

If those numbers look staggering to you based on what your family makes, then looking into long-term care insurance as soon as possible is recommended.

2015 State Averages for Senior Care Costs

Costs can vary quite a bit by state. The difference between the cost of a private room in a nursing home in the most expensive state (Alaska, $281,415) is over four times the cost of one in the least expensive state (Oklahoma, $60,225). So while the national averages can be useful, knowing what to expect in your own state can be even more valuable.

All nursing home numbers provided below are for private rooms, but you can often get shared rooms for a bit less (those numbers can be found in the full report). In some states, home health is more than assisted living; in others it’s less. Which option makes the most sense for you financially can therefore change based on where you live.

Alaska:

Home health: $59,488

Assisted living: $68,430

Nursing home: $281,415

Alabama:

Home health: $37,752

Assisted living: $36,900

Nursing home: $76,267

Arkansas:

Home health: $38,896

Assisted living: $36,750

Nursing home: $65,850

Arizona:

Home health: $45,760

Assisted living: $41,010

Nursing home: $85,045

California:

Home health: $52,624

Assisted living: $45,000

Nursing home: $104,025

Colorado:

Home health: $50,336

Assisted living: $45,000

Nursing home: $93,531

Connecticut:

Home health: $50,336

Assisted living: $66,900

Nursing home: $158,775

Delaware:

Home health: $50,336

Assisted living: $68,940

Nursing home: $117,895

Florida:

Home health: $43,472

Assisted living: $37,800

Nursing home: $96,725

Georgia:

Home health: $41,184

Assisted living: $34,560

Nursing home: $71,175

Hawaii:

Home health: $56,056

Assisted living: $48,000

Nursing home: $135,050

Iowa:

Home health: $52,624

Assisted living: $42,000

Nursing home: $68,255

Idaho:

Home health: $46,332

Assisted living: $38,880

Nursing home: $88,513

Illinois:

Home health: $49,192

Assisted living: $48,600

Nursing home: $74,460

Indiana:

Home health: $44,616

Assisted living: $44,310

Nursing home: $91,250

Kansas:

Home health: $45,760

Assisted living: $50,250

Nursing home: $65,700

Kentucky:

Home health: $43,907

Assisted living: $40,200

Nursing home: $87,235

Louisiana:

Home health: $36,608

Assisted living: $36,120

Nursing home: $62,050

Massachusetts:

Home health: $57,200

Assisted living: $63,600

Nursing home: $139,580

Maryland:

Home health: $45,760

Assisted living: $46,800

Nursing home: $110,230

Maine:

Home health: $50,794

Assisted living: $57,600

Nursing home: $107,675

Michigan:

Home health: $46,904

Assisted living: $39,000

Nursing home: $99.098

Minnesota:

Home health: $57,200

Assisted living: $41,613

Nursing home: $96,021

Missouri:

Home health: $43,472

Assisted living: $30,300

Nursing home: $60,773

Mississippi:

Home health: $37,752

Assisted living: $37,800

Nursing home: $80,300

Montana:

Home health: $52,624

Assisted living: $42,720

Nursing home: $80,300

North Carolina:

Home health: $41,710

Assisted living: $36,000

Nursing home: $82,125

North Dakota:

Home health: $62,142

Assisted living: $38,865

Nursing home: $104,938

Nebraska:

Home health: $52,624

Assisted living: $43,530

Nursing home: $79,570

New Hampshire:

Home health: $54,912

Assisted living: $61,230

Nursing home: $122,275

New Jersey:

Home health: $48,506

Assisted living: $68,700

Nursing home: $127,750

New Mexico:

Home health: $46,057

Assisted living: $42,000

Nursing home: $85,410

Nevada:

Home health: $49,489

Assisted living: $38,850

Nursing home: $98,550

New York:

Home health: $52,624

Assisted living: $49,200

Nursing home: $136,437

Ohio:

Home health: $45,348

Assisted living: $46,680

Nursing home: $85,775

Oklahoma:

Home health: $46,561

Assisted living: $40,140

Nursing home: $60,225

Oregon:

Home health: $51,480

Assisted living: $46,560

Nursing home: $102,018

Pennsylvania:

Home health: $47,911

Assisted living: $42,660

Nursing home: $113,150

Rhode Island:

Home health: $56,925

Assisted living: $63,900

Nursing home: $103,113

South Carolina:

Home health: $42,328

Assisted living: $37,500

Nursing home: $75,008

South Dakota:

Home health: $52,006

Assisted living: $36,276

Nursing home: $77,380

Tennessee:

Home health: $41,184

Assisted living: $40,740

Nursing home: $75,555

Texas:

Home health: $42,603

Assisted living: $42,540

Nursing home: $68,620

Utah:

Home health: $48,048

Assisted living: $36,000

Nursing home: $76,650

Virginia:

Home health: $43,472

Assisted living: $47,196

Nursing home: $92,688

Vermont:

Home health: $50,336

Assisted living: $48,240

Nursing home: $105,120

Washington:

Home health: $54,912

Assisted living: $55,500

Nursing home: $105,631

Wisconsin:

Home health: $50,336

Assisted living: $47,760

Nursing home: $99.499

West Virginia:

Home health: $36,608

Assisted living: $42,000

Nursing home: $107,631

Wyoming:

Home health: $49.421

Assisted living: $46,800

Nursing home: $89,243

Of course, every state has a variety of senior living options and in most cities you’ll find a range of prices available. By researching your senior living options nearby and performing a cost-benefit analysis of the care, you can gain an even clearer picture of just what to expect in your particular area.

Clearly, senior care costs a lot. There’s no real way around it. But admitting it to yourself early and making the plans to try to be more financially prepared can make a big difference to how those costs affect your family long term.