Assisted Living Costs by State [Updated January 2023]

It is estimated that over 50% of Americans over the age of 65% will need some form of care during their lives. Assisted living communities are a popular option for adults who require this care. Assisted living residences or facilities are housing facilities for those with disabilities or adults who cannot or choose not to live independently. Assisted living facilities are similar to retirement homes in that they provide a group living environment for residents and usually cater to an older population. Assisted living services include supervision or assistance with everyday activities, coordination of services outside health care providers, and monitoring residents to ensure their health, well-being, and safety.

Assisted living offers different levels of care, a diversity of services, and a wide range of options to best fit the needs of the person looking for care. Assisted living is subject to state oversight and its meaning depends on both the state and provider of the service in question. Assisted living facilities can be owned by for-profit companies, non-profit organizations, or governments. Unfortunately, as in retirement homes, there have been reports of mistreatment, abuse, and neglect of residents in assisted living facilities.

Cost of Assisted Living

Like the cost of rent across the U.S., assisted living costs vary greatly from state to state. The Genworth Financial Cost of Care Survey reported that the national median for an assisted living facility in 2019 cost $48,612 per year or about $4,051 per month. This is a 2.97% increase since 2018.

The District of Columbia, which has the highest cost of assisted living of any state, has an annual cost of $135,450, a 10.38% increase from 2018. This means that an assisted living facility costs about $11,288 per month. The annual cost in D.C is also over $50,000 more than the second-highest state, New Hampshire, which costs $84,255. Missouri has the lowest cost of assisted living at $34,556 per year. This is over $100,000 less than in the District of Columbia.