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UPDATED AUG 2026 · DATA AS OF 2025

Cost of Nursing Homes in South Carolina

Nursing homes in South Carolina have a median $9,034/month (modeled range $8,624–$9,819), below the national median. The answer first, then the math below.

Based on 2025 survey data.

Median monthly price, South Carolina

$9,034/mo

Modeled range $8,624 – $9,819 how this range is derived

● South Carolina $9,034 ○ National median $10,205

Published survey median · 2025Estimate, not a quote
Download CSVEmail it to familyFree, no sign-in. This data is meant to travel.

City, state, and national

Medians with each area's position against the national figure. Bars are drawn to scale.

Nursing Homes cost by area (2025)
AreaScaleMedianvs national
Charleston$10,072/mo−1.3%
Columbia$8,923/mo−12.6%
North Charleston$10,072/mo−1.3%
South Carolina (state median)$9,034/mo−11.5%
United States$10,205/moreference

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Open any city page for the full provider table. For example, nursing homes in Charleston.

Why is this number different on other sites? Other sites may use a different survey year, an average instead of a median, or a narrower sample of providers. Every figure on this page states its source and period so you can compare like with like. We don't yet publish a room-type/care-level breakdown for South Carolina; our cost model currently reports a single blended range.

What drives nursing home cost in South Carolina?

  • Local wages. Direct-care staff pay tracks the state and metro labor market, and is usually the single biggest cost driver.
  • Real estate and cost of living. Facility rent/mortgage costs and general cost of living scale with the local market.
  • Level of care and staffing ratios. Higher acuity levels cost more due to required staffing ratios.
  • Room type. Private rooms/apartments cost more than shared rooms.
  • Regulation and licensing. States with stricter staffing or training requirements tend to run higher on average.
Nursing Homes cost trend in South Carolina
2024: $8,729/mo; 2025: $9,034/mo$9k$9k$10k$8,7292024$9,0342025

The hourly math: staying home vs. moving

South Carolina in-home care runs about $31/hour. The crossover point is where families decide.

Home care hourly math vs. nursing homes
Care at homeThe mathMonthlyvs nursing homes $9,034
20 hours a week$31/hr × 20 hrs × 52 ÷ 12$2,719/mo−$6,315
32 hours a week$31/hr × 32 hrs × 52 ÷ 12$4,351/mo−$4,683
44 hours a week$31/hr × 44 hrs × 52 ÷ 12$5,982/mo−$3,052
Around-the-clock (24/7)$31/hr × 168 hrs × 52 ÷ 12$22,840/mo+$13,806

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Around 66 hours a week, home care crosses the nursing homes median. Full-time and overnight care cost several times more.

Estimate your own number

Compare nursing home costs

Uses the published medians on this page; never a guessed number. Toggle units, compare two locations, and see an illustrative future projection.

South Carolina

$9,034/mo/mo

Based on 2025 survey data.

National median

$10,205/mo/mo

Need a different pair of places? Open the full cost calculator. Not sure which care type? Take the care quiz.

What can you afford?

Every family starts with a number. Here's what different monthly budgets realistically cover in South Carolina, grounded in local medians on this page.

Under $2,500/mo

Adult day, family care, or affordable senior housing

Adult day and family caregiving are often part of the path under $2,500/mo in South Carolina. Income-restricted affordable senior housing (HUD 202, USDA 515, LIHTC, state HFA) is often the real under-$2,500 path when eligibility fits. Check local listings and income caps with the property. Medicaid/waiver paths can stretch a tight budget when eligibility fits.
Affordable senior apartments →
$2,500 – $7,000/mo

Part-time home care or entry assisted living

Part-time home care often lands in this band (full survey month for in-home care is $5,982). Ask about waiver programs if Medicaid may apply.
Medicaid & waiver paths →
$7,000 – $11,000/mo

Assisted living with room to spare

Or near-full-time home care around the $5,982/mo survey month.
How families pay →
Over $11,000/mo

Nursing care or heavy home-care schedules

Higher budgets cover skilled nursing or heavy home-care schedules in South Carolina.
How families pay →

How to pay for nursing homes in South Carolina

  1. 1. Private pay (savings, income, home equity)Most common

    The default payer for most families at the start, especially for assisted living and in-home care. Often combined with a second source once savings run low.

  2. 2. Long-term care insuranceCommon

    Pays toward care costs if a policy was purchased in advance, usually years before care is needed. Policy terms (daily/monthly benefit caps, elimination periods) vary widely. Check the policy documents directly.

  3. 3. Medicaid (state-run, income- and asset-limited)Common

    Covers nursing home care in every state, and many states offer Home & Community-Based Services (HCBS) waivers that extend Medicaid to assisted living or in-home care. Eligibility rules and waiver availability are state-specific.

  4. 4. VA Aid & Attendance (veterans and surviving spouses)Situational

    An added benefit on top of a VA pension for eligible wartime veterans (or surviving spouses) who need help with daily activities. Requires meeting service, income, and care-need criteria.

  5. 5. MedicareNarrow eligibility

    Does not cover long-term custodial care (help with daily living). It can cover short-term skilled nursing or home health following a qualifying hospital stay, under specific conditions.

  6. This is general information, not financial or legal advice. Program rules vary by state and change over time. Confirm current eligibility with Medicaid.gov, the VA, or a licensed elder-law advisor.

Long-Term Care Ombudsman

South Carolina Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program helps residents of nursing homes, assisted living, and similar settings in South Carolina resolve concerns about care and rights.

Official Ombudsman locator / program page

Source: State LTC Ombudsman.GOV

Medicaid HCBS / LTSS programs

Named programs below are from official state Medicaid agency pages. We list eligibility dollar amounts and wait lists only when a primary source is cited.

  • Community Choices Waiver. South Carolina 1915(c) Community Choices Waiver for adults 65+ and adults 18–64 with physical disabilities (CMS factsheet).
Source: State Medicaid program.GOV

Free national starting points. Official sites only; we do not scrape these directories.

What Medicaid pays nursing homes

We have not found a published daily Medicaid nursing-facility rate for South Carolina. States set these rates in different ways and many publish them only inside a plan amendment or a rate-setting appendix rather than as a figure we can cite. We will not estimate one.

How to cite this page

Cite this: According to ElderCareCosts' 2026 index, nursing homes in South Carolina costs $9,034/month (median, 2025 data).

APA: ElderCareCosts Research. (2026). Nursing Homes Cost in South Carolina (2025). ElderCareCosts. Retrieved September 17, 2026, from https://www.eldercarecosts.com/cost-of-care/nursing-homes/south-carolina/

Chicago: ElderCareCosts Research. "Nursing Homes Cost in South Carolina (2025)." ElderCareCosts. Last modified August 10, 2026. Accessed September 17, 2026. https://www.eldercarecosts.com/cost-of-care/nursing-homes/south-carolina/.

These figures may be quoted and reproduced with attribution and a link back to this page. No permission needed. Methodology · Data sources · Who produces this · Corrections

Frequently asked questions

How much do nursing homes cost in South Carolina?

The median $9,034/month (modeled range $8,624–$9,819). Based on 2025 survey data.

How is this estimate calculated?

We start from a published state or metro median, cited on this page, and adjust using local cost-of-living and wage data. We publish the methodology version alongside every figure.

Can I get the raw data?

Yes. Use the CSV download link on this page for a machine-readable file of the exact figures shown above.

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Browse by city in South Carolina

CharlestonColumbiaNorth Charleston

Other care types in South Carolina

In-Home CareHome Health CareAssisted LivingMemory CareIndependent LivingAdult Day CareContinuing Care Retirement Communities (CCRC)

Trust & methodology

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