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ElderCareCosts
Updated August 2026

Nursing Home in Council Bluffs, Iowa

Council Bluffs, IA has 5 licensed nursing homes listed on ElderCareCosts. The median estimated cost is $9,398/mo. That's roughly in line with the Iowa state median. Council Bluffs nursing homes runs large: 40% of licensed providers have 100 beds or more, and the typical one has 94.

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Median monthly price, Council Bluffs

$9,398/mo

Estimated range $9,109 – $11,064

● Council Bluffs $9,398 ○ National median $10,205

Source: CareScout 2025 survey, adjusted for local wages

What senior care costs in Council Bluffs

2025 figures

Nursing Homes cost comparison (2025)
Nursing HomesCouncil BluffsIowaNational
25th percentile$9,109/mo$8,856/mo$8,951/mo
Median$9,398/mo$9,277/mo$10,205/mo
75th percentile$11,064/mo$10,083/mo$12,642/mo

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Staying home instead

Home care in Council Bluffs runs about $42 an hour. Here is what common schedules cost a month:

Hours of careWhat it looks likeEst. monthly cost
20 hrs/weekMornings or afternoons, weekdays~$3,609
44 hrs/weekMost of every weekday$7,939
24/7 (168 hrs/week)Round-the-clock coverage~$30,313

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Medicare generally does not cover long-term custodial care. Families usually combine private pay, long-term care insurance, VA Aid and Attendance, or a Medicaid waiver where they qualify. See paying for care and the state Medicaid guides.

What can you afford?

Here is what different monthly budgets cover in Council Bluffs.

Under $2,500/mo

Adult day, family care, or affordable senior housing

Adult day care in Council Bluffs runs about $1,635 a month. Income-restricted affordable senior housing is the other common choice, and Council Bluffs has 11 such properties. The county aging agency at (800) 432-9209 can help you sort through options for free. If money is very tight, ask about Medicaid waivers.
$2,500 – $7,000/mo

Part-time home care or entry assisted living

Part-time home care usually falls here. Full-time care at 44 hours a week runs about $7,939 a month. The local assisted living median is $5,451 a month, and smaller homes often charge less. If Medicaid may apply, ask about waiver programs.
$7,000 – $11,000/mo

Assisted living with room to spare

Covers the Council Bluffs assisted living median of $5,451 a month with room to spare. It also covers close to full-time home care, about $7,939 a month.
Over $11,000/mo

Nursing care or heavy home-care schedules

Nursing homes in Council Bluffs run about $9,398 a month at the median. Around-the-clock home care usually costs more.
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5 nursing homes in Council Bluffs

What nursing homes looks like in Council Bluffs

Council Bluffs is a market of larger communities. 40% have 100 beds or more, and the typical one has 94 beds, against 58 across Iowa.

On the most recent inspection on file, federal inspectors recorded an average of 32 findings per provider here, above the Iowa average of 16.3.

1 of the 5 nursing homes here with a current CMS rating hold four or five stars, 20% against 44% across Iowa.

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Free local help worth saving

Council Bluffs, in Pottawattamie County, has about 62,586 residents. About 10,951 of them (17%) are 65 or older. The median household income is $64,578.

Source: US Census Bureau

National helplines, including the Eldercare Locator and 211, are listed on paying for care.

Veterans & surviving spouses: VA Aid & Attendance can help wartime veterans who qualify. How Aid & Attendance works →

Questions families ask

Are nursing homes in Council Bluffs more expensive than the rest of Iowa?

Council Bluffs's median nursing home cost is about 1% higher than the Iowa state median.

Find Council Bluffs care options

Tell us what you need and your budget, and we will email you licensed options right away.

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Reading up first? Nursing Homes across Iowa → · Nursing Homes cost across Iowa → · Assisted Living vs Nursing Homes →

Touring this week? Print our checklist: what to ask on a tour, what to notice, and the license paperwork to request. Or email it to yourself to have it on your phone.

Nursing Homes in Council Bluffs: 2026 Costs & Licensed Providers