ElderCareCosts Publishes the 2026 Cost of Senior Care Index

[DATELINE TBD] Senior care got more expensive between 2020 and 2024, and the gap shows up in the published national surveys families already cite.

Assisted living rose from $51,600 to $70,800 a year nationally (+37.2%). In-home care rose from $53,768 to $75,504 (+40.4%). Nursing home care rose from $93,075 to $111,325 (+19.6%). Those figures are Genworth 2020 and CareScout 2024 national annual toplines. They are not state trends.

ElderCareCosts today published the The ElderCareCosts 2026 Cost of Senior Care Index, a public record that puts national and state medians, hourly math, caregiver wage comparisons, and downloadable data in one place. Missing care types stay blank. The site does not fill gaps with guesses. The number comes first. The nuance comes second. Every figure keeps its source and date.

The Index is live at eldercarecosts.com/cost-of-care/2026-index/. Charts and organization boilerplate are on the press kit. Reporters who need a city cut can ask for the metro by name. One command builds the pack.

Key national survey figures

• In-Home Care: $53,768 (2020) to $75,504 (2024), +40.4%
• Home Health Care: $54,912 (2020) to $77,792 (2024), +41.7%
• Adult Day Care: $19,240 (2020) to $26,004 (2024), +35.2%
• Assisted Living: $51,600 (2020) to $70,800 (2024), +37.2%
• Nursing Homes: $93,075 (2020) to $111,325 (2024), +19.6%

What the Index includes

• National monthly medians when at least five states publish for the same period
• State-by-state monthly medians for priced care types with free sources
• Hourly math at 44 hours per week for in-home and home health context
• Agency rate versus BLS caregiver wage (SOC 31-1120) comparison
• Downloadable CSV with geography, care type, percentiles, and sources

What it does not do

• Invent city prices from state averages
• Publish independent living local medians or fabricated CCRC local medians without a free complete source (memory care uses a documented modeled premium band over assisted living; CCRC pages explain contracts)
• Hide prices behind lead forms
• Offer medical, legal, or financial advice

About ElderCareCosts

ElderCareCosts publishes the real cost of senior care by care type, state, and city, lists licensed providers from government records, and explains how families actually pay. The research desk uses public data and strict sourcing rules. Paying providers never improves a rating and never buries an inspection record.

Media contact

[email protected]
eldercarecosts.com/press/

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