Cornerstone guide · ElderCareCosts Research
Complete Guide to Assisted Living
Assisted living helps with daily activities (bathing, dressing, meds) while residents keep more independence than in a nursing facility.
Not medical advice. This page compares cost and logistics. It does not diagnose, treat, or recommend clinical care; talk with a clinician about health decisions.
The basics
State licensing rules for assisted living vary. Check the state regulator, not just marketing copy.
Cost ranges
Across the fifty states where we publish a 2025 figure, the median cost of assisted living is $6,230 a month, or about $74,800 a year. The middle half of states falls between $5,488 and $7,082.
That national number is a percentile of the fifty state medians, not an average of every community. It tells you where a typical state sits, not what a particular building charges. State and city pages carry their own figures, and the spread between the least and most expensive states is much wider than the national band suggests.
Assisted living is usually priced in tiers as well: a base rent for the apartment, plus a care level that rises as someone needs more help. Ask what the base rent includes, what moves a resident up a care tier, and how much notice comes before a rate change.
Sources
- ACL. Administration for Community Living. Federal aging and community living context for housing and daily-support options
- Medicaid.gov. LTSS. LTSS / HCBS framing; Medicaid long-term services and state variation for residential care
- Medicare.gov. Long-term care. Medicare generally does not cover custodial long-term care or assisted living room and board
- ElderCareCosts methodology. How the published cost medians are derived, which survey vintage they come from, and what the model does not cover.
Related
Not sure which of these apply to your family?
We find licensed options near you, with the cost data we publish and payment options flagged. Data stays free either way.