How much does assisted living cost vs nursing home?

Assisted living costs $4,500/month nationally vs $9,733/month for a private nursing home room — a difference of $5,233/month ($62,796/year). Assisted living does not include skilled nursing care, so it's only appropriate for people who don't need daily medical supervision.

What is the cheapest senior care option?

Adult day care is the least expensive at $1,603/month nationally. It provides daytime supervision, meals, and activities but the person returns home each night. For part-time help at home, a few hours of in-home aide per day can cost $1,500–$2,500/month. Full-time in-home aide (44 hrs/week) runs $5,339/month nationally.

What's the difference between assisted living and a nursing home?

Assisted living provides housing, meals, and help with daily activities (bathing, dressing, medication management) but does not include skilled nursing care. Nursing homes provide 24-hour registered nurse coverage, skilled care (wound care, IV medications, therapy), and are appropriate for people with active medical needs. The cost difference is roughly $5,200/month nationally.

How much does in-home care cost compared to a nursing home?

Full-time in-home aide (44 hrs/week) costs $5,339/month nationally — about $4,400/month less than a private nursing home room. However, 24/7 in-home coverage (for someone who can't be left alone) costs $12,000–$15,000/month, far more than facility care. For part-time needs, in-home care is typically more cost-effective than a facility.

Elder Care Cost by Type: 2026 National Rates

Assisted living, nursing home, in-home aide, and adult day care — national median costs with state-by-state ranges. All figures from the Genworth/CareScout Cost of Care Survey.

2026 Senior Care Cost Comparison

National median monthly costs. State rates vary by up to 2.4x.

Care Type	Monthly	Annual	State Range
Adult Day Care Daytime supervision, weekdays only	$1,603	$19,236	$1,100–$2,167
In-Home Aide Full-time (44 hrs/week), care at home	$5,339	$64,068	$3,800–$6,900
Assisted Living Room, meals, and personal care	$4,500	$54,000	$3,500–$6,300
Nursing Home (Semi-Private) Shared room, 24-hr skilled nursing	$8,669	$104,028	$6,200–$13,500
Nursing Home (Private Room) Private room, 24-hr skilled nursing	$9,733	$116,796	$7,100–$14,600

Source: Genworth/CareScout Cost of Care Survey 2024–2025. In-home aide costs at 44 hrs/week.

The gap between cheapest and most expensive

A private nursing home room costs $8,130/month more than adult day care nationally. Over a 2.5-year average stay, that difference totals $243,900. Picking the right level of care for your actual needs — not the next level up — is the biggest cost lever available.

Adult Day Care

$1,603/mo

Best for: people who need daytime supervision while family works

What's included

• Daytime supervision and activities (weekdays)
• Meals and snacks during program hours
• Social interaction and cognitive programming
• Some health monitoring services
• Caregiver respite for families

Key limitations

• Typically operates weekdays only, 7am–6pm
• Person must return home each night
• Not appropriate for those needing 24/7 care
• Transportation often not included

When this works: A person with moderate cognitive decline who still sleeps well at night, and has a family member home evenings and weekends. Adult day care handles the hours that are hardest to cover.

In-Home Aide

$5,339/mo

Best for: people who need daily help but want to stay home

What's included

• Personal care (bathing, dressing, grooming)
• Meal preparation and medication reminders
• Light housekeeping and errands
• Companionship and transportation
• Flexible scheduling (part-time to 24/7)

Cost factors

• $5,339/mo at 44 hrs/week nationally
• Part-time (20 hrs/week): ~$2,500–$2,900/mo
• 24/7 coverage: $12,000–$15,000/mo
• Overnight care adds significant cost

When this works: The person values staying in their home and has moderate care needs. For round-the-clock needs, in-home aide costs more than a facility. For part-time help, it's often the right call.

Assisted Living

$4,500/mo

Best for: people who need daily support but not skilled nursing

What's included

• Private or shared apartment/room
• Three meals per day
• Personal care and medication management
• Housekeeping and laundry
• 24-hour staff availability (not skilled nursing)
• Social activities and transportation

What's not included

• Skilled nursing or wound care
• IV medications or physical therapy
• Memory care (separate unit, ~25% more)
• Most ancillary medical services

State range: Mississippi ($3,500/mo) to Alaska ($6,300/mo). Most Midwestern states fall in the $3,600–$4,600 range. California and Northeast states run $5,000–$6,000.

Nursing Home

$8,669–$9,733/mo

Best for: people who need 24-hour skilled medical care

What's included

• 24-hour registered nurse coverage
• Skilled nursing (wound care, IV medications)
• Physical, occupational, and speech therapy
• All meals and dietary management
• Medical monitoring and emergency response

Private vs semi-private

• Semi-private: $8,669/mo (shared room)
• Private: $9,733/mo (+$1,064/mo)
• Over a 2.5-year stay, that gap = $31,920
• Medicaid almost always covers semi-private only

State range: Oklahoma ($6,205/mo semi-private) to Connecticut ($14,600/mo private). Rural counties can run 20–30% below state averages.

Which Care Type Fits the Situation?

Situation	Best fit
Needs daytime help, family home at night	Adult day care
Needs help a few hours per day, wants to stay home	Part-time in-home aide
Needs full-day care, values independence	Assisted living
Advanced dementia, needs secured environment	Memory care (assisted living+)
Post-hospital recovery, needs skilled nursing	Nursing home (short-term)
Requires 24/7 medical supervision long-term	Nursing home (long-term)

What These Costs Look Like Over Time

Senior care costs have grown at 3.5% per year on average. At that rate, a nursing home that costs $9,733/month today will cost $11,400/month in five years and $13,400/month in ten. Assisted living follows a similar curve. Adult day care has been more stable but still tracks inflation.

The average nursing home stay is 2.5 years, but many people cycle through multiple care types over a longer period — adult day care or in-home aide first, then assisted living, then a nursing home if needs escalate. Planning for that full trajectory matters more than optimizing for just the first step.

One number worth anchoring to: $100,000/year. That's roughly what a semi-private nursing home room costs nationally. Private room is closer to $117,000. Most families don't have that for multiple years. Long-term care insurance and early Medicaid planning are the two levers that change the math.

What Medicare Pays (and Doesn't)

Medicare does not pay for custodial care — help with daily activities like bathing, dressing, or eating. That's most of what's on this page. What Medicare does cover: skilled nursing care after a qualifying hospital stay (3+ nights), for up to 100 days. Days 21–100 have a $209.50/day copay (2026 rate). After 100 days, Medicare stops entirely.

Medicaid covers long-term care but requires spending down most assets first. The rules vary by state, but the basic structure is the same: once you're below the asset threshold (often $2,000 for a single person), Medicaid covers nursing home costs for semi-private rooms. Medicaid does not cover private rooms or most assisted living.

Elder Care Cost Calculator

Calculate costs by state and care type

Nursing Home Costs by State

Full table: all 50 states

Assisted Living Costs by State

State-by-state assisted living rates

Medicare & Medicaid Coverage

Estimate what insurance pays

Data Sources

Cost figures: Genworth/CareScout Cost of Care Survey (annual, all 50 states, 70,000+ providers). Medicare rates: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) 2026 benefit guidance.

Updated March 2026. National median costs from Genworth/CareScout Cost of Care Survey. Actual costs vary by location and facility.

Data: Genworth Cost of Care Survey, CMS Nursing Home Compare, AARP Long-Term Care Cost Index, CMS Medicare and Medicaid Publications

Last updated: January 2025

How we calculate this · Medicaid eligibility and coverage rules change. Consult an elder law attorney or benefits counselor for planning decisions.