What senior care costs in 2026
National averages for every major type of senior care, and the same figures broken down across all 50 states and D.C. Every number on this site carries a source and a date.
National averages at a glance
| Care type | Monthly | Yearly | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assisted Living | $5,830 /month | $69,960 | Survey |
| Memory Care | $6,999 /month | $83,988 | Survey |
| Nursing Home | $9,581 /month | $114,972 | Survey |
| In-Home Care | $32 /hour | $33,280 | Survey |
| Independent Living | $3,520 /month | $42,240 | Survey |
Basis: a Survey figure is published as-is from a named source. A Modeled figure is derived from the national median and the state's relative cost level — useful for comparison, not a quote. Full method & sources →
Care type detail
Each page covers what is included, what drives the price, and how families pay for it.
Assisted Living
$5,830/moNational average, 2026State-by-state table →Memory Care
$6,999/moNational average, 2026State-by-state table →Nursing Home
$9,581/moNational average, 2026State-by-state table →In-Home Care
$32/hrNational average, 2026State-by-state table →Independent Living
$3,520/moNational average, 2026State-by-state table →The three numbers families actually need
Most people arrive with a vague worry and leave with a plan once they know three things:
- The monthly number for the care level you need, in your state. Use the calculator; the difference between the cheapest and most expensive state is roughly twofold, so location matters as much as care level.
- How much of it your income covers. Social Security, a pension, and any annuity are the base layer. The gap between that income and the monthly bill is what actually has to be funded.
- How long the savings last at that gap. The calculator projects this. For assisted living the national median stay is about 22 months, which is usually shorter than families expect — and it is a median, not a promise.
Then work the payment sequence in order: private income and savings first, then long-term care insurance, veterans benefits, a home sale or life insurance conversion, and only then Medicaid, which most families reach after a spend-down.
Paying-for-care guides
The questions that decide whether the money lasts.