How much does memory care cost?
Memory care is a secure, dementia-trained setting. It costs more than standard assisted living because it requires more staff per resident, specialized training, and locked, wander-safe environments.
Sourced figure National average for 2026: $6,999 per month, or $83,988 per year.
What Memory Care includes
- Everything in assisted living, plus:
- Secured, monitored entrances and exits to prevent wandering
- Higher staff-to-resident ratios and dementia-trained caregivers
- Structured cognitive and sensory programming
- Help with the later-stage activities of daily living
What drives the price
- The level of dementia progression and the care tier that requires
- Staffing ratios, which are the single biggest cost line
- Whether the community is a dedicated memory-care building or a wing of an assisted living community
- Regional labor costs for caregivers and nurses
How families pay for it
- Private pay from savings, pensions, and retirement accounts
- Long-term care insurance, which often covers memory care when it covers assisted living
- Veterans benefits, including Aid & Attendance
- Medicaid waivers that include dementia care, where available
Memory Care cost by state
Ranked from most to least expensive. These are modeled from each state's assisted living level — see the method note.
| State | Avg monthly | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $9,551/mo | Modeled |
| Vermont | $9,467/mo | Modeled |
| Massachusetts | $9,402/mo | Modeled |
| Connecticut | $9,389/mo | Modeled |
| New Jersey | $9,302/mo | Modeled |
| Maine | $9,085/mo | Modeled |
| Delaware | $9,070/mo | Modeled |
| New Hampshire | $8,820/mo | Modeled |
| Maryland | $8,345/mo | Modeled |
| Oregon | $8,209/mo | Modeled |
| New York | $8,184/mo | Modeled |
| Hawaii | $7,959/mo | Modeled |
| Washington | $7,779/mo | Modeled |
| Colorado | $7,772/mo | Modeled |
| Virginia | $7,616/mo | Modeled |
| Illinois | $7,598/mo | Modeled |
| California | $7,450/mo | Modeled |
| North Carolina | $7,438/mo | Modeled |
| Rhode Island | $7,150/mo | Modeled |
| Wisconsin | $7,070/mo | Modeled |
| Montana | $6,992/mo | Modeled |
| Kansas | $6,931/mo | Modeled |
| West Virginia | $6,879/mo | Modeled |
| Nebraska | $6,842/mo | Modeled |
| Ohio | $6,827/mo | Modeled |
| Pennsylvania | $6,789/mo | Modeled |
| Alaska | $6,682/mo | Modeled |
| Minnesota | $6,635/mo | Modeled |
| Iowa | $6,609/mo | Modeled |
| Missouri | $6,515/mo | Modeled |
| Michigan | $6,467/mo | Modeled |
| Oklahoma | $6,399/mo | Modeled |
| New Mexico | $6,396/mo | Modeled |
| Idaho | $6,340/mo | Modeled |
| Tennessee | $6,261/mo | Modeled |
| Arizona | $6,145/mo | Modeled |
| Arkansas | $5,914/mo | Modeled |
| Kentucky | $5,866/mo | Modeled |
| Florida | $5,826/mo | Modeled |
| Indiana | $5,821/mo | Modeled |
| South Carolina | $5,791/mo | Modeled |
| Utah | $5,699/mo | Modeled |
| South Dakota | $5,696/mo | Modeled |
| Georgia | $5,596/mo | Modeled |
| Wyoming | $5,497/mo | Modeled |
| Texas | $5,485/mo | Modeled |
| Nevada | $5,476/mo | Modeled |
| North Dakota | $5,398/mo | Modeled |
| Louisiana | $5,317/mo | Modeled |
| Mississippi | $5,132/mo | Modeled |
| Alabama | $5,042/mo | Modeled |
Frequently asked questions
How much does memory care cost per month?
The national average is $6,999 per month in 2026, about $84,000 per year — roughly $1,000 to $1,200 a month more than standard assisted living.
How much does memory care cost by state?
Reported state averages for memory care run from about $5,250 per month in South Dakota to about $11,314 per month in Vermont.
Is memory care covered by Medicare?
No. Like assisted living, memory care is custodial long-term care rather than skilled medical care, so Medicare does not pay for room and board.
Does Medicaid pay for memory care?
Some states cover memory care under home- and community-based services waivers, but coverage and waiting lists vary widely. Many memory-care residents eventually qualify for Medicaid coverage in a nursing facility.
When should someone move to memory care?
Common triggers are wandering, unsafe stove or driving incidents, and care needs that exceed what a family or assisted living community can safely provide.