Assisted living, home care and other types of senior care are wildly expensive. But if you live in the right state, you can cut your bill by half compared to what you would pay in more costly places.
Recently, online senior care platform Caring looked across the 50 states to find the places with the most affordable senior care. Unfortunately, no matter where you live, such care can be a budget-buster.
However, some places offer care that is much cheaper than what you will find in the most expensive states.
Here are the states where assisted living, home care and nursing homes are most affordable.
Assisted living
Nationally, the median cost per year for assisted living in a community is $70,800. The states with the lowest median costs are:
- South Dakota: $52,200 per year
- Mississippi: $53,343 per year
- Alabama: $54,870 per year
Contrary to what you might expect, transitioning to assisted living is often cheaper than aging in place at home.
In fact, Caring says that is the case in most states — with South Dakota leading the way at a savings of $81,768 in the first year of assisted living, then $69,318 each year thereafter.
Home care
Nationally, the median cost of homemaker services, which include “hands-off” assistance with tasks like cleaning or cooking, is $75,504. For home health aide services — which include bathing, toileting, dressing, shopping and more — it is $77,792.
The states with the lowest median costs for home health aide services are:
- Louisiana: $50,336 per year
- Alabama: $57,200 per year
- Mississippi: $57,200 per year
Not only is home care more affordable in Louisiana than anywhere else, but the cost of living in the state is low. That means retirees who need home care still should be able to stretch their dollars further than in many other places.
Nursing home
Nationally, the median cost of a semi-private room is $111,325. For a private room, it is $127,750. The states with the lowest median cost for private-room nursing home care are:
- Texas: $85,045 per year
- Missouri: $85,775 per year
- Louisiana: $91,250 per year
Like Louisiana, Texas is also a state with a relatively low cost of living and a cheaper cost of senior care. That might make the Lone Star State a good option if you are looking for a more affordable place to retire.
Before you choose a facility for a loved one or yourself, check out the “5 Things Every Retiree Should Know About Nursing Homes.”
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