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Assisted Living in Alabama

7th

OVERALL STATE RANK

Overview of assisted living in Alabama

Alabama offers two types of assisted living communities for aging adults: standard assisted living facilities and specialty care facilities for residents with Alzheimer’s disease or another type of dementia.[01] The median monthly cost of assisted living in Alabama is $3,637 a month, or $43,644 a year, according to A Place for Mom’s proprietary data.[02] This price point makes it one of the most affordable states in the U.S. for senior care services.
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Assisted living state rankings report

7th

Overall state ranking out of 50

State scorecard

How we determine rankings

Our 2023 state ranking for assisted living uses A Place for Mom’s proprietary data collected from our community partners. First, we sorted through our metrics and grouped them into three pillars that are key in a quality assisted living experience. We weighted these pillars differently based on insights from our senior living experts. Then, we used these categories and their weighting to determine how each state ranks. Read our full methodology 

Top ranked Alabama cities for assisted living overall

Cost of assisted living in Alabama

The median monthly cost of assisted living in Alabama is $3,637 per month, according to A Place for Mom’s proprietary data. Half of A Place for Mom’s partner communities charge more than $3,637, while half charge less. This is $1,170 less per month than the national median cost, making Alabama among the nation’s most affordable states for assisted living.[02]

The type of assisted living community a resident chooses will likely affect their cost of care. Standard assisted living facilities generally cost less than specialty care assisted living facilities for residents with dementia or cognitive decline. The size of a community may also affect costs. In Alabama, costs typically range from roughly $2,600 to just over $5,000 a month. Alabama divides their assisted living facilities into the following categories, based on their number of beds:[03]

  • Family (two or three residents)
  • Group (three to 16 residents)
  • Congregate (17 or more residents)
  • Specialty care assisted living facilities (size varies based on care needs)

Monthly cost figures generally cover a senior’s complete care needs, including:

  • Assistance with activities of daily living, such as dressing, bathing, and personal grooming
  • 24-hour supervision and monitoring
  • A safe, secure room or apartment
  • Daily meals and snacks
  • Assistance with personal medication management
  • Social activities and event schedules
  • Complimentary or at-cost transportation

Since specialty care assisted living facilities provide more intensive care for residents with Alzheimer’s disease or another type of dementia, they’re often more expensive. More extensive staffing requirements, additional cognitive therapy programs, and increased safety features contribute to this cost difference.

Other factors can also affect the cost of assisted living in Alabama, like:

  • Location. Facilities located in rural areas often cost less than those in urban centers.
  • Services and amenities. Over 78% of our partner communities have beauticians, while nearly 49% have room service options. These may come with an additional fee.
  • Floorplans. Single-occupancy rooms and apartments tend to be more expensive than double-occupancy rooms.

Medicare and Medicaid may also help offset some of the costs of medical care expenses in an assisted living community for qualified seniors.

Compare costs of Alabama vs. the national average

Average monthly costs

Alabama

$3,826/mo

US National average

$4,792/mo

Compare costs of assisted living vs. nearby states

Average monthly costs

Alabama

$3,826/mo

Mississippi

$3,520/mo

Georgia

$3,620/mo

Tennessee

$4,108/mo

Louisiana

$3,952/mo

Compare costs of assisted living in Alabama vs. nearby cities

Average monthly costs

Alabama

$3,826/mo

Mobile, AL

$3,804/mo

Compare costs of assisted living vs. other senior care types in Alabama

Average monthly costs

Let our care assessment guide you

Our free tool provides options, advice, and next steps based on your unique situation.

Top-rated Assisted Living facilities in Alabama

4
4 Photos available

Gardens of Clanton

850 Scott Dr, Clanton, AL 35045
10
Review Score
141 reviews
Starting at
$X,XXX/mo
Latishia T - I'm a loved one of a resident or client

Everyone was very welcoming and kind. The residents seemed to really enjoy having the girls here. The girls enjoyed a wonderful lunch!

Get Pricing
25
25 Photos available

Residences at Wellpoint

2940 Mill Run Road South, Huntsville, AL 35763
9.9
Review Score
60 reviews
Starting at
$X,XXX/mo
Kevin H - I'm a loved one of a resident or client

I am so thankful that my brother is in a living situation with such a kind and warm-hearted staff. The facilities are great and he's made a lot of friends here. He is treated like part of a big family.

Get Pricing

Top-rated Assisted Living facilities in Mobile

See top facilities
6
6 Photos available
5
5 Floor plans available

Proveer at Port City

4720 Morrison Dr, Mobile, AL 36609
9.4
Review Score
29 reviews
Starting at
$X,XXX/mo
Jill J - I'm a loved one of a resident or client

Moved my MIL here, after a very unpleasant experience at another memory care facility. The staff has been amazing, in ALL aspects, very experienced in dealing with patients with dementia, which is what one...

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14
14 Photos available
17
17 Floor plans available

Somerby of Mobile

901 Somerby Drive, Mobile, AL 36695
9.2
Review Score
52 reviews
Starting at
$X,XXX/mo
Anonymous - I'm a loved one of a resident or client

There seemed to be confusion sometimes between what was told to me one day, and then different a few days later. For instance, on a Sunday, I was told that my SIL needed more protein drink. The nurse and I...

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5
5 Photos available

Crowne Place

3720 Dauphin St., Mobile, AL 36608
8.7
Review Score
9 reviews
Starting at
$X,XXX/mo
Billie V - I live or lived in this community

After my stroke Crowne was a safe place for my re-hab, there were many kind people there. Stand-outs for me were [name removed] in the office and [name removed] was awesome she was a nurse on my hall and...

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Top-rated Assisted Living facilities in Montgomery

See top facilities
9
9 Photos available
2
2 Floor plans available

Haven Memory Care on Halcyon

1775 Halcyon Blvd, Montgomery, AL 36117
9.5
Review Score
22 reviews
Barbara P - I'm a loved one of a resident or client

Haven on Halcyon provided expert advice on getting my father into a memory care facility. They continue to provide compassionate and caring service to him and to all the members of the Haven community. ...

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8
8 Photos available
9
9 Floor plans available

Oak Grove Inn

3801 Oakgrove Dr, Montgomery, AL 36116
9.0
Review Score
6 reviews
Anonymous - I live or lived in this community

The staff is outstanding. They are always friendly and helpful and offer a wide variety of activities every day. The facility is always kept clean and has a very attractive decor throughout the interior of...

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16
16 Photos available

Country Cottage - Montgomery

235 Sylvest Drive, Montgomery, AL 36117
8.7
Review Score
32 reviews
Starting at
$X,XXX/mo
Anonymous - I'm a loved one of a resident or client

My mom is receiving great care at Country Cottage. I feel at ease and appreciate the attention and kindness of the staff! I highly recommend Country Cottage to anybody looking for care for a loved one.

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Top-rated Assisted Living facilities in Madison

See top facilities
6
6 Photos available
4
4 Floor plans available

The Madison Village

6016 Wall Triana Blvd., Madison, AL 35758
8.6
Review Score
12 reviews
John - I live or lived in this community

Our building had a Friday night get together, where we had food, played games and had fun. None of there other buildings did this, so that's what made it so special. I'm no longer living there, as I have...

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8
8 Photos available

Heritage Assisted Living and Memory Care

11682 County Line Road, Madison, AL 35756
8.6
Review Score
7 reviews
Starting at
$X,XXX/mo
Anonymous - I'm a loved one of a resident or client

Staff seemed to love their jobs & the residents. They tried really hard with my husband, but he fell several times& was angry because he was away from me. He was not adjusting so I was asked to bring him...

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14
14 Photos available
5
5 Floor plans available

Merrill Gardens at Madison

121 Brookridge Drive, Madison, AL 35758
8.6
Review Score
50 reviews
Starting at
$X,XXX/mo
Marcia H - I'm a loved one of a resident or client

I would pop in and some places wanted you to have an appt or it wasn't clean. MG had no issue with me popping in at any time and I was never disappointed. They answered all my questions and more as I thought...

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Top-rated Assisted Living facilities in Huntsville

See top facilities
25
25 Photos available

Residences at Wellpoint

2940 Mill Run Road South, Huntsville, AL 35763
9.9
Review Score
60 reviews
Starting at
$X,XXX/mo
Kevin H - I'm a loved one of a resident or client

I am so thankful that my brother is in a living situation with such a kind and warm-hearted staff. The facilities are great and he's made a lot of friends here. He is treated like part of a big family.

Get Pricing
12
12 Photos available
7
7 Floor plans available

Thrive at Jones Farm

2238 Cecil Ashburn Drive SE, Huntsville, AL 35802
9.6
Review Score
76 reviews
Starting at
$X,XXX/mo
Anonymous - I'm a loved one of a resident or client

Layout of facility means short walks to activities and meals. Staff is very approachable with questions or concerns. Issues are addressed quickly and appropriately. Staff encourage residents to join in...

Get Pricing
8
8 Photos available
7
7 Floor plans available

Brookdale Jones Farm

2815 Carl T Jones Drive Southeast, Huntsville, AL 35802
9.4
Review Score
38 reviews
Starting at
$X,XXX/mo
Sandra A - I'm a loved one of a resident or client

Honestly, I would give a 5 in each category. [name removed] was very happy there. I just wished he had lived long enough to really enjoy it. And I appreciate A Place for Mom listening to our needs and...

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Paying for assisted living in Alabama

Each family has their own unique budget and needs. The sooner you evaluate your loved one’s financial situation and determine your budget, the more options you may have available. This is especially true if your aging relative plans to apply for public assistance programs, such as Medicaid home and community based services (HCBS) waivers or stipends from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), both of which may have a waiting period. If you plan to use Medicare or Medicaid to cover any medical services in assisted living, an application or spend-down period may apply.

Many families use a combination of private funds and public payment methods to cover the costs of assisted living. For a high-level overview of payment options, consult our guide to paying for long-term care.

Assisted living requirements and regulations in Alabama

Alabama has different regulations and requirements for standard assisted living facilities and specialty care assisted living facilities. We’ll explain the similarities and differences below.[03]

All assisted living facilities in Alabama must be licensed and inspected by the state, no matter the size or level of care they provide. All facilities from family homes to larger communities must comply with fire codes, staffing guidelines, and safety standards. Single-occupancy rooms must be at least 80 square feet in size, while double-occupancy rooms must be 130 square feet. Bathrooms can’t be shared by more than six residents.

To be admitted to an assisted living facility, prospective residents must complete medical and cognitive exams by a doctor within 30 days of entry. Facility administrators must also work with new residents to complete a comprehensive care plan in conjunction with the facility and family.

The prospective resident must not require skilled nursing care or wound care beyond basic first aid at time of admittance to the facility. Residents must also be able to self-administer prescription medication with assistance during their time at the facility.

Let our care assessment guide you

Our free tool provides options, advice, and next steps based on your unique situation.

Staffing requirements for Alabama assisted living facilities

All assisted living communities in Alabama must offer 24-hour supervision, but requirements vary by care type.

Standard assisted living facilities:[04]

  • Do not have staff-to-resident ratio requirements.
  • Must be staffed at all times by at least one care provider with CPR training.
  • Must always have sufficient staff to assist in case of a fire, natural disaster, or other emergency.
  • Have an on-site administrator who’s passed a licensure exam and completed a 20-hour classroom training program, plus ongoing annual trainings.

Specialty care assisted living facilities:

  • Must have an administrator, a medical director, at least one RN, and a care coordinator.
  • Must have at least two staff members on-site 24 hours a day, or have a sufficient number of staff members to meet requisite ratios, which are determined by facility size.
  • Have all staff members trained in dementia care and certified per the Dementia Education and Training Act Care Series, including annual continuing education.

After a facility becomes licensed, they must renew their license yearly and undergo inspections from Alabama Public Health — Bureau of Health Provider Standards. This office also investigates complaints about cleanliness, resident treatment, and quality of care. Inspection reports are available to the public through Alabama Public Health’s Health Care Facilities Deficiencies database.

Ranking Alabama’s system of regulation and records

We developed a system to rate each state on how easy — or difficult — it is to find important assisted living records and reports, and compiled tips to help you in your search.

States with the most transparent records allow you to look up important information about each assisted living facility online, including inspections, complaints, survey results, violations, capacity, and whether the facility accepts Medicaid to pay for long-term care services.

Access to Alabama assisted living records: Exceptional

Public access to assisted living records and reports for the state of Alabama is exceptional. Here are the key findings that informed this rating:

  • Assisted living records in Alabama are highly transparent, having met all but one of the transparency criteria.
  • Alabama assisted living records are available through a convenient online health provider search.

How to look up Alabama assisted living licenses and records

How we arrived at our Alabama rating

A Place for Mom developed an assisted living rating methodology for state data collection and evaluation. We based our rating primarily on the objective, state-specific accessibility criteria outlined in these questions:

  1. Are licensed assisted living communities listed online in any form? Yes
  2. If Yes to #1, is the information updated frequently? Yes
  3. If Yes to #1, is the list of licensed communities searchable? Yes
  4. Does the state post inspections, complaints, survey results, or violations online? Yes
  5. If Yes to #4, is the information updated frequently? [within 90 days] Yes
  6. If Yes to #2 and #4, is the enforcement information included in the same place as licensed communities? Yes
  7. If Yes to #4 and No to #6, are violations / inspections searchable at all? Yes or N/A
  8. Is information about special licensing for care shown? Yes
  9. Capacity shown? Yes
  10. Payment types shown, [e.g. Medicaid, private pay]? Yes
  11. Administrator / Contact name shown? Yes
  12. State may fine facility? Yes
  13. Frequency of inspections? Every 12 months
  14. Website includes pricing of facility? No

References

  1. Department of Health and Human Services. (2015). Compendium of residential care and assisted living regulations and policy.

  2. A Place for Mom. (2023). A Place for Mom proprietary data.

  3. National Center for Assisted Living. (2022). Alabama.

  4. State of Alabama Department of Public Health. (2019, April 16). Assisted living facilities.

Top cities in Alabama for assisted living

8.4
Montgomery, AL
25 facilities
8.4
Birmingham, AL
24 facilities
8.4
Auburn, AL
11 facilities
8.1
Madison, AL
13 facilities
7.9
Huntsville, AL
22 facilities
7.4
Mobile, AL
25 facilities

Find assisted living in other states

Find Assisted Living in Alabama cities

The information contained on this page is for informational purposes only and is not intended to constitute medical, legal or financial advice or create a professional relationship between A Place for Mom and the reader. Always seek the advice of your health care provider, attorney or financial advisor with respect to any particular matter, and do not act or refrain from acting on the basis of anything you have read on this site. Links to third-party websites are only for the convenience of the reader; A Place for Mom does not endorse the contents of the third-party sites.

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