The biggest differences between assisted living communities and board and care homes for seniors are the size of the community and the amenities offered. Assisted living communities typically have more than 25 residents, while board and care homes have fewer than 10. Both settings provide help with grooming, toileting, and basic health monitoring. Both also provide daily meals and help with mobility, but assisted living communities tend to offer a wider variety of amenities and services.
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The amount of help a person needs to complete activities of daily living, or ADLs, determines the level of nonmedical care they need. Generally, there are three levels of care in assisted senior living:
Assisted living communities provide residents with a private living space and assistance with ADLs in an apartment-style setting.
Because assisted living offers a similar level of care as a board and care home, it’s ideal for seniors who need help with daily tasks like bathing and dressing but don’t need ongoing medical care.
“Each state has its own way of regulating and licensing assisted living facilities, which affects what care the facility can provide,” says A Place for Mom’s Niki Gewirtz, who has more than two decades of experience managing residential care communities.
As with board and care homes, assisted living facilities will vary in what care they provide.
Board and care homes – also known as residential care homes, adult family care homes, group homes, adult foster care homes, and personal care homes – are houses in residential neighborhoods that are equipped and staffed to help residents with their daily routines. Assistance is focused on ADLs and other daily care needs. Board and care homes typically house between two and 10 residents.
Regulations and licensing requirements vary from state to state. Before you choose a residential care home, it’s a good idea to understand your state’s licensing regulations and how oversight works. Some care homes offer additional care services, depending on who the owner or operator is and how they’re licensed. For example, some care homes are led by people in the medical field, such as a nurse or therapist. Each home will vary somewhat in what care is available.
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Assisted living communities and board and care homes are most alike in terms of who lives there and what kind of care services they provide. Nearly all facilities in both settings host men and women, and nearly all offer common personal care services such as:
“Not all assisted living communities or board and care homes are able to provide health care services like diabetes management or memory care,” says Gewirtz. “Not every community is set up for memory care, and some states require specific criteria be met before a community can advertise that they provide memory care,” she explains.
Assisted living communities and board and care homes differ most in terms of the activities, community amenities, and dining options they provide. In general, assisted living communities tend to offer more of each.[01] For example:
According to A Place for Mom’s 2025 Cost of Long-term Care and Senior Living report, the national median monthly cost of assisted living is $5,190 while the national median monthly cost of a care home is $4,200.[02]
For both options, the price depends on the size of the resident’s living space, location of the home or community, supply and demand, the local cost of living, and services and amenities offered. For instance, most communities in California cost more than communities in Kansas, and communities that offer dementia care cost more than those that don’t.
It’s worth noting that board and care homes are usually owned and operated by very small businesses and tend to have more lower-cost options than assisted living communities. These smaller businesses may be more open than larger corporations to negotiating prices.
After cost, personal preferences tend to determine whether families choose an assisted living community or a board and care home for their loved ones.
Assisted living communities are more like all-inclusive hotels for seniors and may be the right choice for people who are looking for:
When a community is a good fit, families and their loved ones often feel at peace. The staff members and amenities also support a smooth transition.
The Keeble family had this to say about Colonial Oaks at Leawood, an assisted living community in Leawood, Kansas: “My brothers and I are thrilled with our mother’s care. It is her home. From the front desk staff to activity staff, culinary staff, and nursing staff, we could not have chosen a better place for our mom. She has actually improved since living there. She is thriving.”
For Nina, whose mother lives at Sunrise at East 56th in New York, New York, activities played a large part in her family’s experience.
“We moved my mom there about 6 months ago and we haven’t seen her this happy in a while. She is busy from sunup to sundown. The staff is beyond caring and wonderful. They are very attentive to all the residents and always have a smile on their face.”
Board and care homes may be a better fit for seniors who:
Seniors and their family members who are happy with the care home they’ve chosen report that it feels like home and often appreciate the personalization that comes with living in a small group.
“The owners, management, and staff are very attentive to [my dad’s] needs and make it feel like his home. Because it is only a 16-person facility, they are able to keep it very personal and also provide well above average meals, which is important to my dad,” says Kay Krenek in a review of Fairbanks Court Assisted Living, a board and care home in Houston, Texas.
Sue B. had similar things to say when reviewing Lakota Hills Senior Care in Federal Way, Washington. “My mother has been a resident of Lakota for a little over a year. She gets outstanding care from people who are very competent and most important extremely patient and caring. The [caregivers] treat the residents with respect and give them all the attention and care they require.”
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Senior living choices have expanded as older adults’ needs and expectations have changed. Finding the best option for your loved one is crucial for keeping them healthy, active, and safe. Regardless of whether you’re considering an assisted living community or a board and care home, the best way to ensure a good fit is by touring several communities.
At no cost to you, our Senior Living Advisors can guide you through all the senior living options and help you find the right fit for your family. They’ll show you the options in your area that are best suited to your loved one’s needs and priorities and can even arrange tours for you free of charge.
Please note that communities are listed in this article for illustrative purposes only and A Place for Mom does not recommend or endorse any of these communities.
Yes. There are several residential care options for people who have mental illness. These communities may be called behavioral assisted living or behavioral health assisted living.
Yes, you can certainly visit your loved one in a board and care home. Ask the staff if there are specific visiting hours, and what the guidelines are for joining during mealtimes and activities.
A Place for Mom. (2025). A Place for Mom proprietary data.
A Place for Mom. (2025). Cost of long-term care and senior living.
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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