The national median cost of nursing homes is $9,733 a month, $320 a day, or $116,796 a year for a private room. The national median cost of a semi-private room is $8,669 a month. Nursing homes are generally more expensive than other types of senior living because of the high-level medical care they offer. This includes on-site medical professionals, round-the-clock care, on-site therapies, and amenities designed for people with significant physical or cognitive care needs. Monthly nursing home costs are also affected by room type, luxury amenities, certain medical services, and which state your loved one lives in.
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The national median daily cost for a private room in a nursing home in 2023 was $320 per day, and the median cost of a semi-private room was $285 per day, according to Genworth’s most recent Cost of Care Survey.[01]
While it’s common to seek out the average cost of living in a nursing home, it’s more practical to consider the median cost. When you look at a state’s or city’s median cost, half the prices in that location are higher than the median, and half are lower. Averages can be misleading in places with many luxury nursing homes or several budget-friendly options. A high number of either can skew data.
Here’s a breakdown of national median nursing home costs by day, month, and year.[01] To give you an idea of what the national 2024 median costs will be, note that national median costs increased by 4.40% for semi-private rooms and 4.92% for private rooms between 2022 and 2023.[02]
| Semi-private room | Private room |
|---|---|
| $285 per day | $320 per day |
| $8,669 per month | $9,733 per month |
| $104,028 per year | $116,796 per year |
Location plays a major role in nursing home costs, because the cost of living can vary significantly from state to state.
The five most expensive states in 2023 were:
The five least expensive states were:
Learn more about nursing home costs in all 50 states and the District of Columbia in the monthly median cost table below.[01,03]
Note: National nursing home median costs increased by 4.40% for semi-private rooms and 4.92% for private rooms between 2022 and 2023. You can use this increase to get an idea of what 2024 national median costs may be.
| State/Cost of living index (3rd quarter 2024) | 2023 median monthly nursing home cost (semi-private room) |
|---|---|
| Alabama, 88.8 | $7,604 |
| Alaska. 123.4 | $18,706 |
| Arizona, 112.8 | $7,604 |
| Arkansas, 89 | $6,083 |
| California, 144.7 | $11,406 |
| Colorado, 102.7 | $9,475 |
| Connecticut, 111.7 | $15,056 |
| Delaware, 100.2 | $11,133 |
| District of Columbia, 138.1 | $12,623 |
| Florida, 102.4 | $9,885 |
| Georgia, 91.5 | $7,939 |
| Hawaii, 184.6 | $12,167 |
| Idaho, 102 | $10,494 |
| Illinois, 95.5 | $7,452 |
| Indiana, 91.3 | $7,878 |
| Iowa, 90.4 | $8,365 |
| Kansas, 86.7 | $7,483 |
| Kentucky, 92.9 | $7,771 |
| Louisiana, 93.5 | $6,905 |
| Maine, 113.5 | $12,197 |
| Maryland, 98.9 | $11,513 |
| Massachusetts, 146.9 | $13,688 |
| Michigan, 92.3 | $10,570 |
| Minnesota, 95.3 | $10,281 |
| Mississippi, 87.5 | $8,517 |
| Missouri, 89 | $5,931 |
| Montana, 94 | $8,182 |
| Nebraska, 92.8 | $7,604 |
| Nevada, 100.1 | $10,205 |
| New Hampshire, 111.5 | $11,984 |
| New Jersey, 114.8 | $11,619 |
| New Mexico, 92.9 | $8,760 |
| New York, 123.4 | $13,976 |
| North Carolina, 97.6 | $8,365 |
| North Dakota, 92.1 | $7,908 |
| Ohio, 94.9 | $8,365 |
| Oklahoma, 87.9 | $5,931 |
| Oregon, 110 | $14,585 |
| Pennsylvania, 94.9 | $10,768 |
| Rhode Island, 112.4 | $12,167 |
| South Carolina, 95.2 | $8,669 |
| South Dakota, 92.3 | $7,118 |
| Tennessee, 89 | $8,654 |
| Texas, 92.6 | $5,323 |
| Utah, 109.5 | $7,604 |
| Vermont, 114.1 | $13,231 |
| Virginia, 100.5 | $9,247 |
| Washington, 113.6 | $12,167 |
| West Virginia, 84.8 | $11,619 |
| Wisconsin, 99.3 | $10,250 |
| Wyoming, 95.4 | $7,604 |
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According to the 2020 census, more than 75% of people 65 years and older live in urban areas.[04] Similar to how costs vary by states, nursing home prices also vary from city to city. Local wages, availability of nursing home staff, cost of living, and other factors influence the costs of nursing homes in these metro areas.
The monthly cost table below shows a few of the most and least expensive semi-private room median costs — as well as those closest to the national median — among the most heavily populated metro areas in the U.S.[01] Because national median nursing home costs increased by 4.40% for semi-private rooms and 4.92% for private rooms between 2022 and 2023, keep in mind that 2024 national median costs will also likely increase.
| Metro | 2023 median monthly nursing home cost (semi-private room) |
|---|---|
| San Antonio area, TX | $5,323 |
| Dallas area, TX | $5,688 |
| Houston area, TX | $5,718 |
| Oklahoma City area, OK | $6,327 |
| Memphis area, TN | $8,395 |
| Chicago area, IL | $8,669 |
| National median | $8,669 |
| Cleveland area, OH | $8,684 |
| Nashville area, TN | $8,897 |
| San Jose area, CA | $13,809 |
| Boston area, MA | $14,144 |
| Buffalo area, NY | $14,448 |
| Portland area, OR | $14,570 |
Facilities offer several options and features, such as different room types and amenities, that can drastically change nursing home costs.
“The cost of a nursing home [also] depends on various factors that the family generally can’t control, such as the state, location, and needs of the residents,” says Michael Leitson, former senior data manager at the American Health Care Association, a federation of 50 state health organizations representing more than 12,000 nursing homes and long-term care facilities.
Seniors may have the opportunity to choose options that better fit their budget and individual needs, depending on the nursing homes available in their area. Even so, location still has a significant impact on cost.
Nursing home costs vary greatly across the country the same way cost of living, salaries, and taxes do. States with a higher cost of living, such as Hawaii or New York, typically have higher median nursing home costs compared to states with a lower cost of living, like Kansas or Arkansas.[03]
Similarly, there may be a cost difference between facilities in rural and urban areas. The demographic percentage of seniors in a given area may also affect costs due to supply and demand.
Whether your loved one chooses to live alone or in a shared space with another person can make a big difference in the cost of nursing home care. Most nursing home residents live in semi-private rooms, and this room type may be more common depending on where you live and is generally less expensive than a private room. In 2023, there was a 12% monthly cost difference between private and semi-private rooms.[01]
“[Many] nursing home buildings are dated, and a lot of them don’t have [an ideal] number of private rooms,” says Martin Sbrilgio, CEO of Ryders Health Management, a management company for Connecticut skilled nursing homes, and a registered nurse. He adds that facilities that do have a lot of private rooms are typically much more expensive to build. Both of these factors contribute to the higher cost of private rooms.
So, if your aging relative would benefit from companionship and would like to save some money, a shared room may be the better option. Plus, Medicaid doesn’t usually pay for a private room.
Nursing homes are designed to provide the physical, cognitive, and medical care aging adults need. Most facilities offer daily activities and therapies, as well as social spaces and meals focused on senior nutrition. However, luxury senior living is becoming more common in some areas.
Seniors may be able to pay a premium to reside in a community that curates a luxurious, senior-friendly lifestyle in opulent surroundings. This phenomenon is especially noticeable in major metros, such as New York City.
Below are some examples of luxury amenities found in high-end nursing homes:
Nursing home costs can also range from high-end to budget-conscious, noted in the example scenarios below:[01]
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Certain medical care needs, such as insulin injections or transportation to dialysis treatments, may cost extra. And aside from chronic medical needs, seniors in nursing homes typically require help with several activities of daily living (ADLs), such as bathing, dressing, eating, and using the toilet. That’s more than assisted living residents, who usually need help with about two ADLs.[05]
Sometimes facilities charge by the number of ADLs a senior needs help with — for example, someone who can use the toilet independently but needs assistance with bathing would pay less each month than someone who requires help with both.
Plus, nursing homes can have different fees or payment structures, such as:
Sbriglio notes that families can compare some payment structures to menus at a restaurant. Aside from the cost of the senior’s room, there may be additional costs for each service they need.
When you and your family tour or research nursing homes, you can request a cost-per-service breakdown. This breakdown may outline the costs of room and board, on-site medical care and mental health counseling, transportation fees to off-site medical care, and fees for activities, recreation, and entertainment.
Read more:Assisted Living vs. Nursing Homes
Nursing home residents receive 24-hour care and medical supervision from licensed medical professionals. Nursing home services include skilled nursing care, such as wound care, injections, catheter care, and dialysis. These services aren’t commonly offered in other types of senior living communities like independent or assisted living.
The number one reason that nursing homes are so expensive is because they require a lot of nurses and staff members to care for residents.
Additional nursing home services include:
Families can use a wide variety of resources to pay for nursing home care costs. Public funding options like Medicare, Medicaid, and VA benefits may cover parts of nursing home care depending on your loved one’s length of stay and the facility they choose. Moreover, if your loved one is an eligible veteran, a VA nursing home could be an accessible and affordable way to receive care.
Depending on your loved one’s income, much of the cost of a nursing home may be paid for with private funds and assets, including the following options:
It may also be worth comparing the cost of nursing home care versus in-home care. In some cases, in-home care may be more affordable.
Read more:How to Pay for a Nursing Home
The first step in understanding how much you’ll pay for senior living is identifying your loved one’s individual care needs.
“Families need to have an honest discussion about health care needs,” says Sbriglio. Reviewing your loved one’s needs in detail can help you understand which types of senior living to consider and which ones to rule out.
If they require significant daily medical care, a nursing home is likely the best option. If they only need help with ADLs or some daily assistance, less expensive assisted living options may be a better financial choice for your family.
Reach out to one of A Place for Mom’s Senior Living Advisors to discuss different types of senior living, budgetary needs, and local communities — all at no cost to you.
Yes, an irrevocable trust can help protect a senior’s money from nursing home costs. However, seniors’ beneficiaries can explore other options to help manage their finances, such as opening a joint bank account.
Yes, CHAMPVA , provides health insurance that covers the cost of skilled nursing in a nursing home. Veterans’ spouses or surviving spouses may be eligible for this program if the veteran has a service-related disability.
Seniors can protect their assets from nursing home costs by getting things in order before they move, such as purchasing long-term care insurance, creating a life estate or irrevocable trust, and involving their spouse and family members in financial and legal planning.
24-hour at-home skilled nursing care costs more than 24-hour nonmedical home care, which has a national median cost of $21, 823 per month. Because costs tend to be higher for at-home skilled nursing care, some families opt for nursing homes instead of home care.
Adult children aren’t usually responsible for their parents’ nursing home costs. However, filial laws in 29 states may require adult children to cover costs when their parents can’t. Speak with a financial expert and carefully review all nursing home contracts so you know what to expect.
Costs for any senior living community may be negotiable. A Place for Mom’s Senior Living Advisors can answer any questions you have about negotiating nursing home costs.
Genworth. (2023). Cost of care survey.
Genworth. (2023). Cost of care trends & insights.
Missouri Economic Research and Information Center. (2024). Cost of living data series.
Caplan, Z. & Rabe, M. (2023, May). The older population: 2020.
American Health Care Association. Facts & figures.
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