A recent analysis from senior living referral service Seniorly found that assisted living services are most expensive in New Hampshire, Washington, D.C., and Delaware. According to Seniorly’s data from more than 60,000 senior living communities, the average cost of assisted living in New Hampshire is $8,248 per month, nearly double the national average of $4,401. This makes New Hampshire one of only six states where assisted living care costs more per month on average than in-home care.
Following New Hampshire, the other most expensive places for assisted living care included Washington D.C. at $6,835 per month, Delaware at $6,101 per month, Hawaii at $5,924 per month, and Wyoming at $5,894 per month. The average cost of senior living rose in 30 states between 2021 and 2023, with the largest increases seen in Wyoming, West Virginia, and New Hampshire, where costs increased by 53%, 46%, and 46% respectively.
Seniorly CEO Arthur Bretschneider emphasized that choosing the right care for older family members involves finding the right balance between financial practicality and genuine well-being. While the median cost for home health aides was found to be less expensive than assisted living in 44 states, the least expensive locations for assisted living care included Louisiana, Georgia, South Dakota, Iowa, and Minnesota.
Seniorly reported that states with a higher concentration of large or high-end assisted living communities would likely result in higher costs. Affordability of senior living is a growing problem that operators, legislators, and municipalities must take into consideration when planning for the future. The average cost of assisted living in each state was determined via Seniorly’s 2023 move-in data and comparisons were made by examining 2021 Seniorly data.
