Assisted Living Facilities in Gallup, NM

Seniors who need assistance but don’t need the level of medical care available in a nursing home may turn to assisted living as a good midpoint. According to data collected by Genworth Financial, the average monthly cost for assisted living in Gallup is $3,999, roughly 11% lower than the national average.

This guide to assisted living in Gallup contains a look at the benefits and drawbacks of settling down in the city and a comparison of care costs throughout New Mexico. There’s also a list of free and low-cost senior-focused resources that help Gallup’s older population enjoy their retirement years more fully.

In Gallup and throughout the state, assisted living communities are under the purview of the New Mexico Department of Health’s Program Operations Bureau. In addition to being in charge of licensing such facilities, the bureau also investigates complaints about the quality of care.

• Gallup can be a smart choice for budget-conscious seniors, as relative savings are available in every sector of the city’s economy. The cost of health care is 17.5% below the national average, and the cost of transportation is a remarkable 40% below the national average. With all categories considered, the city’s cost of living is approximately 25% lower than the U.S. average.
• Seniors who enjoy spending time outdoors find much to like in New Mexico’s climate, as it’s the third-least humid state in the nation. Summer highs in Gallup hover in the mid-80s, and the city gets much more sun than most, with 279 sunny days a year against a U.S. average of 205. Gallup’s air quality is above average at 78 on a 100-point scale. Compare this score to the national score of 58.
• While the overall cost of living in Gallup is low, sales taxes are slightly higher than average. The sales tax is 8.3%, a point above the U.S. average, which can put a mild dent in a retirement budget over time. However, Gallup’s income tax of 4.9% is almost perfectly in line with the national average of 4.6%.
• Gallup’s crime rates, unfortunately, are notably elevated over U.S. trends, with both violent crime and property crime occurring 3 to 4 times more often than they do nationwide. However, most assisted living communities have closed-circuit video surveillance cameras and secure, guarded entries and exits, making local crime less of an issue for residents.
• At 6,512 feet, Gallup is more than a mile above sea level. Some studies have found that living at high elevations may have some health benefits, including lowering the chances of developing cardiovascular diseases.

Gallup’s monthly average cost for assisted living care is $3,999, which is roughly $500 cheaper than the New Mexico average of $4,498 and the national average cost of $4,500.

According to Genworth Financial’s data, Gallup is the only New Mexico city with sub-$4,000 costs for assisted living. Seniors in Las Cruces pay $4,495 a month for such care, which is nearly identical to the state average. In Albuquerque, prices jump by a few hundred dollars to $4,750 monthly. The most expensive city in the state for assisted living care is the capital of Santa Fe, where the monthly cost rises to $5,814.

Seniors who want to continue living independently in their retirement years may find that in-home care or home health care is the best fit for their needs; in Gallup, both types cost $5,529 per month. Nursing home care is the most expensive option, with a semiprivate room averaging $6,815 a month. Adult day health care is often the least expensive option, though Genworth reports no Gallup-specific 2021 data in the category.

While many families use their own funds or personal assets to pay for assisted living, there are plenty of additional options to cover these costs. Some additional ways to finance assisted living costs include:

• Veterans Benefits
• Life Insurance Policy
• Long-Term Care Insurance
• Reverse Mortgage

For more information about different ways to finance assisted living, visit our Assisted Living in New Mexico page.