The 5 Best Assisted Living Facilities in Virginia, MN for 2024

The small town of Virginia sits in the heart of Minnesota and offers amenities such as public art displays, city parks and festivals throughout the year. It has a large senior community that makes up 23% of its 8,300 residents, and it supports its aging population through health care facilities, such as Essentia Health – Virginia.

Virginia seniors seeking a low-maintenance lifestyle often find the services and amenities they need through the region’s assisted living facilities. These facilities have private and shared housing options, with units sometimes having their own kitchens and bathrooms, and they provide daily meals, housekeeping services and individualized care plans. This option may be ideal for seniors who don’t have extensive medical needs but find certain day-to-day activities challenging due to advanced age or disability. On average, seniors in Virginia pay $5,000 per month for care, which is about 11% higher than the Minnesota average of $4,508 and the national rate of $4,500.

This guide provides more information on local resources for seniors, including free and low-cost services and programs that enhance assisted living services. The guide also provides a closer look at long-term care costs in this city and ways to pay for services. 

All assisted living facilities in Virginia and the rest of Minnesota comply with licensure laws according to the Health Regulation Division of the Minnesota Department of Health. This division oversees all assisted living providers in the state through annual licensing procedures and on-site inspections, as well as by maintaining communication with care providers.

 

• Unlike most states, Minnesota taxes all forms of retirement income, including Social Security benefits. Residents pay taxes at rates ranging from 5.35% to 9.85%, depending on their income, but fortunately, those aged 65 and over can deduct as much as $9,600 of their income. This may reduce what they owe to the state and make assisted living in Virginia accessible.

 

• Essentia Health – Virginia is a 30-bed hospital in Virginia proper with a multidisciplinary team of health care professionals. This hospital houses a Level IV Trauma Center and provides 24-hour emergency care, rehabilitation services and clinical services. Additionally, many assisted living facilities in Virginia have on-site medical suites where visiting physicians provide routine wellness checks.

 

• Virginia’s crime rate is higher than most communities across the state and nation, rating safer than just 11% of U.S. communities and 8% of Minnesota cities, as well as cities with similar area and population sizes. However, most crime occurs in the City Center and Virginia West districts, with the rest of the community reporting relatively few incidents. To help residents stay safe, assisted living communities have amenities such as security gates and professionally monitored security systems.

 

• Virginia experiences four distinct seasons, appealing to assisted living residents who enjoy seeing the scenery change throughout the year. Winters are very cold, with lows averaging minus 6 degrees Fahrenheit, and summers are mild, with average daytime highs at 77 degrees Fahrenheit. The city gets 28 inches of rain and 62 inches of snow, with some type of precipitation falling 119 days out of the year.

 

• The overall cost of living in Virginia is 15% below the national norm and 12 percentage points lower than Minnesota’s average, indicating general affordability for seniors with fixed incomes. Health care, transportation and groceries are economically priced compared to state and national norms, and housing costs are among the most affordable in the nation. This may result in comparatively low assisted living rates.

 

In the city of Virginia, assisted living facilities charge an average monthly rate of $5,000 for care.

Assisted living services in Virginia cost $5,000 per month, with residents paying hundreds of dollars over the state norm of $4,508 and the national average of $4,500. Most surveyed cities in Minnesota have comparatively affordable assisted living costs, including St. Cloud, where monthly care rates come in about 18% lower than the local norm. Similarly, seniors in Mankato pay competitive rates of $3,135, but in Minneapolis, monthly care costs exceed Virginia’s average by 3%.

Seniors in Virginia pay $5,000 per month for assisted living services, which is economical compared to most other senior care options. For example, seniors who need around-the-clock medical care and extensive personal care services pay double the assisted living rate in nursing home facilities, with rates averaging $11,602 for semi-private accommodations. For seniors who need basic personal care services in their homes, agencies charge $5,815 for in-home care, and those who need limited skilled nursing services pay $7,436 for home health care. Even so, adult day health care is more budget-friendly at $1,276. This option doesn’t include housing, but it offers daytime skilled nursing and personal care services, meals and recreational activities in a community environment.

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 Minnesota page.