The 10 Best Assisted Living Facilities in Indiana, PA for 2024

Indiana serves as the seat of Indiana County and the principal city of the Indiana micropolitan area in west-central Pennsylvania. This Pittsburgh suburb has 7 assisted living facilities within its limits, and 5 facilities are situated in nearby communities. Local assisted living facilities charge $2,725 per month for residential care, which is substantially lower than the Pennsylvania average of $4,100 and the nationwide rate of $4,500.

Our directory features 71 reviews reviews from assisted living facilities in Indiana and nearby, and it assigns local facilities an overall quality rating of 4.42 out of 5 stars stars.

The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services licenses all assisted living facilities in Indiana and the rest of Pennsylvania through its Office of Long-Term Living, Bureau of Human Services Licensing. This division enforces rules related to building requirements, minimum occupancy, care planning and staffing through annual licensing processes and inspections, and it operates a hotline where individuals can report substandard care.

• Indiana Regional Medical Center sits in Indiana proper and has a full range of specialties, including pulmonology, diabetes and nutrition, occupational health and cardiac care. The hospital also has a walk-in clinic and provides telemedicine services, promoting access to prompt medical care for seniors, along with a wellness center where seniors with chronic health conditions can participate in age-friendly exercise programs.
• Indiana County ranks in the 25-50th percentile for health outcomes and factors and comes in 50th out of 67 counties statewide for general health. The life expectancy in this region is 77.6, a little lower than the Pennsylvania norm of 78 and the national average of 78.5, and there's just one primary care provider per 1,990 residents compared to the state rate of 1,220. Fortunately, many assisted living facilities have on-site wellness programs, staff nurses and on-call physicians to support residents’ health.
• Indiana’s overall cost of living is 9.7% below the national average, making the city financially viable for many older adults seeking long-term care services. Housing prices are about half the national norm and food costs are 27% lower here than in a typical U.S. city, which drives down assisted living costs in many residential communities.
• Pennsylvania has retiree-friendly income tax laws with full exemptions for Social Security benefits, pension income and withdrawals from retirement accounts. Additionally, the sales tax rate is among the lowest in the nation, further supporting seniors’ financial stability throughout retirement.
• Indiana scores 57 on the AARP Livability Index, indicating a range of benefits and amenities that support seniors’ comfort. Seniors have high access to grocery stores, libraries and parks, and the city’s walkability score of 10.96 exceeds the national norm of 6.17.
• Indiana has a crime index of 30, meaning that its crime rate is higher than 70% of neighborhoods nationwide. About two-thirds of the criminal activity that takes place is property-related, although the city’s violent crime rate is among the highest in the nation. Even so, compared only to similarly sized communities, Indiana’s overall crime rate is average, which may provide peace of mind to prospective assisted living residents.

In Indiana, assisted living facilities charge approximately $2,725 per month for long-term care.

Indiana seniors pay $2,725 per month for assisted living, making this one of the most affordable cities in the region, as well as the state and nation, for residential care. By comparison, facilities statewide charge an average monthly rate of $4,100, and nationally, seniors pay $4,500 for care. Indiana is an economical alternative to Pittsburgh, where seniors pay $3,250 for care, and in Altoona, monthly rates exceed Indiana’s norm at $4,030. Similarly, care costs in State College are considerably higher than in Indiana at $4,518, and in Chambersburg, seniors pay $4,823 for care.

At $2,725 per month, assisted living ranks as the most affordable surveyed senior care option in Indiana. This type of care costs considerably less than the $3,813 seniors pay for private services at home via in-home care, which includes nonmedical services and social support, and home health care, which includes basic skilled nursing services, such as medication management and administration and wound care. For seniors who need around-the-clock skilled nursing support and full assistance with daily living activities, nursing home care costs $9,171 per month.

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 Pennsylvania page.