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

Willmar sits at the center of southern Minnesota’s Willmar Lakes Area, where 6 assisted living facilities provide housing and personal care for older adults. In this region, assisted living residents pay approximately $8,635 per month for care, which comes in thousands of dollars higher than the Minnesota and U.S. norms of $5,350.

Through our directory, you can learn about some of the amenities and features of the region’s assisted living facilities by reading through 10 reviews reviews. On average, these facilities earn a satisfaction rating of 4.3 out of 5 stars stars.

All assisted living facilities in Willmar comply with minimum rules and guidelines set by the Minnesota Department of Health, Health Regulation Division. This division communicates with facilities regularly to provide support and information on rules related to residents’ rights, housing requirements and staffing, and it requires facilities to obtain annual licensing and undergo regular inspections.

• Rice Memorial Hospital sits within Willmar’s city limits and provides a range of inpatient and outpatient services to assisted living residents, including podiatry, urology and orthopedics. It has a hospitalist program to promote effective care coordination among patients’ medical teams, and it has a 24-hour emergency department that handles urgent medical needs. Additionally, many assisted living facilities have on-call physicians who provide routine medical care and monitoring for residents.
• As of 2022, Willmar ranks as a member of the AARP Age-Friendly Network, indicating that it has programs and initiatives in place to foster a welcoming environment for seniors. The city supports assisted living residents through access to amenities, such as parks and grocery stores, and it has a low preventable hospitalization rate. These factors contribute to an overall livability score of 60 on the AARP Livability Index compared to the average U.S. city score of 48.
• Willmar’s cost of living exceeds the national norm by around 1%, putting local living costs in line with nationwide averages. Despite this, health care costs trend about 25% below the national norm, making the city a practical option for prospective assisted living residents managing health conditions, and housing runs about 24% below the national benchmark and promotes competitive pricing in residential care facilities.
• Willmar sees about 24 crimes per 1,000 people in a given year. While property-related offenses occur at a frequency that aligns with state and national norms, violent crime occurs more often here than in a typical community. A majority of crime takes place in the southwestern region of the city, meaning neighborhoods such as Willmar West, Willmar North and Willmar South provide relatively safe assisted living options for prospective residents.
• Seniors in Willmar pay state income taxes on all forms of retirement income, including their Social Security benefits and government pension income. Fortunately, they can claim various deductions and exemptions, bringing down what they owe to the state and leaving more money in the bank for assisted living. The state also provides full sales tax exemptions on prescription and over-the-counter medications, as well as groceries and most types of clothing.

Assisted living residents in Willmar pay a monthly median rate of $8,635 for housing and personal care.

 

In Willmar, assisted living rates come in around $8,635 per month, tracking thousands of dollars over the national and Minnesota median rates of $5,350. Other cities in the state tend to have more economically priced care, including Rochester, where fees come in about $1,660 below the local rate, and Duluth, where residents pay around $6,750 for care. Similarly, in Minneapolis, assisted living residents pay about $3,300 less for care than seniors in Willmar.

Assisted living facilities in Willmar charge approximately $8,635 per month for care. By contrast, seniors who obtain personal care services and companionship in their own homes pay about $1,500 less for in-home care. However, assisted living offers an economical alternative to home health care, which provides skilled nursing in the individual’s home for a monthly median rate of $10,391, and nursing home care, which includes 24-hour skilled nursing services and supervision for around $10,646.

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.