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Nursing Home Costs
Date Updated: September 19, 2025
Written by:
Pilar Martland double-majored as an undergraduate at UC Davis and earned bachelor’s degrees in English and science. Following graduation, she spent two years as an AmeriCorps member working in the public school systems of California and Washington. She then completed a master's degree in education and became the author of multiple children's books.
Pilar has spent the past several years focusing on raising her family while continuing to pursue work on a freelance basis as a writer, editor, researcher, and fact-checker. She strives to make a positive difference by spreading awareness and empowering others through research-backed, educational, and informative content.
Reviewed by:
Matt Whittle is a freelance writer and editor who has worked with higher education, health, and lifestyle content for eight years. His work has been featured in Forbes, Sleep.org, and Psychology.org. Matt has a Bachelor of Arts in English from Penn State University.
Matt brings experience taking complicated topics and simplifying them for readers of all ages. With Caring, he hopes to assist seniors in navigating the systems in place to receive the care they need and deserve. Matt is also a freelance composer — you may have heard his work in global online ad campaigns for various products.
Nursing home costs exceed those for other types of facilities due to their extensive services and support to residents with ongoing medical conditions. Factors such as location, included amenities, room options, and levels of care may determine if one nursing home costs more than another.
While Medicare offers short-term coverage for nursing home costs, Medicaid is typically a better option for long-term nursing home cost assistance. Private insurance or personal funds can also help cover the cost of nursing home care
Key Takeaways
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What Goes Into Costs
Nursing homes typically cost more than other types of senior living facility. According to CareScout's 2024 Cost of Care Report, the national median monthly cost for nursing home care in 2024 was $9,277/month for a semi-private room and $10,646/month for a private room. Though there are several reasons, these higher nursing home costs typically result from increased pay for staff.
Nursing home workers are medical professionals who have completed extensive training to earn required certifications or licensing. These highly skilled individuals must be available 24/7 to provide services to patients with serious or ongoing medical conditions.
In contrast, independent living costs an average of $3,065/month but does not offer personal or medical care to residents. Assisted living is also cheaper but primarily focuses on personal care. If a loved one with dementia also has a serious medical issue in addition to dementia, a memory care facility, while less expensive, will likely not treat the additional condition. The cost of a nursing home reflects the high level of medical care that is continually provided to the residents who live there.
In addition to direct medical care, nursing homes also provide the following:
- Round-the-clock resident supervision
- Help with personal care and everyday activities
- Rehabilitation services and therapies
- Three daily meals
- Social and enrichment activities
Nursing Home Costs By State
This map displays data from CareScout's Cost of Care Survey to help you compare the monthly median costs for nursing home care in each state. Figures for both private and semi-private rooms are included. Some states are more affordable than others, so consider location when researching available providers.
What's Included in Nursing Home Care?
Nursing homes offer residents 24/7 health care, which may include tube feedings, wound care, and the administration of potentially hazardous injectable medications. Staff members also assist with rehabilitative care such as physical, speech, and occupational therapy, along with bowel and bladder training.
Nursing home staff members work on-site to supervise residents 24/7 and offer assistance with daily tasks like eating, bathing, and toileting. Residents also receive three daily meals. Social and recreational activities, along with various on-site amenities, are also available for residents' enjoyment.
What Affects Nursing Home Cost?
Many factors influence nursing home costs, such as the facility's available amenities, types of rooms, and dining options. A facility's location and available levels of care may also influence overall nursing home costs.
Types of amenities
Nursing homes may be priced differently depending on whether they offer basic or more extensive amenities. Basic amenities offered by many facilities include:
- TV and phone
- Temperature control
- Emergency call system
- Assistive devices for safety
- Housekeeping and laundry
- Outdoor walking paths
- Fitness center
- Communal area for games, clubs, and art
- Dining areas
- Transportation
More expensive facilities may also offer these optional high-end amenities:
- Library
- On-site beauty salon and spa
- Medical ancillary services such as optometry or dentistry
- Clubrooms for games
- Heated therapy pool
- Landscaped gardens
Location
Nursing home costs vary significantly across the country and within each state. These variances may result from several factors, including the competitiveness of the local market. Since staff compensation is typically the primary contributor to higher nursing home costs, regional differences in salaries and benefits may also play a significant role in the price nursing home residents pay.
Room type
Nursing homes offer various room options to residents, including private and semi-private rooms. Private rooms are more expensive, while semi-private rooms are shared with other residents and carry lower nursing home costs.
Room size may also vary by facility, and larger rooms may cost more than smaller options. These spaces typically come with basic furniture, including a bed, table, dresser, and closet.
Food
More expensive nursing homes may offer bistro dining, a coffee bar, or private party dining services. However, all nursing homes must provide residents with a minimum of three daily meals that align with state and federal regulations.
Facilities that receive Medicare or Medicaid funding are required to follow Medicare and Medicaid guidelines to provide residents with a balanced diet that meets their nutritional needs. They must also accommodate various resident needs and follow their plan of care, including recommendations from physicians and dietitians.
Nursing homes must also provide appropriate meals for residents with certain medical diagnoses. Examples include low-sodium, potassium-rich, and mechanically altered (to assist with swallowing) diets.
Level of care required
Nursing home costs also increase with the level of care provided. Continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs), for example, offer various types and levels of care within the same facility.
Patients move through care levels as their needs change and their costs increase accordingly. Independent living is the lowest level of care and is the most affordable, while skilled nursing (the type of care offered in nursing homes) delivers the highest level of care and results in the highest costs.
Nursing home residents usually have extensive medical needs that keep them from living independently or receiving the care they need in other settings. They need the services and support provided by extensively trained physicians, registered nurses, certified nursing assistants, and physical therapists, among others.
Costs increase as care needs become more specialized. The number of available staff members can also raise nursing home costs, so make sure to consider staff-to-resident ratios as you research facilities.
Optional forms of care can also drive up costs. For example, approximately 15% of nursing homes have staff trained to assist patients with dementia. This type of care may be more expensive since it requires staff to undergo additional dementia-related training.
How to pay for nursing homes
Various options can help older adults cover the cost of nursing home care. Medicare covers a limited stay in a nursing home under certain conditions. Medicaid is another option with superior benefits and covers long-term care in a nursing home.
Medicaid eligibility primarily relates to financial need. These programs and other ways to cover nursing home costs can help seniors lower their overall financial burden.
Bottom Line
Nursing home costs are generally higher than costs for other types of facilities due to the greater level of services delivered by a staff of highly trained professionals.
Factors including location, amenities, room type, and more may determine whether a facility is more expensive than another nursing home. Medicare and Medicaid, as well as private insurance, can help with the cost of nursing home care.
Visit Caring.com's senior living resource hub for more information about nursing home care and other long-term care options for seniors.
Nursing Home Cost FAQ
Sources
- Comparing memory care & nursing homes: Differences in care, costs & Medicare's benefits. (2025). Dementia Care Control
- Cost of care report. (2025). CareScout
- Determination of applicability of $30 payment limit. (2023). Social Security Administration
- Does Medicare cover independent living? A comprehensive guide. (2025). National Council on Aging
- Friede, Sarah. (2023). The importance of managing labor cost for senior living. Health Dimensions Group
- How can I pay for nursing home care? (n.d.). Medicare.gov
- Long-term care facilities: Assisted living, nursing homes, and other residential care. (2023). National Institute on Aging
- Nursing home care. (n.d.). Medicare.gov
- Medicaid coverage of nursing home care | When, where, and how much they pay. (2024). American Council on Aging
- Medicaid eligibility: 2025 income, asset & care requirements for nursing homes & long-term care. (2025). American Council on Aging
- State operations manual. (2024). Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
- What happens to my SSI benefits if I go into a nursing home or hospital? (2024). Social Security Administration