The 10 Best Assisted Living Facilities in Ankeny, IA for 2024

Ankeny offers beautiful scenery and age-friendly recreational activities in the northern part of the Des Moines metro, making it a welcoming community for retirees. The cost of living is low in this city compared to national norms, and retiree-friendly tax laws support seniors' financial security throughout retirement. Ankeny also has numerous long-term care options, including several assisted living facilities, to meet the needs of its senior community, which accounts for a tenth of its estimated 72,000 residents.  

Assisted living is a preferred option for many active seniors who don't have medical needs but benefit from assistance with everyday activities. Facilities are staffed with highly trained caregivers who administer personalized care plans, and many have on-site amenities, such as swimming pools, private theaters and fitness centers. Residents enjoy daily meals, housekeeping services and recreational activities, and in many cases, pets are welcome. On average, seniors in Ankeny pay $4,803 per month for this level of care, which exceeds state and national norms. 

This guide provides an overview of some of the most common ways seniors pay for assisted living in Ankeny. It also highlights resources that help with long-term care planning.

Iowa’s Department of Inspections and Appeals, Health Facilities Division, licenses assisted living facilities in Ankeny and throughout the state. The department defines the scope of care facilities must provide and enforces rules related to care planning, staffing and staff training, nutrition services and recreational activities.

• Ankeny has a relatively low crime rate, making it an attractive option to seniors seeking a safe community. On a 100-point index that assigns higher scores to communities with more criminal activities, the city rates 11.3 for violent crime and 21.7 for property-related offenses. This is notably lower than the respective national norms of 22.7 and 35.4.
• Ankeny’s overall cost of living is well above the state norm but lower than the national average. On a cost of living index based on a national norm of 100, the city rates 92.2. This is 12 percentage points above Iowa’s average, mainly because local real estate is pricey compared to the rest of the state. Assisted living may be a good option for seniors who want to live in Ankeny but are concerned about housing costs.
• Ankeny’s weather is generally pleasant, earning the city a rating of 8.7 on a 10-point comfort index compared to a national score of 7.8. Temperatures range from 12 degrees in the winter to 86 in the summer, and while July can be muggy, humidity levels are typically low. Assisted living facilities organize a range of indoor and outdoor activities throughout the year, letting residents enjoy the city’s weather as much as possible.
• There are about 262 doctors per 100,000 people in the Ankeny region, which is about 25% more than the national average and may result in relatively short wait times to see primary care providers and specialists. While no hospitals are in the city proper, many assisted living facilities have on-site skilled nursing facilities and on-call physicians to promote access to medical care.

• Iowa doesn’t tax Social Security benefits, and those aged 55 and over are exempt from paying state income taxes on their retirement income, which can leave more money in the bank for long-term care expenses. While property taxes in this state are relatively high, seniors can avoid this by opting for assisted living.  

 

In Ankeny, assisted living residents pay $4,803 per month for care and housing.

Assisted living facilities in Ankeny charge monthly median rates of $4,803, which is several hundred dollars over the Iowa norm of $4,367 and the national average of $4,500. West of Ankeny in Cedar Rapids, rates are a little lower at $4,748 per month, and in Ames, located about 25 miles north of Ankeny, care costs are more economical at $4,655. In Waterloo, fees come in about $240 lower than in Ankeny, and in Iowa City, care costs are about $400 less.

With rates of $4,803 per month, assisted living is an economically priced long-term care solution compared to other senior care options. Seniors in residential facilities pay about $1,000 less than those who obtain private in-home care or home health care services. Nursing home care, which includes around-the-clock medical supervision and services, is even costlier at $7,148. Only adult day health care is more affordable than assisted living at $1,517 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 Iowa page.