The 10 Best Assisted Living Facilities in Muskegon, MI for 2023

Muskegon is known as Michigan’s port city due to the abundance of fishing, sailing regattas, cruise ship berths and commercial and pleasure craft boating in the city’s harbor. Almost 14% of Muskegon’s 36,500 residents are seniors aged 65 and over, and the area’s mild lakeshore climate and lively social scene encourage older adults to get out and spend time among their neighbors and friends. Michigan’s senior-friendly tax environment and relatively low cost of living help make Muskegon a popular place for seniors and their families to settle.

Seniors who need help with daily living activities may find what they’re looking for in one of Muskegon’s many assisted living communities. Trained caregivers help senior residents with personal care, meal preparation and transportation for personal errands and medical appointments. The average cost of assisted living in Muskegon is $3,500 per month. This is significantly lower than the statewide median of $4,200 and the national average of $4,300.

This guide provides an overview of assisted living costs in Muskegon and how those rates compare to costs in other nearby cities and other types of senior care. The guide also contains a list of free local resources that support seniors.

Assisted living communities in Muskegon are not licensed at the state level, although facilities that meet the state legislature’s guidelines may be overseen by the Department of Licensing & Regulatory Affairs, Bureau of Community & Health Systems, which regulates some residential care facilities and conducts inspections to ensure compliance.

• Muskegon has a typical lakeshore climate. It receives an average of 90 inches of snow between October and March, and its very mild summers have plenty of shore breezes. Rainfall is moderate in Muskegon, falling mainly in the spring and summer, and the abundance of sunny days provides plenty of opportunities for seniors to spend time outdoors.
• Muskegon is an exceptionally affordable place for seniors to live. The local cost of living is 25% lower than the national average. Healthcare costs, which may be of special concern to seniors, are roughly 11% lower in Muskegon than the national average.
• Muskegon has an average crime rate across most categories, with a higher than average rate of theft but relatively low rates for violent crime. Seniors in Muskegon’s assisted living communities are generally well protected against street crimes.
• Michigan can be a very senior-friendly state for seniors looking for low taxes and affordable retirement living. Michigan doesn’t tax earnings from Social Security, and there are substantial tax exemptions for most other types of retirement income. Sales tax in the state is generally low.
• Seniors can get around the Muskegon-Grand Rapids region at a discount, thanks to the Muskegon Area Transit System (MATS). MATS operates an on-demand shuttle service called Go2, which offers curb-to-curb transportation assistance for seniors and riders with limited mobility.
• Seniors in Muskegon have a lot of opportunities to enjoy local cultural events and public green spaces. Senior-friendly local events include the Lakeshore Arts Festival and the West Michigan Business and Crafts Fair. Outdoor recreation, including paddleboarding and tours of a WWII submarine in dock, can be found on the sugar sand beach of Pere Marquette Park, which is open to the public at no cost.

Assisted living in Muskegon costs an average of $3,500 per month, according to Genworth’s 2020 Cost of Care Survey. This is lower than the statewide and national averages of $4,200 and $4,300, respectively. 

At $3,500 per month, the cost of assisted living in Muskegon is well below the state and national averages, and it’s also one of the lowest monthly averages among all the urban areas in Michigan. Detroit averages $4,750 per month for assisted living, while Ann Arbor has the highest costs in the state at $5,590. Only Flint, at $3,669, comes close to matching Muskegon for price.

Assisted living is not the only senior care option in Muskegon. Seniors who need 24-hour supervision and care can move into a semiprivate room in a local nursing care home for an average monthly cost of $9,057, while private rooms cost $9,498. Less expensive options for seniors who need less supervision include homemaker and home health aide services, which cost an average of $5,243 per month each. Adult day health care is the cheapest option at $2,444 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 Michigan page.