New York comprises five boroughs and is located on the banks of the Hudson River on the eastern seaboard of the United States. The city is famous across the world for its high-end shops, broadway performances and fast-paced lifestyle. It has an estimated population of 8.8 million people and around 14.5% of residents are aged 65 and over. New York is considered one of the better cities to retire to thanks to its excellent healthcare system and range of activities available.
Assisted living facilities provide 24/7 support for seniors who are no longer capable of living alone but don’t require the full-time medical care of a nursing home. Caregivers assist seniors with the tasks of daily living such as bathing, grooming and driving. Seniors living in New York pay an average of $5,750 for assisted living each month. This is higher than the New York state monthly median of $4,580.
This guide offers an introduction to assisted living in New York City. It provides information on the costs of care, the benefits and drawbacks of retiring in New York and a list of free resources for seniors in the city.
333 West 86th Street, New York, NY, 10024
4.1
(40)
"My father lived in Atria for two years during Covid. The staff did an incredible job with a very tough client - really above and beyond. They also had an astounding success rate for containing Covid - at an assisted living facility in New York C..."
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139 East 56th Street, New York, NY, 10022
4.3
(4)
"Our 97 year old mother moved into Sunrise56 about 6 weeks ago and we could not be more pleased and impressed by everything about Sunrise. The staff is nothing short of amazing, in every possible measure: professional, kind, compassionate, patie..."
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2330 Broadway, New York, NY, 10024
"The Apsley is a new 19-story building with interiors designed by Champalimaud, renowned for its work on hospitality icons like The Carlyle i..."
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1844 2nd Avenue, New York, NY, 10128
4.3
(16)
"Our 88 year old father has been here for over a year now and just loves the Carnegie House East staff and his fellow residents. The food is great and the care he receives is always respectful. The activities director Scott is very engaged to make..."
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510 West 46th Street, New York, NY, 10014
5.0
(3)
"We went to the VillageCare at 46 & Ten. It's very clean. There's a lot of space and there are a lot of workers there for the residents. They have meal plans as well, which is good. I didn't have any dislikes. I didn't get to meet too many staf..."
READ MORE305 West End Avenue, New York, NY, 10023
5.0
(1)
"305 West End Assisted Living is an urban setting. It's assisted living. It's basically for people who need the extra care for assisted living. It's a big apartment building in New York; it is right on the river. It has two full floors for memory c..."
READ MORECaring's Family Advisors are here to help you with questions about senior living and care options.
404-412 W. 54 St.- Clinton Gardens, New York, NY, 10019
4.0
(1)
"as i was there to see my friend's relative, it was a good experience to visit there. i had visited it for the first time. i was happy to see the facilities there. the staff members there were very cooperative and helping. the staff members were al..."
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1261 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY, 10029
3.7
(3)
"I toured Vista on 5th. The facility is very clean, the staff is very, very polite, and answers your questions; that's what I liked about it. And the area looked safe. They have many activities. They go on trips. They do bingo nights, exercise nigh..."
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300 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY, 10023
3.2
(6)
"They took great care of my father. I cannot say enough about the caring nature of the staff. Three meals, all the personal care you need, and transportation to/from medical appointments are included, unlike many other places. As others have note..."
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351 River Road, Edgewater, NJ, 07020
4.2
(21)
"My uncle has been at Sunrise of Edgewater for 5 months now. It is a lovely assisted living facility with very caring and pleasant staff. He's been able to put on enough weight that he's much healthier. The facility is located close to stores and r..."
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631 Foster Avenue, Brooklyn, NY, 11230
3.7
(23)
"I visited Signature Senior Living down on Foster, but that is assisted living. I like it. It's good for people that need assistance, but right now, we don't need that assistance. They're very nice. The workers were great, but it's not for us. Ever..."
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505 West 35th Street, New York City, NY, 10001
5.0
(1)
"I toured Coterie Hudson Yards, but it's super expensive. What I liked the best about this place was that they had Michelin-star chefs cooking their meals, they had pretty much an entire floor that's dedicated to emergency medical care, and they ca..."
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3505 Bergen Turnpike, North Bergen, NJ, 07047
4.3
(3)
"Rooms are spacious and clean Staff is professional and friendly Bingo and other social activities Diverse community"
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80-08 45th Avenue, Elmhurst, NY, 11373
3.1
(9)
"the Facility is clean ,all new furniture , excellent staff. Welcoming "
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2830 Pitkin Avenue, Brooklyn, NY, 11208
2.9
(9)
"My sister has moved into Brooklyn Adult Care Center. So far, she's comfortable. She said that they treated them very well and every minute someone comes in and checks in on them. Every minute, someone will cross the corridor and knock on their doo..."
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5110 19th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY, 11204
3.5
(2)
"The Belvedere is located in the vibrant, bustling, and one-of-a-kind community of Brooklyn, New York. Our urban retirement village is surrou..."
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1622 York Avenue, New York City, NY, 10028
5.0
(1)
"We like the Bristal at York Avenue. We liked the rooms and we also liked that every floor had a communal area and a terrace on it for everybody to use. We also liked it because it was smaller. It was one of the smallest ones we saw. The others see..."
READ MOREThe New York State Department of Health oversees all assisted living facilities in New York City and across the state. The department is responsible for licensing and supervising assisted living facilities. It carries out regular planned and surprise inspections to ensure that facilities are abiding by state and federal rules and regulations.
Assisted living in New York costs an average of $5,750 per month, according to the Genworth Cost of Care Survey 2021. This is higher than both the New York state average of $4,580 and the national median of $4,500.
At $5,750 per month, New York is the third most expensive city in the state for assisted living. It is considerably cheaper than both Ithaca ($8,075) and Watertown ($8,415). The cheapest city in the state is Rochester, where the average senior pays $3,775 per month for assisted living.
New York City
$5,750
New York State
$4,580
The United States
$4,500
Ithaca
$8,075
Watertown
$8,415
Rochester
$3,775
Seniors living in New York have access to a range of senior care options aside from assisted living. Adult day care is the lowest cost option, at a monthly average of $1,950, and is ideal for seniors only requiring care during the working day. Home care and home health care have a monthly average cost of $5,529 and $5,720, respectively. At the upper end of the scale, nursing home care costs $12,471 for a semiprivate room and $13,231 for a private room each month. This type of care is best suited to frail seniors who require skilled nursing care 24/7.
Assisted living
$5,750
Adult day care
$1,950
Home care
$5,529
Home health care
$5,720
Nursing Home (semiprivate)
$12,471
Nursing Home (private)
$13,231
Beyond state Medicaid, the state of New York provides a couple waiver programs that help seniors afford their chosen assisted living facility. The Managed Long Term Care Waiver helps residents with payment in assisted living facilities and the Assisted Living Program helps those who qualify for nursing home care but want to live in an assisted living facility afford it.
Learn more about these programs, plus who’s eligible, on our Assisted Living in New York page.
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:
For more information about different ways to finance assisted living, visit our Assisted Living in New York page.
The city of New York offers a range of free resources for seniors in assisted living communities and those considering making the move. Non-profit organizations and government departments provide free services, recreational activities and information to support seniors in the city.
| Resource | Contact | Service |
|---|---|---|
| New York State Office for Aging | 1-844-6321 | The New York State Office for Aging is a government department that advocates for seniors in New York. Services offered include home-delivered meals, congregate meals for nutrition and socialization, transportation, caregiver support and wellness programs. The long-term care ombudsmen program educates seniors about their rights and helps to protect their rights in long-term care facilities such as assisted living communities and nursing homes. |
| New York City Department for the Aging | (212) 244-6469 | This government department provides a range of services to assist seniors. Some of the services offered include housing support, transportation to medical appointments, legal help, health insurance assistance, caregiver support and friendship programs. In addition, the department runs almost 250 senior centers located throughout the city. Free membership of the centers is available to anyone 60 and over. Some of the activities scheduled include art classes, day trips, exercise classes, nutrition education and live entertainment. |
| NYC Department of Veterans Services | (212) 416-5250 | The NYC Department of Veterans Services assists eligible seniors and their families to navigate the complex VA benefits system. A specially trained officer is available 24/7 to answer questions and provide support to veterans. These officers can help seniors apply for any benefits they may be eligible for such as VA medical care, pensions, disability compensation, and supplemental support. The VOLS Elderly Project provides free legal services to low-income veteran seniors in New York. |
New York Assisted Living Communities must adhere to the comprehensive set of state laws and regulations that all Assisted Living Facilities in New York are required to follow. Visit our Assisted Living in New York page for more information about these laws.
