The 10 Best Assisted Living Facilities in New Castle, PA for 2024

New Castle is a vibrant city near the Pennsylvania-Ohio border with about 22,000 residents, including 17% of whom are age 65 and over. Its low cost of living makes it a financially feasible option for individuals seeking long-term retirement solutions, and comfortable weather supports an active lifestyle. The city also has high access to affordable health care, further promoting the financial stability of its older residents.

In addition to these benefits, New Castle has several assisted living facilities. These facilities are primarily for seniors who need help with daily living activities such as meal preparation and personal care. Many facilities have amenities such as hair salons and fitness centers, and some accommodate pets. Monthly rates vary considerably based on how many residents a facility has and the range of amenities available, but on average, seniors in New Castle pay $4,783 for care. This is hundreds of dollars higher than respective state and national norms of $4,100 and $4,500.

This guide provides more cost comparisons to help seniors find the best long-term care solution for their budgets, and it highlights common ways to pay for services. It also lists resources that support current and prospective assisted living residents.

In New Castle, assisted living facilities comply with minimum standards set by the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services. This department licenses assisted living facilities and enforces rules related to staff training, building features and care planning. It also administers tests to caregivers to ensure competency, and it fields and reviews complaints related to care quality.

 

• Health care costs in New Castle are about 14% lower than in the nation as a whole, providing potential savings on services such as inpatient care, dental exams and doctor’s office visits. UPMC Jameson, a full-service community hospital, is located in the city proper and provides senior care, rehabilitation services and emergency care. Additionally, many assisted living facilities have on-call physicians and telemedicine services.
• Pennsylvania’s state income tax laws are very friendly toward retirees, which may leave more money in the bank for long-term care expenses. The state doesn’t tax Social Security benefits or withdrawals from retirement accounts, and pension income is tax-exempt for all taxpayers aged 60 and over.
• The overall cost of living in New Castle is about 27% lower than the national norm and 23% lower than the state norm, which may make it a financially viable option for those living with fixed incomes.
• Historically, crime occurs at a higher frequency in New Castle than in a typical U.S. city. A 100-point crime index shows a violent crime score of 30.5 and a property crime rating of 51.4. By comparison, the national respective norms are 22.7 and 35.4. The rates for both types of crime have been decreasing for about a decade, which may provide peace of mind to prospective assisted living residents.
• On a 10-point comfort index, New Castle has a high rating of 9 versus the national rating of 7.8, indicating that its weather is pleasant compared to nationwide norms. Year-round temperatures range from an average January low of 18 degrees to an average July high of 83 degrees, and the city gets about 41 inches of rain and 35 inches of snow. Many assisted living facilities feature individual climate control in residents’ rooms, promoting year-round comfort.

 

On average, seniors in New Castle pay $4,783 per month for assisted living.

In New Castle, assisted living residents pay an average of $4,738 per month for housing and custodial care. This exceeds the state norm by about $600, and it’s about $200 higher than the national average. While seniors in Chambersburg typically pay even more for care, with local care costs averaging $4,823, other nearby cities may be more affordable for those seeking residential services. In Altoona, for example, care costs are about $700 less on average than in New Castle, and in Pittsburgh and Johnstown, respective rates are even lower, averaging $3,250 and $2,725.

At a median of $4,728 per month, assisted living is among the more expensive senior care options in New Castle. While nursing home care costs more, with monthly rates starting at $7,543, other alternatives may have lower monthly rates. Seniors who arrange private in-home care and home health care pay an average of $4,290 for services while those who attend adult day health care pay around $1,842.

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 Pennsylvania page.