
17 Assisted Living Facilities near Charleston, SC
Also serving communities of Johns Island.
There are 17 Assisted Living Facilities in the Charleston area, with 9 in Charleston and 8 nearby.
The average cost of assisted living in Charleston is $3,608 per month. This is higher than the national median of $3,500. Cheaper nearby regions include North Charleston with an average starting cost of $3,580.
To help you with your search, browse the 129 reviews below for assisted living facilities in Charleston. On average, consumers rate assisted living in Charleston 4.3 out of 5 stars. Better rated regions include North Charleston with an average rating of 4.4 out of 5 stars.
Caring.com has helped 11 families in Charleston find high-quality senior care. To speak with one of our Family Advisors about assisted living options and costs in Charleston, call (855) 863-8283.
Top 10 Assisted Living Facilities in Charleston, SC
Brookdale West Ashley
Harmony at West Ashley
Palmettos of Charleston
Savannah Place
Summit Place of Daniel Island
Ashley River Plantation
Wellmore of Daniel Island
The Bridge at Charleston
Benton House of West Ashley
Somerby of Mount Pleasant
Franke Home at Seaside
Ashley Landing Assisted Living
Sandpiper Courtyard Assisted Living
Atria Mount Pleasant - Now Open
The Palms of Mt. Pleasant
Sweetgrass Village
What to Consider About Assisted Living in Charleston
Charleston, South Carolina, rests along the Atlantic coast, making it a prime location for seniors to enjoy the freshest seafood and relaxing cool ocean breezes. For seniors who reside in assisted living facilities, the city offers a bounty of day trip opportunities for entertainment and exercise. Assisted living communities in South Carolina are regulated by the Board of Health and Environmental Control and are defined as residences that provide housing, meals, and a degree of personal care for two or more adults that are not related to the owner. The city has eight assisted living facilities and there are another seven in the area.
Benefits and Drawbacks of Assisted Living in Charleston
- The Charleston area has the perfect climate for seniors looking for warmer temperatures. Summers in the city are humid but temperatures rarely rise above 100 degrees, thanks partially to the ocean breezes. Winters are mild.
- Seniors living in Charleston experience less violent crime than the state of South Carolina and U.S. averages. The city has a violent crime rate 15.8 lower and a property crime rate 15.8 less than the state average.
- Charleston has a high tax rate. The sales tax is 2.5 percent higher than that of the nation and income tax is 2.4 percent more than the United States. South Carolina does exempt all taxes for Social Security retirement income, and offers substantial deductions for seniors receiving other types of retirement income.
- The Charleston area is home to world-class medical facilities, including Roper Hospital, in the event of medical emergencies or illness.
- With a cost of living index of 115.1, Charleston is much higher than both the South Carolina and U.S. averages. Seniors can expect to pay higher rates for both groceries and health care than in other parts of the nation and state.
- Charleston's public transportation is provided by the Charleston Area Regional Transportation Authority (CARTA). They offer fixed bus routes and other transportation services for the entire Charleston area. CARTA offers discounted rates for seniors.
Paying for Assisted Living in Charleston
Average Monthly Costs
Cities in South Carolina
Assisted Living costs in Charleston start around $3,742 per month on average, while the nationwide average cost of assisted living is $4,000 per month, according to the latest figures from Genworth’s Cost of Care Survey.
It’s important to note that assisted living rates in Charleston and the surrounding suburbs can vary widely based on factors such as location, the level of care needed, apartment size and the types of amenities offered at each community.
Financial Assistance for Assisted Living in Charleston
South Carolina covers assisted living services through the Medicaid State Plan, for those who qualify.
Learn more about these programs, plus who’s eligible, on our Assisted Living in South Carolina page.


More Ways to Pay for Assisted Living
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 South Carolina page.
Free Assisted Living Resources in Charleston
Charleston and the surrounding area are home to numerous government agencies and non-profit organizations offering help for seniors searching for or currently residing in an assisted living community. These organizations can also provide assistance in a number of other eldercare services such as geriatric care management, elder law advice, estate planning, finding home care and health and wellness programs.
To see a list of free assisted living resources in Charleston, please visit our Assisted Living in South Carolina page.
Assisted Living Laws and Regulations in Charleston
Charleston-area assisted living communities must adhere to the comprehensive set of state laws and regulations that all assisted living communities in South Carolina are required to follow. Visit our Assisted Living in South Carolina page for more information about these laws.


Assisted Living near Charleston, SC
Other Options in Charleston, SC
Recent Reviews of Assisted Living in Charleston
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Review of The Bridge at Charleston
The Bridge had just hired new management/Directors by the time I contacted them at the end of October. I moved my parents into The Bridge because they were very unhappy at another assistant living ... Read more
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Review of Savannah Place
I have moved my mom into Savannah Place. The staff that is responsible for it, I like her a lot, and that was the deciding factor. She did what she said she would do right away. She assured me that... Read more
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Review of Wellmore of Daniel Island
We have chosen Wellmore of Daniel Island for my mother-in-law. Well, she's from Daniel Island, and she's familiar with the area. She's still able to get around a little bit, and so we figured it wo... Read more
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Assisted Living near Charleston County, SC
More Options Near Charleston, SC
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How much is assisted living in SC?
According to Genworth’s 2019 Cost of Care Survey, assisted living in the state averages at $3,500 a month, about $500 less than the national average. In Charleston, the average is $3,590 a month.
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How large is Charleston?
The 2018 US Census discovered that in Charleston, there is an estimated 136,208 residents. Of these, 13.9% are over the age of 65. There were 8,892 veterans living in the city in 2018. Given the city’s size of 108.9 square miles, there are about 1,000 residents per square mile in Charleston.
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Does Medicaid cover assisted living in South Carolina?
Residents that qualify for Medicaid may be eligible for coverage of services provided while in assisted living. To qualify, a resident of South Carolina must be in need of nursing care services for more than thirty days, and a single person can make no more than $2,313 a month in 2019, or $3,160 for a married couple. The facility must be certified to accept payments from Medicaid, and this program will not help pay for room and board, or food and other costs associated with services not related to healthcare.
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How do you pay for assisted living facilities?
Many people pay for the cost of long-term care through retirement plans and pensions sponsored by their employers or using self-funded retirement plans. Another option to save money for retirement is by paying for long-term care (LTC) insurance, offered on the open market as well as insured through LongTermCare.gov, the US-bank insured option for LTC insurance. If you own a home, it may be possible to leverage equity against the value of your assets to help pay for long-term care.
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What is the average cost of a nursing home in South Carolina?
According to the Genworth 2019 Cost of Care Study, the average monthly rate for nursing home care in Charleston is $7,361 a month. This is slightly higher than the state average of $7,123. Across the US, the monthly average for a semi-private room in a nursing home is $7,513.
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How much does a retirement home cost per month?
The monthly rent for a retirement home is simply the cost of living in the apartment, and it depends on the type of community you choose. In South Carolina, the state average for rent for a studio apartment is $567. Many retirement homes start their rent for studio apartments in this range and charge for additional services like meals and housekeeping.
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How much is assisted living monthly?
The average monthly cost of assisted living will vary depending on the area in which you choose to live. Across the state, the average is $3,500 a month. In Charleston, the monthly average is $3,590. Nearby towns, as of 2019, cost on average:
- In Hilton Head Beach, slightly south of Charleston, the monthly average is $4,184
- To the north, Myrtle Beach averages at $4,050 a month
- Sumster, in the north-central area of the state, comes in at the lowest price of $1,775
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How much does it cost to live in an independent living facility?
Independent living facilities in South Carolina vary depending on the area, and can cost from an average of $1,987 in Easley, to $3,147 in Spartanburg.
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Does assisted living include meals?
State regulations require that at least three nutritious meals are provided each day for every resident. Many facilities offer additional dining services, and the option for residents to bring guests to meals with them. Because dining together is such a great way to connect with neighbors, many facilities offer a free meal in their dining areas during tours so that prospective residents can get a feel for the facilities’ mealtimes.
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How long does the average person stay in assisted living?
The average length of a stay in assisted living is 22 months long, but this varies widely depending on an individual’s condition.
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What's the difference between assisted living and independent living?
Independent living communities are designed for seniors who can perform most daily tasks on their own, though the communities typically provide access to medical assistance and personal care services which residents are able to pick and choose a la carte. Residents only pay for only the services they require. This helps people needing only some assistance and chore help to save money on retirement costs. ALFs, on the other hand, typically include assistance with ALFs in their monthly fees and are designed for residents who need more daily assistance.
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Is assisted living more expensive than independent living?
The cost for personal care provided in an assisted living facility poses an extra cost. Independent living averages at $2,312 a month in South Carolina, which is much more affordable than the $3,500 average cost of assisted living across the state.
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What kind of care does assisted living provide?
Assisted living services in South Carolina must include personal housekeeping and laundry services as well as meals. People living in these facilities are able to access help with any activities of daily living (ADLs) they are unable to complete on their own, which includes:
- Walking
- Grooming activities like bathing, shaving, and brushing teeth
- Eating
- Mobility, including getting in or getting out of bed
- Toileting
- Managing money
- Chore help and laundry service
- Shopping
- Medication management
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What defines assisted living?
Assisted living is called Community Residential Care Facility (CRCF) in South Carolina. These facilities are defined as providers of room and board as well as personal care services for people over the age of 18 who are unrelated to the director. There are a number of rules that these centers must follow to preserve the dignity and safety of residents, including serving three nutritious meals a day and maintaining clean facilities and apartments.
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How do I know someone is close to death?
As people approach the end of their lives, the way their body experiences that final transition may not be similar to another person’s experience. The best way to care for someone as they approach the end of their life is to invest in the care of a trusted hospice professional, who can guide the ailing with comfort, as well as their family and friends during their grieving process. Many assisted living facilities provide hospice services, such as maintaining physical care as needed in addition to room and board. Residents are able to contract with hospice care providers that can come to an assisted living facility and provide services, or residents may choose to move to another place to live during this time, as it tends to pose unique issues to residents that assisted living facilities might be unable to care for safely.
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Who qualifies for assisted living?
In South Carolina, regulations state that a facility may only care for people whose needs they can adequately meet. If a person is suffering from dementia or behavioral issues that endanger themselves or others, a facility must be licensed to handle that type of behavior and provide a special unit for residents with this issue.
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Can Social Security pay for assisted living?
Social Security Income (SSI) can be used to pay for assisted living services. In South Carolina, residents that qualify for SSI (with the exception of the income restriction) may receive an Optional State Supplemental Program (OSSP) payment to help pay for assisted living services. In 2019, the maximum payment for an elderly person was $771, and $1,157 for a married couple.
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Can I afford assisted living?
In South Carolina, assisted living services costs an average of $42,000 a year. If you have paid for long-term care insurance, or have enough money in your retirement portfolio to fund this cost, then it might be a good idea to consider assisted living.
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What is the difference between Type A and Type B assisted living?
In some places, assisted living homes are classified by Type A and Type B, depending on whether or not they provide care for people in need of 24-7 security and monitoring. Memory care facilities offer Type B assisted living services, and many assisted living facilities offer a memory care unit in addition to their Type A non-memory care resident space.