The 10 Best Assisted Living Facilities in Friendswood, TX for 2023

Friendswood is located in the northwest corner of Galveston County, and it’s the only permanent Texas town that began as a Quaker colony. Home to over 41,000 residents, including more than 5,800 seniors aged 65 and older, Friendswood boasts a hometown atmosphere with beautiful parks and abundant trees. Because Friendswood is situated between Galveston and Houston, seniors have access to numerous cultural and recreational attractions for themselves or visiting grandchildren. In less than an hour, they’ll find amusement parks, zoos, major league sporting events, museums, ballet, opera, theaters, NASA and Galveston Beach.

Seniors who wish to retain their independence but require some assistance with daily living tasks may find what they need in an assisted living environment. The average cost of assisted living in Friendswood is $4,750 per month, which is significantly higher than the state average. It’s also higher than the national average but to a lesser degree.

The guide discusses assisted living in Friendswood. It covers cost comparisons with other Texas cities and senior care options. It also lists the benefits and drawbacks of retiring in Friendswood and several free resources to help seniors stay active and engaged.

Assisted Living facilities are overseen by Texas Health and Human Services, which regulates and inspects these facilities in Friendswood and throughout the state. The department regulates the construction, maintenance, and operation of assisted living facilities to ensure the health, safety, welfare, and dignity of each resident.

• Texas is often on the least tax-friendly state list, but it’s because of high property taxes. Seniors in assisted living normally won’t pay these taxes and benefit from there being no state income tax. Seniors in Friendswood enjoy tax-exemptions on Social Security benefits and all other forms of retirement income.
• Texas’ sales tax is 6.25% and localities can add up to 2%. Most groceries, prescription and nonprescription drugs are exempt from the state sales taxes. Galveston County doesn’t charge sales taxes, but Friendship adds the maximum allowed. Friendship’s sales tax rate is 8.25%. Groceries are tax exempt in Friendswood, but other state tax-exempt items may incur the 2% local sales tax.
• Although Friendswood doesn’t have a local hospital, several hospitals are only about four miles away, including the regionally ranked HCA Houston Healthcare Clear Lake. It has an on-site emergency department, cardiac ICU and medical surgical ICU and was rated high performing in treating heart failure, heart attack, kidney failure, stroke, diabetes and COPD.
• The cost of living in Friendswood is 9% higher than the national average, but average costs on things often important to seniors aren’t much higher. Groceries almost mirror the national average and health care costs are only 1% higher. The inflated overall cost is primarily due to home prices that are nearly 30% higher than the national average.
• Friendswood has an extremely low crime rate, making seniors feel safer in their community. On a scale from one to 100, with one indicating the lowest crime rate, Friendswood receives an 8.6 for violent crime and an 18.2 for property crime. Comparatively, the national averages are 22.7 and 35.4, respectively.
• Friendswood has a wet climate and receives an average of 55 inches of rain annually, compared to 38 inches nationally. It doesn’t see any snow and the average January low is 44 degrees, which is great for seniors who are tired of harsh winters. The national averages are about 28 inches of snow and a low of less than 22 degrees.

According to Genworth’s Cost of Care Survey, the average cost of assisted living in Friendswood is $4,750 per month. While this is only $450 higher than the national average of $4,300, it’s $752 higher than the state average of $3,998.

Assisted living costs in surrounding cities vary greatly. Costs in Beaumont are $1,160 lower than in Friendswood at $3,590, but only $500 lower in Austin at $4,250. In contrast, the average in College Station is $605 higher at $5,355, while the rate in Victoria is $775 higher at $5,525 per month. 

Seniors may also want to compare other types of senior care to determine the ideal type based on their income and level of need. Adult day health care provides minimal assistance at the lowest price point, which is $1,138. Receiving care at home costs less than assisted living at $4,290 for homemaker services or home health aides. Nursing home facilities have the highest rates but provide the highest level of care. Semiprivate rooms run about $5,627 per month, while private rooms cost about $7,635. 

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 Texas page.