The 10 Best Assisted Living Facilities in Olympia, WA for 2023

Located at Puget Sound’s southern end, Olympia is Washington’s capital and one of its top 5 retirement destinations. According to the 2020 Census, an above-average 18.4% of its 55,605 residents are in the 65 and older age group. Olympia is a cultural hub with a historic downtown district and is popular with seniors who delight in unspoiled nature. The Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge, Mima Mounds and Tumwater Falls Park are particularly popular. It’s also tax-friendly and has an overall cost of living index 38.4% below Seattle’s.

Seniors struggling to perform everyday tasks, such as bathing and dressing, may find assisted living is the solution. Staff help residents with daily activities and take care of other common duties, such as room cleaning, laundry and making meals. Managers organize social calendars that include mentally and physically stimulating entertainment, including indoor group activities and day trips. Olympia’s median fee for assisted living is almost 20% below the state average, at $4,805 per month.

This guide considers the advantages and disadvantages of Olympia and its assisted living costs compared to nearby cities and other types of senior care. It also lists some useful free resources.

The Aging and Long-Term Support Administration, a Washington State Department of Social and Health Services division, licenses the state’s assisted living facilities. Successful license applicants have satisfied the division’s strict criteria on a range of matters, including health and safety, fire safety, and staff training. The division routinely monitors facilities to ensure they continue to comply with license conditions.

• Olympia has an abundance of well-regarded medical facilities, so most seniors will only be minutes from the nearest facility. They include St. Peter Hospital, Capital Medical Center and West Olympia Medical Center. There are also an above-average number of physicians registered to care for Medicare beneficiaries. 
• Crimes involving violence and property are above-average in Olympia and more concentrated in districts bordering East Bay and West Bay. Other neighborhoods experience lower rates of crime. Seniors concerned about crime should know assisted living facilities typically have state-of-the-art security systems, with many including surveillance cameras, and all with staff on-site 24/7. 
• According to Sperling’s BestPlaces, Olympia has an excellent health cost index of 78.4. This is due to many factors, including relatively good air and water quality, significant work to reduce the amount of contaminated land and below-average health care costs.
• A major factor in Olympia’s appeal is its average cost of living index of 106.1, which is much lower than Washington’s 118.7. This suggests seniors’ money goes further in the city than most locations in the state. Housing costs skew the figures somewhat, but several regular costs are more affordable, such as transportation.
• It can get cold in Olympia in winter, with January’s temperatures averaging 34 degrees, and rainfall is around 15 inches more than the national average of 38. However, summer is more comfortable, with temperatures averaging a pleasant 77 degrees in July. 
• Although the combined overall sales tax in Olympia is an above-average 9.4%, the city is considered tax-friendly for seniors. This is due to Washington being a no income tax state, which means it doesn’t tax Social Security, pensions or retirement accounts, allowing seniors to hold on to more of their earnings. 
• Seniors with disabilities unable to use Intercity Transit’s fixed route buses may be eligible for Dial-a-Lift, a door-to-door shared ride service. An endorsement from a licensed medical provider or qualified service provider is required before the senior can use the service. 

Olympia’s median fee of $4,805 is $305 more per month than the U.S. average but is significantly more affordable than Washington’s norm of $6,000. Seniors may find costlier and more affordable facilities in Olympia, as multiple factors determine fees, particularly location and amenities provided. 

With fees averaging $4,805 per month, seniors are likely to find Olympia’s assisted living facilities more affordable. Yakima’s median of $4,975 is the only fee that comes close, but it’s still another $170 per month (or $2,040 when calculated annually). Median fees in other nearby cities are much higher, such as Longview ($5,300), Bremerton ($5,750) and Seattle ($6,750).

Adult day health care’s monthly fee of $1,625 is the most affordable in Olympia, which is expected as services are non-medical and don’t include accommodation. Assisted living provides the same services, as well as a comfortable room, three meals per day and social activities, which reflects its median fee of $4,805. In-home care and home health care deliver non-medical and medical services, respectively, for the same average fee of $6,673. This is significantly more than assisted living and doesn’t include the senior’s home maintenance costs

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 Washington page.