The 3 Best Assisted Living Facilities in Sequim, WA for 2023

The charming community of Sequim is known for its pleasant weather, fragrant lavender fields and beautiful parks, providing an engaging environment for retirees. It’s home to just 8,000 residents, but it has a very large senior community that accounts for over a third of the population. Many retirees choose this city for its modest cost of living and health care amenities, and its public transportation system offers outstanding safety and convenience for older adults who don’t drive.

Sequim also has numerous assisted living facilities to meet the needs of seniors seeking a low-maintenance lifestyle. This type of care costs $5,750 per month locally, which is high compared to the national average of $4,500 but $250 lower than the state median. The monthly rate covers housing, recreational activities, meals and housekeeping services. Many facilities also provide help with daily living activities such as bathing, dressing and eating.

Through this guide, readers can learn more about assisted living in Sequim, including how local rates compare to costs in nearby major cities and the most common ways seniors and families cover monthly care costs. The guide also breaks down the rules facilities follow regarding care planning, staffing and nutrition services.

Assisted living facilities in Sequim and the rest of Washington comply with regulations set by the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services, Aging and Long-Term Support Administration. This department enforces rules regarding when facilities do and do not require licensing. It also has guidelines related to medication management, nutrition services and staffing.

• Clallam Transit operates over a dozen bus routes in the Sequim region, helping seniors who don’t drive to attend errands and medical appointments. In addition to its regular service, it operates Clallam Connect, a paratransit service that provides ADA-accessible door-to-door transportation services for seniors.
• There are no hospitals in Sequim proper, but residents can obtain care from nearly two dozen major medical facilities that are within driving distance. Jefferson Healthcare Medical Center in Port Townsend and Olympic Medical Center in Port Angeles are the closest options, at about 15 miles from the city center. Health care costs in this city are relatively affordable at 20% below the national norm.
• The air quality is very good in Sequim, which may promote a therapeutic environment for older adults. Ozone pollution, which includes emissions from smokestacks and tailpipes, is present at very low levels, with the American Lung Association giving the community an A for this category of pollution.
• Washington is among the handful of states in the nation that doesn’t impose an income tax, meaning seniors are only taxed at the federal level on their government and veterans’ benefits, withdrawals from retirement accounts and stock dividends. The state offsets this through moderate property taxes and a high sales tax rate, but seniors may have greater control over monthly expenditures by opting for residential care.
• On a cost of living index based on a norm of 100, Sequim rates about 12 percentage points below the state average. Local utility costs and transportation expenses are low, but houses cost about 55% more here than in a typical U.S. city. This may make assisted living a sensible alternative to owning a home.
• Sequim has a mild climate, with average temperatures ranging from 36 degrees in the winter to 70 degrees in the summer. The city gets just two inches of snow and 23 inches of rain, and it sees some type of precipitation 140 days per year. Assisted living residents have access to indoor and outdoor recreational activities throughout the year, helping them remain active.

In Sequim, assisted living residents pay approximately $5,750 per month for services.

Assisted living rates in Sequim average $5,750 per month, which is affordable compared to the statewide norm of $6,000 but $1,250 higher than the national average. The city is an affordable alternative to Seattle, where assisted living facilities charge $6,750 per month, but other nearby cities may have more cost-effective care. In Longview, rates are well below Sequim’s average at $5,300, and in Yakima, seniors pay just $4,975 for care. Prospective assisted living residents may save about $950 per month in Olympia as an alternative to Sequim.

In Sequim, assisted living is the most cost-effective long-term care option, with residents paying an estimated $5,750 per month for care. This is well below the norm for nonmedical in-home care, which costs $6,673, as well as skilled home health care, which averages $7,007. Nursing homes, which are for those who need round-the-clock medical care and monitoring, charge average rates of $10,479 for semiprivate accommodations.

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.