The 5 Best Assisted Living Facilities in Sheridan, WY for 2023

Sheridan is the seat of Sheridan County and was previously listed as a top retirement destination. The rural community is on the small side, with less than 19,000 residents, including more than 3,500 seniors aged 65 or older. Sheridan lies in northern Wyoming on the Montana border and in the shadow of the Bighorn Mountains. Seniors who enjoy the tranquility of the great outdoors can take advantage of hiking trails, bird-watching, fly-fishing and the nearby national park. Sheridan is also a golfer’s haven with four championship golf courses, and its Old West-style downtown is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Seniors who require limited assistance with daily activities but want to remain as independent as possible often find what they need in an assisted living setting. The average cost of assisted living in Sheridan is $4,100, which is just slightly lower than the state average. It’s also less than the national average by several hundred dollars.

This guide provides an overview of assisted living in Sheridan, including cost comparisons of other nearby cities and other senior care options. It also offers some benefits and drawbacks of retiring in Sheridan and free aging-related resources.

Assisted living facilities in Sheridan and throughout the state fall under the administration of the Department of Health, Office of Healthcare Licensing and Surveys. The HLS office makes sure these facilities comply with all licensing requirements and follow set criteria to ensure quality care. Licenses may be denied, revoked or suspended for noncompliance with any licensure rules.

• Sheridan is a tax-friendly environment for seniors because Wyoming doesn’t have a state income tax. Therefore, retirees won’t pay income tax on any form of retirement income, including Social Security benefits, military pensions and withdrawals from 401(k)s.
• Seniors also benefit from lower-than-average state sales taxes, with the average combined state and local tax rate of 5.39%, the eighth-lowest in the nation. While the combined sales tax rate in Sheridan is a bit higher than the state average, it’s still low compared to the national average. In Sheridan, residents pay 4% for state taxes and 2% for Sheridan County taxes. The combined total of 6% is higher than 100% of Wyoming’s other cities and counties, but groceries and prescription drugs are tax-exempt.
• Seniors benefit from having a local hospital with 88 licensed beds. Sheridan Memorial Hospital is a progressive, state-of-the-art medical facility with a 24/7 emergency department. It also has a specialized cardiology center, a cutting-edge cancer treatment center, orthopedics experts and a full range of surgical and rehabilitation services. Veterans in Sheridan can also receive primary care at the Sheridan Veterans Affairs Medical Center.
• Less violent crime is a major plus for Sheridan residents. On a scale of 1 to 100, with 1 being ideal, Sheridan is rated a 10.6 for violent crime, less than half the national average of 22.7 and lower than the state average of 15.7. Sheridan’s property crime rate is 32.4, lower than the national average of 35.4 but higher than the state average of 28.5.
• Sheridan receives more snow than the national average, and winters can be frigid. It gets about 35 inches of snow compared to 28 inches nationally and has about 189 days each year with overnight lows below freezing. The coldest nighttime low in December is just under 10 degrees. On the flip side, summers tend to be pleasant, with low humidity and a July high around 87 degrees.

According to Genworth’s Cost of Care Survey, the average cost of assisted living in Sheridan is $4,100. This monthly cost is lower than the state average, but only by $75, and lower than the national average by $200.

Sheridan’s average cost of assisted living is lower than Cheyenne’s cost by $488 per month and substantially lower than Casper’s, by $1,450. Compared to neighboring cities just over the border in Idaho, it’s higher than Idaho Falls’ cost by $427 per month but lower than Pocatello’s by $325.

Depending on their level of care needs, seniors may want to compare assisted living costs with other types of senior care. The least amount of care is provided through adult day health care, which has the lowest monthly cost, at $2,080. Seniors wanting care at home pay a bit more, with an average cost of $5,139 for either homemaker services or home health aides. Nursing homes offer extensive care and higher price tags at about $7,756 per month for semiprivate rooms or $8,060 for private rooms.

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 Wyoming page.