The Best Memory Care Communities in Rockingham County, NH

New Hampshire is home to just over 1.3 million residents, and of this population, approximately 24,000 individuals have Alzheimer's disease. Rockingham County, located on New Hampshire's coastal region, has approximately 53,487 seniors aged 65 or over, which is about 17.3 percent of the county's total population. To support the residents of Rockingham County who may have Alzheimer's or dementia, there are five memory care facilities, with two located in Salem, one in Rye, one in Portsmouth and one in Deerfield.

In Rockingham County as in the rest of New Hampshire, assisted living residences (ALRs) have special provisions that provide specialized memory care for its residents. For example, ALRs with fewer than 16 residents are required to install a wandering prevention system if staff do not work overnight shifts. 

• On Sperling's Comfort Index, Rockingham County ranks at 42 out of 100. While the area has very pleasant summers, as the average high is about 82 degrees, winters can be difficult for those seniors who find winters challenging, as Rockingham County receives an average of 55 inches of snow each year.
• The cost of living in Rockingham County is a bit above both the state average and national average, so seniors may want to keep this in mind when looking for housing here. On an index that takes into account the cost of housing, groceries, utilities and healthcare, Rockingham County has an overall score of 130. New Hampshire's average is 114, and the national average is 100.
• Seniors can feel relatively safe living in Rockingham County, as the violent and property crime rates are quite low. On a scale of 1 (low crime) to 100 (high crime), Rockingham County is at 8.4 for violent crime and 18.8 for property crime. These numbers are both below state and national averages.
• New Hampshire is considered to be very tax-friendly towards seniors. The state does not have sales tax or income tax, and it does not tax Social Security income, withdrawals from retirement accounts, nor pensions, both public and private.

Note: Data on this page was updated in 2019 and based on the latest 2018 figures.

Memory Care costs in Rockingham County start around $6,644 per month on average, while the nationwide average cost of memory care is $5,694 per month.

It’s important to note that memory care rates in Rockingham County 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.

Learn more about these programs, plus who’s eligible, on our Memory Care in New Hampshire page.

While many families use their own funds or personal assets to pay for memory care, there are plenty of additional options to cover these costs. Some additional ways to finance memory care costs include:

• Veterans Benefits
• Life Insurance Policy
• Long-Term Care Insurance
• Reverse Mortgage

For more information about different ways to finance memory care, visit our Memory Care in New Hampshire page.

Rockingham County-area memory care communities must adhere to the comprehensive set of state laws and regulations that all memory care communities in New Hampshire are required to follow. Visit our Memory Care in New Hampshire page for more information about these laws.