The 3 Best Memory Care Facilities in Chittenden County, VT for 2024

Chittenden County is located along the east shore of Lake Champlain in northwest Vermont and is home to 156,545 residents, 11.3 percent of whom are seniors in the 65 and older age group. Some of these adults may even be included in the 13,000 Vermont seniors who have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, Huntington’s, or other cognitive impairments such as dementia, a number that’s expected to grow by more than 30 percent over the next few years. Chittenden County has three memory care facilities available to assist these seniors, all of which are in Essex and Shelburne.

In Chittenden County, as is the case in all of Vermont, memory care facilities are licensed by the state as either Assisted Living Residences (ALRs) or Residential Care Homes (RCHs).

• The cost of living in Chittenden County is 117, slightly higher than the U.S. average of 100. Although transportation and healthcare costs are below the national average, groceries and housing are higher at 104.3 and 150.8, respectively. The higher costs of groceries and housing could make the area unaffordable for seniors and their families.
  
• Chittenden County has good air quality with a rank of 77 on a scale where 100 represents the areas with the best air, almost 20 points higher than the average of 58. Seniors with breathing difficulties could have an easier time living in the county than in other areas of the state or country.
  
• Crime rates in Chittenden County are low, which might make the area attractive to seniors looking for facilities in safer areas. The county’s property crime rate is 10.1, and the property crime rate is 28, both lower than the national averages of 22.7 and 35.4, respectively.
  
• Vermont is not a tax-friendly state for seniors. While Social Security benefits are partially taxed, retirement savings account withdrawals and pensions are both fully taxed. Chittenden County seniors might want to take these tax laws into consideration when planning a move to a facility in the county.

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

Memory Care costs in Chittenden County start around $9,901 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 Chittenden 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 Vermont 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 Vermont page.

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