Nursing Home Costs: What You Pay
A shared room in a nursing home runs about $9,581 a month nationally, and a private room about $10,798. Over a year that's $114,975 and $129,575. Those are medians, so half of facilities charge more, and the spread between states is very wide.
Figures are national medians from the CareScout Cost of Care Survey, data collected July to November 2025, the long-running survey now published by CareScout. Last verified July 30, 2026.
Most families reading this are working out how long savings will last, and what happens after that. The answer to the second half is usually Medicaid, so read how Medicaid pays for a nursing home alongside this page.
What does a nursing home cost per month?
| Type of care | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|
| Nursing home, shared room | $9,581 | $114,975 |
| Nursing home, private room | $10,798 | $129,575 |
| Assisted living | $6,200 | $74,400 |
| Home care, about 44 hours a week | $35 an hour | $80,080 |
A shared room is the realistic comparison for most families, because it's what Medicaid pays for and what most long-term residents use. The private-room premium is roughly $355 a day against $315, which compounds into real money over a multi-year stay.
What makes the price go up or down?
Location dominates everything else. The same standard of care can cost twice as much in one state as another, and costs inside a single state vary between a city and a rural county. A national median is a planning number, not a quote.
After location, the things that move the bill are the room type, how much hands-on help the resident needs, and whether they need a specialized memory-care unit, which typically carries a premium over standard nursing care.
What's included, and what isn't
The daily rate normally covers the room, meals, nursing care, help with daily activities, housekeeping and activities. What often arrives as a separate charge is medication, incontinence supplies, therapy beyond what insurance covers, a private phone or television, salon services, and transport to appointments.
Ask any facility for a written schedule of charges outside the daily rate before signing. The gap between the quoted rate and the actual monthly invoice is one of the most common unpleasant surprises families report.
Who actually pays these bills?
There are only four realistic payers, and most long stays end up at the last one:
- Private savings. The default at the start. At the median shared-room rate, $114,975 a year drains most retirement savings quickly.
- Long-term care insurance. Pays if a policy exists, usually with a daily cap and a waiting period before benefits start.
- Medicare. Only a short skilled-nursing stay after a qualifying hospital admission, never ongoing custodial care. See what Medicare covers.
- Medicaid. The main payer for long-term nursing-home care in the United States, once you meet the state's income and asset rules.
What if you can't afford it?
Apply for Medicaid sooner rather than later, and don't wait until savings are gone. Qualifying often takes longer than families expect, and the application date determines which bills can be covered.
Do not start giving money to family to get under the limit. Transfers made in the years before applying trigger a penalty period during which Medicaid pays nothing, which leaves the family paying privately at exactly the wrong moment. The rules on protecting assets explain what's genuinely allowed.
If a spouse is staying at home, the rules already protect them: they keep the house, a car, a protected share of savings and a minimum monthly income. Read what Medicaid counts as assets before assuming you're above the line.
Common questions
Why is a nursing home so expensive?
The daily rate covers around-the-clock staffing, nursing care, meals, housing and facility costs for a resident who needs help continuously. Labor is the largest component, which is why the price tracks local wages so closely.
How long does the average person stay?
Length of stay varies enormously, from a few weeks of recovery to several years of permanent care. Because a multi-year stay is a real possibility, plan for the long case rather than the average one.
Does Medicaid pay the full nursing home bill?
Medicaid pays the facility directly, but nearly all of the resident's own monthly income goes toward the cost first. The resident keeps only a small personal needs allowance, and Medicaid covers the remainder.
Can a nursing home make my children pay?
Some states have filial responsibility laws that in principle allow a facility to pursue adult children, and enforcement is rare but not unheard of. If a facility raises this, speak to an elder law attorney in your state.
Sources
- CareScout, "Cost of Care Survey," data collected July through November 2025, for every cost figure on this page.
- Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, "Updated 2026 SSI and Spousal Impoverishment Standards," CMCS Informational Bulletin, April 27, 2026.
Content on this site is general education, not legal, financial, or medical advice. Medicaid rules change and vary by state. Consult an elder law attorney or your state Medicaid agency about your situation.