The costs of senior housing options vary, across the country and even within states. Seniors Guide looks at the states with more affordable senior living, specifically in assisted living and skilled nursing care.
Updated on April 1, 2026
Americans are forward thinkers. of us have been saving money for our post-career plans since the beginning of our careers. According to the Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies, most of us start saving for retirement at about age 25. And by the time Americans reach their sixties, the median amount households have saved for retirement is $172,000. “Half of Americans ages 55 to 64 with retirement accounts have saved more than $185,000, while half have saved less,” reports Synchrony, though “roughly 4 out of 10 Americans ages 45 to 64 have no IRA or employer-sponsored account.”
Money saved in personal retirement accounts are only one part of retirement income, though. Other sources of income for retirees include Social Security, assets, pension, contemporaneous earnings, veterans’ benefits, and public assistance.
Expenses
Housing is the largest expense for seniors at 36%, reports Investopedia. Other expenses include transportation (15% to 16%), food (12% to 13%) ), health care (also 12% to 13%), and all other expenses (entertainment, insurance, etc., at about 23% to 25%).
If you’re looking into senior housing, such as assisted living and skilled nursing facilities, you’ve probably seen that the costs of senior housing options vary quite a bit, across the country and even within states. According to Genworth-CareScout Cost of Care for 2025, the average monthly cost at an assisted living facility in the U.S. is $6,200. Per year, that comes to $74,400. The price rises as the level of care rises. The average monthly cost of a semi-private room in a skilled nursing facility is $9,581, which is $114,975 a year.
However, some states are markedly more affordable than others. The South has the most affordable senior living costs, with the Midwest coming in just behind. The Northeast has several of the most expensive states. Here are the most affordable states for senior living, based on each state’s average cost of an assisted living facility and the average cost of a semi-private room in a skilled nursing facility.
More Affordable Senior Living
As of 2025, Mississippi has the least expensive average assisted living costs at $4,369 per month ($52,425 per year), followed closely by Alabama at $4,425 monthly ($53,100 annually). In the Midwest, Arkansas averages $4,637 monthly ($55,644 annually) and South Dakota averages $4,900 per month ($58,800 per year).
States vary among average costs of assisted living and semi-private nursing home rooms. In other words, a state that has the most affordable assisted living communities may not have the most affordable nursing homes. If you need to move from one to the other, you may not want to leave the state.
For example, while Texas barely makes the Top 10 for annual assisted living cost, at $5,666 per month ($67,992 annually), the cost of a semi-private nursing home room is the lowest, at $5,627 monthly ($67,525 annually).
Other states with the most affordable costs for semi-private nursing home rooms are Alabama in the South at $8,334 per month ($100,010 annually) and Missouri in the Midwest $6,741 monthly ($80,893 annually).
The Most Expensive
For comparison, two of the most expensive states for senior housing are New Hampshire and New Jersey. In New Hampshire, expect to pay, on average, $8,025 per month for assisted living ($96,300 annually). The average monthly cost for a semi-private room in a skilled nursing facility is $12,243 (which comes to $146,913 per year). New Jersey costs come in at $8.710 per month ($104,520 per year), and a semi-private room in a skilled nursing facility costing more, at $12,775 per month, or $153,300 annually.
Other Factors to Keep in Mind
These average costs are just the beginning as you calculate senior living expenses. Different facilities offer different amenities, which affects their cost. The level of care provided also makes a difference, with specialized care like memory and Alzheimer’s care raising the cost in terms of affordable senior living.
Even being a different part of the state affects the cost of the housing. In Missouri, for example, average yearly costs for assisted living range from $36,000 per year in Joplin to $72,600 in St. Louis.
Consider quality of care in your decision-making process. Texas, for example, has the lowest average cost of a nursing home room, but it also has a poor reputation for quality care. Of course, this can vary among facilities as well.
Moving to a new state for senior living and care is a huge decision. By researching your options, you can choose wisely.
