COST OF CARE
What care costs — the real national numbers
These are national median figures from the CareScout / Genworth Cost of Care Survey (2024 & 2025) — a starting point, not a quote. What you actually pay depends on where you live, how many hours of care are needed, and the provider.
| Type of care | Per month | Per year | How the figure is set |
|---|---|---|---|
| In-home care (non-medical caregiver) | — | $80,080 | Derived from the $35/hour national median at 44 hours/week. (2025) |
| Homemaker services | — | $75,504 | Annual national median, published directly by the survey. (2024) |
| Home health aide | — | $77,792 | Annual national median, published directly by the survey. (2024) |
| Adult day health care | — | $24,700 | Derived from the $95/day national median at 5 days/week. (2025) |
| Assisted living facility | $6,200 | $74,400 | National median monthly cost, published directly by the survey. (2025) |
| Nursing home, semi-private room | — | $114,975 | Derived from the $315/day national median (×365). (2025) |
| Nursing home, private room | — | $129,575 | Derived from the $355/day national median (×365). (2025) |
Figures are national medians from the CareScout / Genworth Cost of Care Survey, each checked against the published survey release. Several are derived from an hourly or daily median (see the last column) — real hours of care vary, so treat these as a middle estimate, not a bill.
Reading these numbers honestly
- A median means half of the surveyed prices are higher and half are lower. Your area could be well above or below it.
- In-home care scales with hours. The annual figure above assumes about 44 hours a week; a few hours a week costs far less.
- Medicare generally does not pay for long-term custodial care. Medicaid, VA benefits, and other programs may help — see the benefits guide.
Where to check figures for your area
- CareScout Cost of Care ↗ — the current survey, with state and metro breakdowns.
- Eldercare Locator (eldercare.acl.gov) ↗ — free help finding local services and costs.
- Medicare Care Compare ↗ — compare and check nursing homes and home-health agencies.
These figures are cost estimates from a public survey, not advice and not a guarantee of what you will pay. They are not a statement about what any program will cover. Always confirm current local costs and any benefit eligibility with the provider or program directly.