Average Cost of a Nursing Home By State

Researching nursing homes in your area and want to know how they compare to other states? We’ve compiled a list of the average cost of a nursing home by state.

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Researching nursing homes in your area and want to know how they compare to other states? We’ve compiled a list of the average cost of a nursing home by state.

Average cost of a nursing home annually by state is broken down into two categories: private room and shared room costs. The national average cost for nursing home care in a shared room is around $93,000/year. The cost for a private room on average nationwide is almost $106,000/year.

Each state has their own cost and coverage programs aimed at reducing the cost of nursing home long term care for patients. Medicaid is the typical funding source for long term care. Occasionally, Medicare will cover a short stay in skilled nursing. We will discuss what to expect in each state for the annual costs.

We will also break down for you what you can expect for your money: what these costs cover, what you can expect from your time in a long term care environment, and what the overall care in a nursing home facility looks like. Knowing what each part of a long term care setting is and what the different options being paid for will help you better understand each state’s cost breakdown.

Additionally, we will provide the average number of state-reported deficiencies found in each state. These provide context into the level of care provided, on average, by state. This also indicates what level of oversight the state has in each long-term care facility in the states, and will help further your understanding of what exactly a long term care facility entails for care and for medical oversight.

As someone who has worked in a variety of long term care facility settings, I’m keenly aware of the cost structures and what care is provided for them. I am able to navigate you through each state and help you understand what the costs are derived from, as well as the state average for citations and what that means for level of care in each state.

Table of Contents

Average Cost of Nursing Home Care

The average cost of nursing home care nationally for 2020 hovers around $93,000/year for shared rooms and $106,000 for a private room. Shared rooms are the most prevalent living arrangement for long-term care facilities accepting Medicaid as the sole form of reimbursement. You can arrange for a private room if you can provide the difference in rate through private pay or another means of payment outside of Medicaid.

The majority of facilities relying on Medicaid reimbursement rates for their long-term care clients will provide the same blanket of services to all long-term care clients for that base rate. Clients with higher levels of skilled care needs like memory care or specialized wound care are likely to be charged at a higher rate due to the increased needs placed on staff there. The base care provided includes 24/7 medical oversight by nursing staff, direct care aides to provide assistance with mobility, feeding and care needs, and on-call physicians available for any urgent medical need.

Alabama

In the state of Alabama, average nursing home costs range from around $78,500/year for a shared room to approximately $83,000/year for a private room. This state averages around only 3.7 deficiencies per year found in their annual state survey, which is far below the national average of approximately 10 deficiencies/year.

Alaska

In Alaska, the average nursing home costs range for either a shared room rate or private room rate of $436,000/year to $449,000/year- vastly above the national average for nursing home costs. The state averages around 8.8 deficiencies per annual state evaluation.

Arizona

The state of Arizona averages nursing home costs from $82,000/year for a shared room to around $98,500/year for a private room. Arizona averages an annual citation rate of 7 deficiencies a year.

Arkansas

Arkansas’s statewide average for nursing home costs is below the nationwide average. Starting at a shared room average of $71,000/year to a private room average of $78,500, there is not a wide range differing between the two options. The state average for citations for their annual review is above the national average at approximately 12.2 citations per calendar year.

California

As a higher cost of living state, the annual costs of nursing home care are higher than typical as well for the state of California. Shared nursing home living costs average around $111,000/year where private rooms in California average around $137,000/year. The state sits right at the national average for annual citations from state evaluations at 10.1/year on average.

Colorado

Colorado’s annual rates for nursing home care are also slightly above the national average. Shared quarters for a nursing home will run you around $102,000/year and private accommodations average around $117,000. The state’s average for annual citations per facility is also close to the national average at around 9 per year.

Connecticut

The state of Connecticut rises above the national average for nursing home costs as well, with a shared room yearly average rate of $155,000 to a private room at approximately $168,000. The state falls well below the national average for average citations in a year per facility, at an average rate of only 5.1 per year.

Delaware

In Delaware, the average span for nursing home costs are between $148,000-$152,000 for a shared room or private room rate, respectively. The average annual citation rate for the state on annual evaluation is around 8.1/year.

District of Columbia

The average nursing home costs for shared living quarters in a D.C. nursing home is around $149,000/year and the private living quarters rate is on average around $172,000/year. The annual citation rate for the D.C. area is slightly above the national average rate at 11.4/year.

Florida

The state of Florida’s average annual nursing home rates are around the national average. With a shared room average annual rate of $104,000 and a private room annual average rate around $117,000, the state is close, but slightly above, national average rates. The state also averages slightly above national average for citation rates per year, with an average of 11.2.

Georgia

The state of Georgia falls below the national average rate for nursing home care per year. Shared living arrangements in a nursing home in Georgia average $80,000/year and private living arrangements hover around $86,000/year. The state is far lower on average citations per year than the national average, at approximately 4.9/year.

Hawaii

As with other states with higher costs of living, Hawaii’s average nursing home rates are higher than the national average. At a shared room in nursing home care averaging around $144,000/year, and a private room at an average of $165,000/year, cost of living is absolutely a factor in these rates. The annual average citation for Hawaii nursing homes is slightly above average at 12.9/year as well.

Idaho

Idaho falls right in at national average rates per year for their nursing home costs. A shared room average rate for Idaho nursing homes is around $104,000 and a private room averages at $109,000. The annual citation rate for the state falls well below the national average, coming in at only 7.9 citations per year on average.

Illinois

The state of Illinois falls well below the national average nursing home rates with an annual average ranging from $74,000/year for shared living to $84,000/year for a private room. The state falls higher than the national average for annual citations however, with the state’s nursing homes averaging around 14.5 citations per year.

Indiana

The state of Indiana also falls below the national average for nursing home costs .At a rate of around $85,000/year on average for shared rooms and $101,000 on average for a private room, the rates in Indiana rival the national averages. The statewide average for annual citations is at  10.1, which is entirely on par with national averages.

Iowa

In Iowa, the average nursing home costs for a shared room hovers at around $78,000 on average and a shared room sits at approximately $85,000/year. The average annual citation rate for the state falls right in at average for the nationwide average, at 9.9 citations per year for the nursing homes in the state.

Kansas

Kansas has a statewide average rate for nursing home care that doesn’t vary too much from shared or private accommodations. The range of $80-84,000 is the average for a shared or private room in Kansas, and falls well below the national average. Kansas averages a yearly citation total of 15.2 however, which places the state well over the national average.

Kentucky

Kentucky’s average nursing home annual costs fall just shy of national averages, with a shared room running around $87,000/year and a private room running at approximately $95,000/year. The state’s annual average for citations per facility runs fairly shy of the national average at only 7.4 citations per year.

Louisiana

The state of Louisiana has some of the most affordable nursing home rate averages in the country. With a shared room average of $66,000 to a private room rate average of $70,00/year, and a below-national average for annual citations at 7.7/year, the state is well-positioned for affordable nursing home care.

Maine

In Maine, the average nursing home costs per year range from $115,000/year for a shared room to $127,000/year for a private space. The state average for annual citations is low compared to the national average, at 6.7 citations on average per year.

Maryland

Maryland’s nursing home rates don’t vary too much between private and shared living spaces. They have an annual average nursing home rate of $122,000-$127,000/year depending on shared vs. private, respectively. Their annual average for citations during state inspections is around 9.2/year, slightly below national averages.

Massachusetts

The state of Massachusetts is one of the higher on our list for average nursing home rates. Their average annual shared room rates are around $151,000/year and the private room rates hover around $162,000/year. The annual state citations per nursing home is below national average at 7.7/year.

Michigan

The state of Michigan is just slightly above average for nursing home annual costs, with $107,000/year average for shared rooms and $116,000/year on average for a private room. Michigan has one of the highest rates of annual citations in the country for their nursing homes, with an average of 15.8 deficiencies found each year per facility.

Minnesota

Minnesota averages above the national average for their nursing home rates, with an annual average for shared rooms at $132,000 and a private room at $144,000/year. The annual citation rate for Minnesota nursing homes averages around 8.9/year per facility.

Mississippi

Mississippi nursing homes run below the national average for nursing home rates annually. A shared room runs approximately $84,000/year with a private room close by at $85,000/year. The annual citation rate for Mississippi nursing homes is one of the lowest nationally at 4.4/year on average.

Missouri

Missouri nursing homes are among the most affordable in the country, with average rates for a shared room starting around $60,000/year and a private room average at just $68,000/year. The state is slightly above the national average of nursing home citation rates at 11.8 citations per year on average.

Montana

Montana nursing homes are right at average in comparison to the national average nursing home rates, at $91,000/year for $99,000/year for a shared or private room. The state is also right at the national average for annual citations per nursing home in the year at 10.3.

Nebraska

Nebraska hovers just below national average for their shared room rates at $86,000/year and at annual rates for private rooms at $95,000/year. The annual average for citations in Nebraska is above the national average at 12.8 per facility per year.

Nevada

Nevada is a bit higher than the national average for nursing home rates at a span of $111,000-$127,000/year for a shared or private room. The annual citation rate is one of the highest in the nation, however, with an annual average of 16.6 citations per facility per year.

New Hampshire

New Hampshire’s rates begin above national average nursing home rates at $127,000/year for a shared room and $135,000/year for a private accommodation. The annual citation rate for the state is much below the national average, at only 6.8 citations per facility per year on average.

New Jersey

New Jersey nursing homes range from $135,000-$142,000/year on average for a shared to private room accommodation. The state falls well below the national average for annual citations per facility at an average of only 4.7/year.

New Mexico

New Mexico is among the most affordable states for nursing home care, falling in at below the national average. Their rates for a shared room start at $89,000/year and a private room averages $99,000/year. The state has the worst average citation rate per facility in a year, however, with an annual average of 16.7 citations per facility per year.

New York

New York state nursing homes average between $147,000-$155,000 per year dependent on a shared or private room arrangement. The state does surprisingly well with only 7 citations on average per facility per year on their annual inspections.

North Carolina

North Carolina averages $87,000-$96,000/year for nursing home rates for shared or private living quarters. The state averages below the national average for inspection citation results with an annual average per nursing home of only 7.9.

North Dakota

North Dakota has one of the higher nursing home rates in the nation, averaging between $146,000-$153,000 per year for shared or private room accommodations. The state is below national average rates for annual citations at only 7.9/year per facility.

Ohio

Ohio hovers just at or slightly below national average costs for nursing home care, averaging at $85,000-$98,000 per  year for shared or private room arrangements. Their annual average for citations per nursing home is just at average at 9.9 per year per facility.

Oklahoma

Oklahoma is at the bottom of the average nursing home rates, with an exceptionally affordable annual average of $63-69,000 a year for shared or private living quarters. The state average for nursing home citations is below the national average as well, sitting at 7.5 citations per year per facility.

Oregon

Oregon is slightly above the national average for their nursing home rates, with $121,000/year average for a shared room and $134,000/year for a private room. The state averages below the national average at only 6.2 citations per facility per year.

Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania averages between $120-129,000 per year for their shared and private room rates for nursing home care. The state is above the national average for citations per facility in the calendar year at around 14/facility/year.

Rhode Island

Rhode Island sneaks in right at the national average at $140,000 for a shared room and $122,000 for a private room in nursing home care. The state average of 7.8 citations per facility per year is below the national average rate as well.

South Carolina

Sitting below national average costs for the year in nursing home care, South Carolina averages between $87,000 and $94,000 per year for shared and private nursing home rooms. The state also averages below national average for annual citations at 8.8/facility.

South Dakota

Also sitting below national average costs annually for nursing home care is South Dakota, with a range of $84,000-$90,000 per year for shared or private living arrangements. The state averages well below national average for annual citation results as well, with a facility average of 4.9 citations in the year.

Tennessee

At $85,000/year for a shared room and $91,000/year for a private room, Tennessee is an affordable state that falls below national average costs for nursing home care. Their annual citations per facility falls below national average at 6/facility per year as well.

Texas

Texas is among the most affordable states for nursing home care with an average of $60-76,000 per year for a shared or private room with care. The state is right at the national average of 10.3 citations per year per facility as well.

Utah

Utah is slightly below the national average costs for nursing home care at $76,000/year for a shared room and $100,000/year for a private room. The state average for citation per facility is around 8 per year.

Vermont

Vermont is slightly above national average rates for nursing home care, at $117-123,000/year for shared and private room rates. The state is the lowest in the nation for annual citation rates, with an average of only 2.3 citations per facility per calendar year.

Virginia

Virginia average nursing home rates fall in line with national averages at $91,000 a year for a shared room rate and $105,000 a year for a private room. The state average of 8.1 citations per facility in the year is slightly below the national average.

Washington

The state of Washington hovers above the national average for nursing home costs at approximately $114,000 a year for shared accommodations and $131,000 a  year for a private room. The state is among the highest for average citations annually at 15.3 per facility in the year.

West Virginia

What may be surprising is West Virginia’s nursing home average rates falling well above national averages. The shared room average rate is $136,000 and the private room rate is $145,000/year. The state falls below the national average for average citations annually per facility at 8.3/facility per year.

Wisconsin

Wiconsin averages around the national average for nursing home facility rates. For shared rooms the average is $104,000/year and for private rooms the average is $113,000/year. The state falls below the national average at 8.2 citations per facility per year on average.

Wyoming

Wyoming falls right in the national average range for nursing home rates, at $99,000/year for shared rooms to $104,000/year for a private room. The state averages near the national average as well for annual citations during inspections, at 9.6 citations per facility per year on average.

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