If you’re trying to figure out how much assisted living costs, you’re probably staring down one of the biggest financial decisions your family will make this year. The honest answer is: it depends, on where you live, how much daily support your loved one needs, and the type of apartment they choose. But there are real, current numbers that can help you plan instead of guess.
This guide breaks down the average cost of assisted living nationally, what that price actually includes, what pushes it higher or lower, and, since we work with families across McKinney and the greater Dallas-Fort Worth area every day, what assisted living actually costs closer to home in North Texas.
Average Cost of Assisted Living in the U.S.
Nationally, the average assisted living cost falls between roughly $5,400 and $6,300 per month, depending on the data source and how recently it was collected. According to the CareScout Cost of Care Survey, the most widely cited industry benchmark, the national median cost of assisted living reached about $6,200 per month in 2025, up from the prior year as labor and care costs continued to rise.
Most families should plan for a realistic national range of $4,000 to $8,000 per month, with the low end typically found in smaller Midwestern and Southern markets and the high end concentrated in coastal states like California, New York, and Massachusetts.
A few things skew this number:
- Room type (shared vs. private apartment)
- Level of care needed (light assistance vs. extensive daily support)
- Location, urban and coastal metro areas run well above the national average
- Community amenities and specialized programming, including memory care
Assisted Living Cost in Dallas-Fort Worth and McKinney
Good news for local families: Texas, and the DFW metroplex specifically, tends to run below the national average. Across the Dallas-Fort Worth area, assisted living typically costs between $3,200 and $6,500 per month for a standard private apartment with personal care services, depending on the community, care level, and city. Memory care in DFW generally runs somewhere between $4,500 and $7,500+ per month.
Within the metroplex, pricing varies a fair amount by suburb:
- Higher-end submarkets like Southlake, Colleyville, and Westlake tend to sit at the top of that range
- More moderately priced areas, including parts of McKinney, Hurst, Bedford, and Fort Worth, often land closer to the middle or lower end
- McKinney specifically tracks close to the Texas state median, making it one of the more balanced markets in North Texas for cost versus quality of care
Texas also offers the STAR+PLUS Medicaid waiver program, which can help eligible seniors offset the cost of assisted living or in-home care, though enrollment can involve waiting lists, so it’s worth exploring early rather than waiting until a decision is urgent.
Because pricing can shift significantly street-by-street and community-by-community, the numbers above are a starting point, not a quote. If you’d like current pricing for specific communities near you, New Day Lifestyle for Seniors offers free, personalized placement assistance for families throughout McKinney and the DFW area, including local pricing comparisons, like our assisted living options in Richardson.
How Much Does Assisted Living Cost Per Month?
Broken down simply, the assisted living cost per month usually looks like this nationally:
| Care Level | Typical Monthly Range (National) | Typical Monthly Range (DFW) |
|---|---|---|
| Light assistance (studio/shared) | $3,500 – $5,000 | $3,200 – $4,200 |
| Standard care (private one-bedroom) | $5,000 – $6,500 | $4,200 – $5,800 |
| Higher-acuity or memory care | $6,500 – $9,000+ | $4,500 – $7,500+ |
Keep in mind that most communities, in DFW and nationally, also charge a one-time move-in or community fee, commonly around $2,500–$3,500, separate from the recurring assisted living monthly cost.
What Does Assisted Living Cost Per Year?
At the national median of roughly $6,200/month, families are looking at an annual cost of assisted living of about $74,000, closer to $50,000–$65,000/year for many DFW communities. That number matters just as much as the monthly figure, especially when comparing assisted living against in-home care, a nursing home, or aging in place. The median length of stay in assisted living is often cited around 22 months, which means many families end up planning for two years or more of care rather than one.
What’s Included in the Base Price — and What Isn’t
When people ask “what does assisted living cost” cover, most base rates include:
- A private or semi-private apartment
- Three daily meals and snacks
- Housekeeping and laundry
- Transportation to appointments and errands
- Medication reminders or management
- 24-hour staff availability and emergency call systems
- Social, wellness, and recreational programming
What often costs extra: higher levels of personal care (bathing, dressing, mobility assistance), specialized memory care, physical therapy services, and periodic care-level reassessments that can raise your monthly rate as needs increase over time. A community advertising a low starting rate can end up costing significantly more once care-level fees are added, this is exactly the kind of detail our team helps families spot before they sign anything.
Average Cost of Assisted Living for a Couple
When both spouses need to move together, most communities offer a second-occupant rate rather than doubling the full monthly price, typically an additional $1,000–$1,500 per month on top of the single-resident rate. So a couple sharing a one-bedroom apartment might pay somewhere between $6,500 and $9,000 per month combined nationally, or somewhat less across most DFW communities. It’s worth asking directly whether a community prices couples this way, since policies vary.
What Drives Assisted Living Prices Up or Down
A few factors consistently explain why one community’s assisted living facility cost is so different from another’s:
- Care acuity : The more hands-on assistance with daily activities, the higher the tiered rate
- Apartment size and privacy : Private one-bedrooms cost more than shared studios
- Geography : Even within DFW, suburb-to-suburb pricing can vary by $1,000+ a month
- Staffing ratios : Communities with lower resident-to-staff ratios tend to charge more
- Amenities : On-site therapy, enhanced dining, and specialized memory care programming add to the base rate
How Families Typically Pay for Assisted Living
Most families use a combination of funding sources rather than a single one:
- Personal savings and retirement income
- Long-term care insurance, where a policy is already in place
- VA Aid & Attendance benefits for eligible veterans and surviving spouses
- Texas Medicaid waiver programs, such as STAR+PLUS, for families who qualify
- Home equity, through sale or a bridge loan while a house is being sold
Medicare, notably, does not cover the cost of assisted living itself, though it may cover short-term medical services delivered there. Our team walks DFW families through exactly which of these options apply to their situation as part of our free placement assistance for more general planning guidance, our blog also covers Medicaid eligibility, VA benefits, and bridge-financing strategies in more depth.
Assisted Living Cost vs. Other Senior Care Options
Assisted living generally costs less than a nursing home or 24/7 in-home care, but more than independent living. It sits in the middle of the senior care spectrum, enough support for daily living without the full medical staffing (and price tag) of skilled nursing. If you’re still weighing whether assisted living is the right level of care for your family, our main assisted living page walks through what day-to-day life and care actually look like, and how we help McKinney and DFW families compare communities side by side.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does assisted living cost per month?
Most families pay between $3,500 and $9,000 per month nationally depending on care level, apartment type, and location, with a national median near $6,200. In the DFW area, most communities fall between $3,200 and $6,500 per month.
How much is assisted living per month for one person needing standard care?
Nationally, a private one-bedroom apartment with a standard care package typically runs $5,000–$6,500 per month. In DFW, that same care level is often closer to $4,200–$5,800.
What is the average cost of assisted living for a couple?
Most communities charge a second-occupant fee of roughly $1,000–$1,500 above the single rate, rather than a full second monthly rate.
Does Medicare cover the cost of assisted living?
No. Medicare does not pay for room, board, or custodial care in assisted living, though it may cover certain medical services delivered on-site.
Why do assisted living facility costs vary so much by location?
Local labor markets, real estate costs, and state regulations all affect pricing, which is why the same care level can cost thousands of dollars more in one state, or even one DFW suburb, than another.
Get a Personalized Cost Estimate for Your Family
National and even metro-wide averages are a starting point, not a final answer. The clearest way to understand what assisted living will actually cost your family is to get real pricing for the specific communities and care level you’re considering in McKinney or the DFW area. New Day Lifestyle for Seniors offers completely free placement assistance, reach out for a personalized cost comparison, or check out our blog for more guidance on planning, paying for, and choosing the right senior living option for your loved one.
National cost figures are based on industry survey data, including the CareScout Cost of Care Survey (carescout.com/cost-of-care). DFW-area figures reflect general market ranges and are intended as planning estimates only. Actual pricing varies by community and should be confirmed directly with providers or through a free consultation with our team.