These assisted living figures cover the measurement periods and populations identified in the available source material. Estimates, surveys and forecasts retain their reported scope.
Key Assisted Living Statistics
The main findings are:
- An estimated 818,800 residents lived in U.S. residential care communities on a given day in 2020 (United States residential care communities meeting NPALS eligibility).
- Women made up 66.9% of U.S. residential care community residents in 2022 (United States residential care community residents).
- In 2022, 61.7% of residential care community residents needed assistance with three to six activities of daily living (United States residential care community residents).
- About 18% of U.S. residential care community residents were Medicaid beneficiaries in 2020 (United States residential care community residents).
- Alzheimer disease or other dementia was diagnosed in 51% of residents in 4–25-bed communities in 2020 (U.S. residential care communities with 4–25 beds).
- The 2025 national median assisted-living-community cost was $6,200 per month (July–November 2025 survey; United States assisted living community).
- The 2020 NPALS estimate included 30,600 U.S. residential care communities (United States residential care communities meeting NPALS eligibility).
- White non-Hispanic residents made up 91.87% of U.S. residential care community residents in 2022 (United States residential care community residents).
- In 2022, 26.4% of residential care community residents needed assistance with one or two activities of daily living (United States residential care community residents).
- Medicaid paid at least some long-term-care services for 24% of residents in 4–25-bed communities in 2020 (U.S. residential care communities with 4–25 beds).
- Heart disease was diagnosed in 30% of residents in 4–25-bed communities in 2020 (U.S. residential care communities with 4–25 beds).
- The 2025 national median assisted-living-community cost was $74,400 per year (July–November 2025 survey; United States assisted living community).
- The 2020 NPALS estimate included 1,197,600 licensed residential care beds (United States residential care communities meeting NPALS eligibility).
- Residents age 85 and older accounted for 52.83% of residential care community residents in 2022 (United States residential care community residents).
- In 2022, 11.9% of residential care community residents needed no assistance with the six measured activities of daily living (United States residential care community residents).
Contents
- Key Assisted Living Statistics
- How large is assisted living in the United States?
- Who lives in assisted living?
- What assistance and health conditions are common among assisted living residents?
- How is assisted living financed through Medicaid and other public programs?
- How do resident profiles vary by community size?
- What does assisted living cost and how large is its workforce?
How large is assisted living in the United States?
The reported the estimated number of residential care communities figures cover United States residential care communities in NSLTCP series.
| Measurement period | The estimated number of residential care communities (communities) |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 22,200 |
| 2014 | 30,200 |
| 2016 | 28,900 |
| 2018 | 31,400 |
Source: NPALS 2020 Survey Methodology and Documentation.
- An estimated 818,800 residents lived in U.S. residential care communities on a given day in 2020 (United States residential care communities meeting NPALS eligibility). (NPALS 2020 Survey Methodology and…)
- The 2020 NPALS estimate included 30,600 U.S. residential care communities (United States residential care communities meeting NPALS eligibility). (NPALS 2020 Survey Methodology and…)
- The 2020 NPALS estimate included 1,197,600 licensed residential care beds (United States residential care communities meeting NPALS eligibility). (NPALS 2020 Survey Methodology and…)
- The estimated number of residential care communities was 31,100 in 2010 (United States residential care communities in NSRCF/NPALS series). (NPALS 2020 Survey Methodology and…)
- About 1,016,400 residents lived in U.S. residential care communities on a given day in 2022 (United States residential care communities meeting NPALS eligibility). (Residential Care Community Resident Characteristics:…)
Who lives in assisted living?
- Women made up 66.9% of U.S. residential care community residents in 2022 (United States residential care community residents). (Residential Care Community Resident Characteristics:…)
- White non-Hispanic residents made up 91.87% of U.S. residential care community residents in 2022 (United States residential care community residents). (Residential Care Community Resident Characteristics:…)
- Residents age 85 and older accounted for 52.83% of residential care community residents in 2022 (United States residential care community residents). (Residential Care Community Resident Characteristics:…)
- Residents ages 75–84 accounted for 31.21% of residential care community residents in 2022 (United States residential care community residents). (Residential Care Community Resident Characteristics:…)
- Residents ages 65–74 accounted for 10.2% of residential care community residents in 2022 (United States residential care community residents). (Residential Care Community Resident Characteristics:…)
- Residents younger than 65 accounted for 5.76% of residential care community residents in 2022 (United States residential care community residents). (Residential Care Community Resident Characteristics:…)
- Residents younger than 65 made up 13% of residents in 4–25-bed communities in 2020 (U.S. residential care communities with 4–25 beds). (Variation in Residential Care Community…)
- Residents age 85 and older made up 51% of residents in communities with more than 50 beds in 2020 (U.S. residential care communities with more than 50 beds). (Variation in Residential Care Community…)
What assistance and health conditions are common among assisted living residents?
- In 2022, 61.7% of residential care community residents needed assistance with three to six activities of daily living (United States residential care community residents). (Residential Care Community Resident Characteristics:…)
- In 2022, 26.4% of residential care community residents needed assistance with one or two activities of daily living (United States residential care community residents). (Residential Care Community Resident Characteristics:…)
- In 2022, 11.9% of residential care community residents needed no assistance with the six measured activities of daily living (United States residential care community residents). (Residential Care Community Resident Characteristics:…)
- Bathing assistance was needed by 74.5% of residential care community residents in 2022 (United States residential care community residents). (Residential Care Community Resident Characteristics:…)
- Walking assistance was needed by 70.9% of residential care community residents in 2022 (United States residential care community residents). (Residential Care Community Resident Characteristics:…)
- Dressing assistance was needed by 60.4% of residential care community residents in 2022 (United States residential care community residents). (Residential Care Community Resident Characteristics:…)
- Assistance transferring in or out of a bed or chair was needed by 56.8% of residential care community residents in 2022 (United States residential care community residents). (Residential Care Community Resident Characteristics:…)
- Toileting assistance was needed by 50.8% of residential care community residents in 2022 (United States residential care community residents). (Residential Care Community Resident Characteristics:…)
- Eating assistance was needed by 28.2% of residential care community residents in 2022 (United States residential care community residents). (Residential Care Community Resident Characteristics:…)
- A high-blood-pressure diagnosis was reported for 58% of residential care community residents in 2022 (United States residential care community residents). (Residential Care Community Resident Characteristics:…)
- An Alzheimer disease or other dementia diagnosis was reported for 44% of residential care community residents in 2022 (United States residential care community residents). (Residential Care Community Resident Characteristics:…)
How is assisted living financed through Medicaid and other public programs?
- About 18% of U.S. residential care community residents were Medicaid beneficiaries in 2020 (United States residential care community residents). (Variation in Residential Care Community…)
- Medicaid paid at least some long-term-care services for 24% of residents in 4–25-bed communities in 2020 (U.S. residential care communities with 4–25 beds). (Variation in Residential Care Community…)
- Medicaid paid at least some long-term-care services for 23% of residents in 26–50-bed communities in 2020 (U.S. residential care communities with 26–50 beds). (Variation in Residential Care Community…)
- Medicaid paid at least some long-term-care services for 15% of residents in communities with more than 50 beds in 2020 (U.S. residential care communities with more than 50 beds). (Variation in Residential Care Community…)
- Federal Medicaid and traditional Medicare spending for services provided in assisted living facilities totaled at least $12 billion in 2024 (United States assisted living facilities identified in Medicaid and traditional Medicare claims). (GAO-26-107884, Assisted Living Facilities: Information…)
- Federal Medicaid spending for assisted-living and other health services provided in assisted living facilities was at least $3.5 billion in 2024 (United States assisted living facilities identified in Medicaid claims). (GAO-26-107884, Assisted Living Facilities: Information…)
- Combined federal and state Medicaid spending for services provided in assisted living facilities was at least $6.2 billion in 2024 (United States assisted living facilities identified in Medicaid claims). (GAO-26-107884, Assisted Living Facilities: Information…)
- Traditional Medicare spending for services provided in assisted living facilities was $8.5 billion in 2024 (United States assisted living facilities identified in traditional Medicare claims). (GAO-26-107884, Assisted Living Facilities: Information…)
- Twenty-nine of the 44 states covering assisted living services used Medicaid home- and community-based-services waivers as of March 2025 (United States states identified by GAO as covering assisted living services). (GAO-26-107884, Assisted Living Facilities: Information…)
- Federal Medicaid spending covered services for approximately 300,000 assisted-living-facility beneficiaries in 2024 (United States beneficiaries identified in Medicaid claims). (GAO-26-107884, Assisted Living Facilities: Information…)
- Across 27 states with available estimates, Medicaid assisted-living service rates generally ranged from $50 to more than $150 per day in waiver year 2024 (27 U.S. states with available Medicaid rate estimates). (GAO-26-107884, Assisted Living Facilities: Information…)
How do resident profiles vary by community size?
- Alzheimer disease or other dementia was diagnosed in 51% of residents in 4–25-bed communities in 2020 (U.S. residential care communities with 4–25 beds). (Variation in Residential Care Community…)
- Heart disease was diagnosed in 30% of residents in 4–25-bed communities in 2020 (U.S. residential care communities with 4–25 beds). (Variation in Residential Care Community…)
- Depression was diagnosed in 33% of residents in 4–25-bed communities in 2020 (U.S. residential care communities with 4–25 beds). (Variation in Residential Care Community…)
- Alzheimer disease or other dementia was diagnosed in 47% of residents in 26–50-bed communities in 2020 (U.S. residential care communities with 26–50 beds). (Variation in Residential Care Community…)
- Heart disease was diagnosed in 36% of residents in 26–50-bed communities in 2020 (U.S. residential care communities with 26–50 beds). (Variation in Residential Care Community…)
- Depression was diagnosed in 32% of residents in 26–50-bed communities in 2020 (U.S. residential care communities with 26–50 beds). (Variation in Residential Care Community…)
- Alzheimer disease or other dementia was diagnosed in 39% of residents in communities with more than 50 beds in 2020 (U.S. residential care communities with more than 50 beds). (Variation in Residential Care Community…)
- Heart disease was diagnosed in 30% of residents in communities with more than 50 beds in 2020 (U.S. residential care communities with more than 50 beds). (Variation in Residential Care Community…)
- Depression was diagnosed in 27% of residents in communities with more than 50 beds in 2020 (U.S. residential care communities with more than 50 beds). (Variation in Residential Care Community…)
- Diabetes was diagnosed in 17% of residents across U.S. residential care communities in 2020 (United States residential care community residents). (Variation in Residential Care Community…)
What does assisted living cost and how large is its workforce?
- The 2025 national median assisted-living-community cost was $6,200 per month (July–November 2025 survey; United States assisted living community). (Cost of Care Survey 2025:…)
- The 2025 national median assisted-living-community cost was $74,400 per year (July–November 2025 survey; United States assisted living community). (Cost of Care Survey 2025:…)
- Alabama’s 2025 median assisted-living-community cost was $53,100 per year (July–November 2025 survey; Alabama assisted living communities). (Cost of Care Survey 2025:…)
- Hawaii’s 2025 median assisted-living-community cost was $145,155 per year (July–November 2025 survey; Hawaii assisted living communities). (Cost of Care Survey 2025:…)
- California’s 2025 median assisted-living-community cost was $84,000 per year (July–November 2025 survey; California residential care facilities/assisted living communities). (Cost of Care Survey 2025:…)
- Oregon’s 2025 median assisted-living-community cost was $82,494 per year (July–November 2025 survey; Oregon assisted living communities). (Cost of Care Survey 2025:…)
- New York’s 2025 median assisted-living-community cost was $85,320 per year (July–November 2025 survey; New York assisted living communities). (Cost of Care Survey 2025:…)
- NCAL reported 512,300 total assisted-living-profession employees as of June 2026 (United States assisted living profession). (Assisted Living Facts & Figures)
- Aides represented 68% of full-time nursing and social-work employees in assisted living communities in NCAL’s workforce breakdown (June 2026; United States assisted living communities). (Assisted Living Facts & Figures)
Median survey rate; it is not a personalized quote and varies by location and service package.
State median survey rate; it is not a personalized quote.
State median survey rate; the source labels California’s setting residential care facility and the rate is not a personalized quote.