The average cost of assisted living in Massachusetts is around $6,800 a month, according to A Place for Mom’s most recent proprietary data from our network of partner communities. This is nearly $1,700 more than the national average cost of $5,100, making Massachusetts one of the nation’s most expensive assisted living locations.[01]
Prices vary greatly depending on location, services, amenities, and the level of care a community provides. Throughout our network of Massachusetts assisted living communities, costs typically range from around $3,900 to roughly $9,900 a month. Communities in the larger metropolitan area of Boston generally cost more each month than facilities in more rural locations or smaller towns.
The monthly average cost of $6,800 may seem steep, but it covers a senior’s complete care needs within the community, including assistance with activities of daily living, like dressing, bathing, and using the restroom, three nutritious meals a day, housekeeping services, planned social events, and more.
Public programs like Medicare and Medicaid may cover some of the costs of medical care expenses in assisted living communities if your loved one qualifies.
Average monthly costs
Massachusetts
US National average
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Each senior has unique financial needs, preferences, and care requirements, all of which can affect the ways they choose to pay for assisted living. Across the board, the earlier you’re able to determine your family’s budget and financial resources, the more options your aging loved one may have available.
Timely consideration is essential, especially if your loved one plans to use Medicare or Medicaid to cover any medical services in assisted living. Applications for these programs may involve waiting and approval periods.
We’ll explore a mix of public and private payment options families tend to use below. For a high-level overview of how to pay for senior living, read through our complete guide to paying for long-term care.
Most families cover the majority of assisted living costs using private pay sources, such as pensions, retirement funds, and personal assets. Explore the options below to see if your family could use any of these methods to fund assisted living.
Selling your house in Massachusetts can provide funds to put toward assisted living.
Leveraging home equity through a reverse mortgage can help pay for assisted living.
A Health Savings Account (HSA) can cover the cost of health expenses, like certain care services and medical supplies, in Illinois assisted living.
A life insurance policy can be sold or surrendered for cash value to offset the costs of assisted living in Massachusetts.
Social Security benefits for assisted living
Seniors who qualify for Social Security can use those funds at their cash value to cover part of their assisted living costs in Massachusetts.
Veterans who served our nation may be eligible for a variety of benefits that can help offset the costs of assisted living. However, learning about and applying for these benefits can be complex, so it’s important to reach out to one of the many veterans resources available in Massachusetts to ensure your loved one receives the funds they deserve.
Medicaid is a health care program designed to help low-income individuals and people with certain disabilities that’s jointly funded through the state and federal governments. In Massachusetts, Medicaid is called MassHealth.
To be eligible for MassHealth benefits, a senior must be over 65, a resident of Massachusetts, and meet certain income requirements. Single seniors have an asset limit of $2,000, while couples have an asset limit of $3,000.[02] Families can review the state’s Senior Guide to Health Care Coverage for more information about eligibility.
Massachusetts seniors can apply for MassHealth or receive additional information from the state’s official application site. Or, use this convenient tool to schedule an in-person or phone appointment with a trained staff member.
Massachusetts Medicaid only pays for medical care, not lodging, dining, or activities, in assisted living communities. Thus, even if your loved one qualifies for MassHealth, your loved one will likely have to use a combination of private and public pay resources to pay for assisted living.
Medicare is a health insurance program available to all U.S. seniors 65 and older. It’s funded by the federal government, and it can help cover medical care costs in Massachusetts assisted living communities. These costs may include medication management, on-site physical and occupational therapies, and medical supplies.
Massachusetts residents can learn more about Medicare through the state’s comprehensive Consumer’s Guide to Medicare packet. Seniors insured by the Group Insurance Commission can find additional information and apply on the GIC health coverage site.
People who qualify for Medicaid through MassHealth may be able to save on Medicare costs through a MassHealth Buy-In, which can cover Medicare premiums and prescription drug costs.
Seniors and their families can reach out to the SHINE Program for counseling on the process of applying for Medicare. Committed volunteers, nonprofits, and public health agencies are available to provide tailored benefit information and application assistance.
Families can contact these agencies for additional resources and assistance with Medicare and Medicaid:
I would tell others looking that once they get past the initial "salesperson" they should check to see how available admin staff is to answer routine and/or out of the ordinary questions. Atria is mostly...
My dad was at Brook meadow about 8 months and loved it. The staff is superb and there are all kinds of activities for everyone to enjoy. Extremely clean and homey. Would definitely recommend Brook meadow.
I love Cedar Dell. I feel like I am on a cruise, and I am a life long cruiser. You are waited on hand and foot. The residents and staff have been so nice and welcoming. The restaurant makes you exactly...
They were great until my sister got sicker. They did their best but the cost got very high. My sister died there in hospice care The staff are all very nice and try their best.
the staff is caring, and engaging with the residents. The chef and wait staff understand allergies and go out of their way to accommodate. However, the weekly cleaning isn't always as hoped
Sometimes the meals are great sometimes not very good. I don't know how to rate value for cost - to me the cost is exorbitant. Yes, I would recommend this community to other families depending on their...
[name removed] passed away on [date removed], my experience with Linden, now Charter was excellent and recommend them without reservation. The staff are excellent. Professional, respectful, and...
Overall the place was great. Unfortunately my father only stayed there 3 weeks and ended up in a nursing home and received subpar care
Our loved one was only there for 10 days, but the Putnam Farm at Danvers community is beautiful. It is a well kept facility with very very nice personnel working there .
Oasis is the best! Our loved one was in a total of four facilities before we found Oasis. It has the best of rooms, best of food and the best caring staff. They provide a supportive, loving family...
I like it. It is expensive, but worth it if you have the money. It is assisted living and NOT nursing -- so good if the senior is still healthy and active, but could be bad if the senior has a lot of...
My loved one was a resident at Dodge Park Rest Home and the overall experience was great for her at this facility. My experience with Dodge Park Rest Home was that they were a very reliable and honest...
We are really happy. She is very comfortable and has met a few people. She has been painting a lot and sharing her paintings with the place which I think is really really positive. I would recommend it to...
When we took my dad to look at Cedarbrook Village. He was very apprehensive about the move. He’s 95 years old and he lived in his home for over 58 years. He finally made the decision to move in and in one...
I have has lived at Southwick Village for several years. The community is set in a beautifully maintained campus with all the amenities I need as I age. Activities, food and most importantly, the staff are...
The Massachusetts Executive Office of Elder Affairs certifies assisted living facilities throughout the state. These communities must offer a combination of personal care services, housing, and meals on a monthly rental basis. They may not provide medical or nursing services to seniors in need of serious medical care.[03]
Some assisted living communities in Massachusetts are designated as special care residences. These support seniors with specialized needs due to dementia or other cognitive impairments, and have additional regulations.
When licensing assisted living facilities, the state considers the following questions:
Every community must have a service plan coordinator and manager on staff. Depending on the number of residents in a facility, at least one staff member has to be present 24 hours a day. There’s no minimum staff to resident ratio, but communities are required to have sufficient staff to manage all resident needs and assist in case of an emergency.
All staff members who provide direct care must be licensed nurses, certified nursing assistants, certified home health aides or personal care homemakers. If a staff member isn’t licensed in one of these ways, they must complete a 54-hour training course in addition to ongoing education.[03]
We developed a system to rate each state based on the ease of information access. In other words, how easy — or difficult — it is to find important assisted living records and reports.
States with the most transparent records allow you to look up important information about each assisted living facility online, including inspections, complaints, survey results, violations, capacity, and Medicaid acceptance.
Public access to assisted living records and reports for the state of Massachusetts is basic. Key findings that informed this rating include:
Visit the Massachusetts Office of Elder Affairs for information about senior care licensing.
We developed a standard methodology for state data collection and evaluation, and we based our rating primarily on the objective, state-specific accessibility criteria outlined in these questions:
1. Are licensed assisted living communities listed online in any form? Yes
2. If Yes to #1, is the information updated frequently? No
3. If Yes to #1, is the list of licensed communities searchable? No
4. Does the state post inspections, complaints, survey results, or violations online? No
5. If Yes to #4, is the information updated frequently (within 90 days)? No or not applicable
6. If Yes to #2 and #4, is the enforcement information included in the same place as licensed communities? No or not applicable
7. If Yes to #4 and No to #6, are violations and inspections searchable at all? No
8. Is information about special licensing for care shown? No or not applicable
9. Is capacity shown? Yes
10. Are payment types shown (e.g., Medicaid, private pay)? No
11. Is the administrator/contact name shown? No
12. Can the state fine a facility? Yes
13. What is the frequency of inspections? Every 24 months
14. Does the website include pricing of facilities? No
A Place for Mom. (2023). A Place for Mom proprietary data.
Mass.gov. (2023, January 1). Program financial guidelines for certain MassHealth applicants and members.
Mass.gov. (2023). Assisted living certification regulations.
Overview of assisted living in MA
The information contained on this page is for informational purposes only and is not intended to constitute medical, legal or financial advice or create a professional relationship between A Place for Mom and the reader. Always seek the advice of your health care provider, attorney or financial advisor with respect to any particular matter, and do not act or refrain from acting on the basis of anything you have read on this site. Links to third-party websites are only for the convenience of the reader; A Place for Mom does not endorse the contents of the third-party sites.
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