---
title: "Senior care by state and city: costs and programs | Senior Choice Care"
description: "What care costs in your parent's state, which Medicaid program might help pay, and the Area Agency on Aging that serves their county. Free help."
url: https://seniorchoicecare.com/near-you/
updated: 2026-10-08
site: Senior Choice Care
---

Care near your parent

# Senior care where your parent lives, and how that state helps pay

Every state pays for long-term care differently, and the same apartment can cost twice as much one state line over. Pick your parent's state below for local costs, the name of that state's Medicaid long-term care program, and the Area Agency on Aging that serves your parent's county.

 **Free help any state** Updated October 8, 2026

In short

Where your parent lives changes three things: what care costs, which Medicaid program might help pay, and which local agency answers when you call. Assisted living runs from about $5,350 a month (South Carolina median) to $6,496 (North Carolina) and $6,250 (Arizona) in the states we cover — against a $6,200 national median. Start with the state pages below, or call [(800) 614-8388](tel:+1808388) and we'll narrow it to what's actually near your parent.

**Last updated October 8, 2026** Cost figures from the CareScout Cost of Care Survey 2025 state medians; program names from state Medicaid agencies. Rules change; confirm current eligibility before planning.

 **On this page**

1. [The states and cities we cover](#ny-states)
2. [What care costs, state by state](#ny-cost)
3. [How the states' Medicaid programs differ](#ny-medicaid)
4. [Free local help in every state](#ny-free)
5. [When it can't wait](#ny-now)
6. [Questions families ask](#ny-faq)

## The states and cities we cover

These are the markets we know community by community. Each city page carries local costs, the Area Agency on Aging for that county, and the state programs that might pay.

| State | Cities with pages |
|---|---|
| **Florida** | [ Sarasota](https://seniorchoicecare.com/near-you/florida/sarasota/) · [The Villages](https://seniorchoicecare.com/near-you/florida/the-villages/) · [Naples](https://seniorchoicecare.com/near-you/florida/naples/) · [Tampa](https://seniorchoicecare.com/near-you/florida/tampa/) · [St. Petersburg](https://seniorchoicecare.com/near-you/florida/st-petersburg/) · [Bradenton](https://seniorchoicecare.com/near-you/florida/bradenton/) · [Venice](https://seniorchoicecare.com/near-you/florida/venice/) · [North Port](https://seniorchoicecare.com/near-you/florida/north-port/) · [Lakewood Ranch](https://seniorchoicecare.com/near-you/florida/lakewood-ranch/) · [Englewood](https://seniorchoicecare.com/near-you/florida/englewood/) · [Punta Gorda](https://seniorchoicecare.com/near-you/florida/punta-gorda/) |
| **Arizona** | [ Scottsdale](https://seniorchoicecare.com/near-you/arizona/scottsdale/) · [Sun City](https://seniorchoicecare.com/near-you/arizona/sun-city/) |
| **Kansas** | [ Overland Park](https://seniorchoicecare.com/near-you/kansas/overland-park/) |
| **Missouri** | [ Kansas City](https://seniorchoicecare.com/near-you/missouri/kansas-city/) |
| **Ohio** | [ Columbus](https://seniorchoicecare.com/near-you/ohio/columbus/) |
| **Pennsylvania** | [ Lancaster](https://seniorchoicecare.com/near-you/pennsylvania/lancaster/) |
| **North Carolina** | [ Asheville](https://seniorchoicecare.com/near-you/north-carolina/asheville/) |
| **Texas** | [ Georgetown](https://seniorchoicecare.com/near-you/texas/georgetown/) |
| **South Carolina** | [ Myrtle Beach](https://seniorchoicecare.com/near-you/south-carolina/myrtle-beach/) |

Not on the list? We still help by phone anywhere in the country, and the free public resources below work in every state.

## What care costs, state by state

These are 2025 statewide medians from the CareScout Cost of Care Survey. They're the numbers behind every budget conversation:

| State | Home care (monthly, 44 hrs/wk) | Adult day (monthly) | Assisted living (monthly) | Nursing home, semi-private |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **National median** | $6,673 | $2,058 | $6,200 | $9,581 |
| **Arizona** | $7,245 | $2,058 | $6,250 | $8,365 |
| **Florida** | $6,101 | $1,625 | $5,610 | $10,342 |
| **Kansas** | $6,435 | $4,333 | $5,975 | $8,669 |
| **Missouri** | $6,292 | $2,058 | $5,400 | $6,741 |
| **North Carolina** | $5,720 | $1,831 | $6,496 | $9,733 |
| **Ohio** | $6,483 | $1,798 | $6,103 | $9,186 |
| **Pennsylvania** | $6,483 | $2,535 | $6,480 | $11,954 |
| **South Carolina** | $5,982 | $1,560 | $5,350 | $9,034 |
| **Texas** | $5,720 | $1,950 | $5,666 | $5,627 |

Notice what the table shows: a nursing home in Missouri costs almost half of one in Pennsylvania, while Arizona charges more for home care than Florida. State lines are real money in this business, which is why the city pages matter and why "national average" advice so often misleads.

### Want the local version of this table?

Tell us your parent's city and situation. We'll give you the realistic ranges there — and which two or three communities or agencies are worth a call.

 [(800) 614-8388](tel:+1808388) [Have us call you](#ny-form)

## How the states' Medicaid programs differ

Medicaid is the nation's primary payer of long-term care, but it's run by the states — so the program that might help your parent has a different name, agency, and waitlist in every state. The ones you'd ask about in the states we cover:

- **Florida** — Statewide Medicaid Managed Care Long-Term Care (SMMC LTC), run by the Agency for Health Care Administration; screening starts through the Department of Elder Affairs and the Elder Helpline, 1-800-963-5337.
- **Arizona** — ALTCS (Arizona Long Term Care System), run by AHCCCS; covers nursing facilities and home- and community-based services through managed care plans.
- **Kansas** — KanCare, administered by KDHE with managed care plans; nursing-facility and home- and community-based waiver coverage run through the aged, blind, and disabled pathway.
- **Missouri** — MO HealthNet, run by the Department of Social Services; nursing-home and community-based coverage on the aged/blind/disabled pathway.
- **Ohio** — Ohio Department of Medicaid; PASSPORT and the Assisted Living Waiver cover community settings, with MyCare Ohio for people on both Medicare and Medicaid.
- **Pennsylvania** — Community HealthChoices (CHC), run by the Department of Human Services Office of Long-Term Living; applications go through County Assistance Offices.
- **North Carolina** — NC Medicaid, Division of Health Benefits (NCDHHS).
- **Texas** — STAR+PLUS managed care from Texas Health and Human Services, including the waiver that covers personal assistance, adult day care, respite, and assisted living; apply at YourTexasBenefits.com or call 211.
- **South Carolina** — Community Long-Term Care (CLTC) through SCDHHS covers home and community settings; nursing home coverage is separate.

Income and asset limits differ by state too, and they're the part families get wrong most often. Don't self-reject: screening is free, and an Area Agency on Aging will do it without selling you anything.

## Free local help in every state

Whatever state your parent lives in, these three public resources cost nothing and know your county:

- **The Eldercare Locator, 1-800-677-1116.** A free public service of the U.S. Administration for Community Living. Call, or search your parent's ZIP code at [eldercare.acl.gov](https://eldercare.acl.gov/), and it connects you to the Area Agency on Aging serving their county — the local front door for meals, transportation, caregiver support, benefits screening, and Medicaid applications.
- **Adult Protective Services.** Every state runs an APS office that investigates reports of abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation of older adults. The ACL keeps a [directory of state APS offices](https://www.acl.gov/programs/adult-protective-services).
- **National Elder Fraud Hotline, 1-833-372-8311.** Free, run by the federal government, for families untangling a scam or theft from a parent's accounts.

## When it can't wait

**If someone is in immediate danger, call 911.** A fall with injury, stroke signs, sudden confusion with fever, any immediate threat to safety — 911 first, research later. If you or your parent is in a mental health or emotional crisis, call or text **988**, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, free and open 24/7. And if a hospital discharge is happening in the next 48 hours with no plan behind it, call us at [(800) 614-8388](tel:+1808388) — that's the situation we move fastest on.

## Questions families ask

### My parent's state isn't on this list. Can you still help?

Yes. The phone line works everywhere: call [(800) 614-8388](tel:+1808388) and we'll help you understand the options, the costs, and the programs in your parent's state. Where our partner network doesn't reach, we'll say so plainly and connect you to the Area Agency on Aging that does.

### Why do costs vary so much between states?

Labor costs, real estate, regulation, and market density all differ. A nursing home semiprivate room runs a median of about $5,627 a month in Texas versus $11,954 in Pennsylvania — the same service, radically different markets. That's why we carry state and city figures instead of national averages.

### Which state's Medicaid is easiest to qualify for?

There's no single answer — each state sets income and asset limits within federal bounds, and programs treat things like the family home differently. The honest way to find out is a free screening: your parent's Area Agency on Aging (via the Eldercare Locator, 1-800-677-1116) will assess eligibility without selling anything.

### My parent lives in one state and I live in another. Which state's rules apply?

Their state's — for Medicaid, licensing, and everything local. Your state only matters for your own decisions, like whether you can be the one who drives. That's also why long-distance families lean on the local Area Agency on Aging and, often, a geriatric care manager near the parent.

### How do I check a community's record in my parent's state?

Every state licenses assisted living and nursing facilities, and most publish inspection reports and complaint histories. We check those state records before recommending anywhere, and your state page names the licensing agency so you can do the same. Nursing homes are also rated on Medicare's [Care Compare](https://www.medicare.gov/care-compare).

Sources: CareScout Cost of Care Survey 2025, state median tables (carescout.com/cost-of-care); state Medicaid agencies — AHCCCS (AZ), Florida AHCA, KDHE (KS), Missouri DSS, Ohio Department of Medicaid, Pennsylvania DHS Office of Long-Term Living, NCDHHS (NC), Texas HHS, SCDHHS (SC); Eldercare Locator (eldercare.acl.gov); ACL Adult Protective Services directory (acl.gov); FCC 911 guidance.

## Popular destinations

- [Sarasota, FL](https://seniorchoicecare.com/near-you/florida/sarasota/)
- [The Villages, FL](https://seniorchoicecare.com/near-you/florida/the-villages/)
- [Scottsdale, AZ](https://seniorchoicecare.com/near-you/arizona/scottsdale/)
- [Sun City, AZ](https://seniorchoicecare.com/near-you/arizona/sun-city/)
- [Overland Park, KS](https://seniorchoicecare.com/near-you/kansas/overland-park/)
- [Columbus, OH](https://seniorchoicecare.com/near-you/ohio/columbus/)

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Canonical page: https://seniorchoicecare.com/near-you/