Assisted living in New York is a state-licensed residence where adults get housing, meals, 24-hour on-site monitoring and help with personal care. The statewide median price in the CareScout 2025 survey is $7,110 a month. Medicare does not pay for it, and Medicaid pays only for care services in a special Assisted Living Program (ALP), never for the room and board.
What is assisted living in New York?
The term has a legal meaning here. The Department of Health (DOH) licenses adult care facilities, which give long-term, non-medical residential care to adults who cannot live independently. A facility can then apply to become an assisted living residence (ALR), and an ALR can add further certifications. Here is how DOH defines each one.
| Type | What the state says it is |
|---|---|
| Adult home or enriched housing program | Long-term residential care with room, board, housekeeping, personal care and supervision for five or more adults. Enriched housing is aimed mainly at people 65 and older. |
| Assisted living residence (ALR) | An adult home or enriched housing program that DOH has also approved as an ALR. It provides or arranges housing, 24-hour on-site monitoring, personal care or home care, daily meals, case management and an individualized service plan. |
| Enhanced ALR (EALR) | Can keep residents who chronically need another person’s help to walk or climb stairs, depend on medical equipment, or have chronic unmanaged incontinence. |
| Special Needs ALR (SNALR) | Serves people with dementia or cognitive impairment, under specialized plans approved by DOH. |
| Assisted Living Program (ALP) | For people medically eligible for nursing home placement but served in a lower-cost, less intensive setting. This is the version Medicaid pays toward. |
The word “assisted living” is used loosely in advertising, so ask any place you consider which of these licenses it holds.
How is assisted living different from a nursing home or home care?
The state is explicit that adult care facilities are not licensed to provide the continual medical or nursing care that nursing homes give. An ALR provides supervision, meals, housekeeping and help with personal care.
DOH’s consumer guide to assisted living residences adds one exception: an Enhanced ALR can keep a resident who needs 24-hour nursing only if the resident hires that care privately and the doctor, home care agency and operator all agree it can be delivered safely. Otherwise the person moves to a nursing facility or hospital.
With home care, the help comes to your own home and you keep paying your own housing costs. Our guides compare home care and assisted living and home care and nursing homes in more detail.
How much does assisted living cost in New York?
The best published benchmark is the CareScout Cost of Care Survey 2025 (CareScout is a Genworth company). It collected provider-reported prices from July to November 2025, and the results were released on 2 March 2026. The New York figures below come from its median cost tables.
| Care setting | New York median per month | New York median per year | U.S. median per month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assisted living community (private one-bedroom) | $7,110 | $85,320 | $6,200 |
| Non-medical in-home caregiver, 44 hours a week | $6,673 | $80,080 | $6,673 |
| Nursing home, semi-private room | $15,528 | $186,333 | $9,581 |
These are statewide medians, so a particular residence in Brooklyn, Queens or upstate can be far above or below them, and CareScout says actual costs vary with individual needs and local conditions. The monthly assisted living price also embeds the room and board part of the bill.
For comparison, the survey’s New York median for a non-medical caregiver is $35 an hour, so $7,110 would buy about 200 hours of home care a month, though you would still pay your own housing. See what home care costs in New York.
For one residence’s actual rent, use DOH’s Assisted Living Residence Quality page. Under a February 2025 law update, it lists each residence’s rent, services and approved residency agreement.
How do you pay for assisted living in New York?
There is no single program, and DOH advises asking every residence which payment types it accepts. Beyond private funds, these are the main sources.
| Payment source | What it can pay for | What it does not pay for |
|---|---|---|
| Long-term care insurance | Care the policy names, up to its limits | Costs above its daily limit or benefit period |
| SSI and the state supplement | A fixed monthly benefit, at residences that accept it | Any gap between the benefit and the price |
| Medicaid (Assisted Living Program) | Care services listed in the regulation, for people who qualify | Room and board |
| SNALR voucher (dementia only) | Up to 75% of the regional average private rate at a participating SNALR | Other residences; limited to 200 vouchers |
Long-term care insurance
DOH says many residences accept long-term care insurance. The Administration for Community Living explains that these policies reimburse a daily amount, up to a chosen limit, for help with daily activities in settings such as your home or another facility. Read yours for its daily maximum, benefit period and covered care. See long-term care insurance in New York.
SSI
Per DOH letter DAL 25-08, from 1 January 2026 an SSI-only individual living in an adult care facility receives $1,688 a month, including federal and state portions. Of that, $262 is the personal needs allowance the resident keeps, which leaves $1,426 for the cost of care. DOH says some residences accept SSI as their main payment, but $1,426 is far below the $7,110 median, so ask early.
The dementia voucher
DOH’s SNALR Voucher Program helps people with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia who can no longer pay privately. It can issue up to 200 vouchers covering up to 75% of the regional average private-pay rate, and a waitlist may form. The eligibility sheet requires a dementia diagnosis and income and assets under regional standards. The page dates from August 2024, so confirm it is still open.
Does Medicaid pay for assisted living in New York?
Not for the room and board, and not for most assisted living. DOH’s consumer guide says that, currently, Medicaid and Medicare will not pay for residing in an ALR, although they may pay for certain medical services received there. The exception is the Assisted Living Program.
Under 18 NYCRR 505.35, Medicaid pays an ALP a capitated rate that covers adult day health care, home health aide services, medical supplies and equipment, nursing, personal care, personal emergency response and physical, speech and occupational therapy. Housing and meals are not on that list. Those costs are paid from other sources, such as the resident’s own funds or SSI.
DOH’s ALP page sets out who qualifies. The person must be medically eligible for nursing home placement and need it because there is no suitable home environment. They must not need continual nursing care, be chronically bedfast, or endanger other residents. The same page says the program is limited to 4,200 residents, about 85% of them on Medicaid. That page dates from 2014, so ask about current openings; we found no official waitlist figures.
How do you apply for an ALP?
- Find programs on DOH’s adult care facility profiles.
- Contact the ALP directly. DOH says private payers and Medicaid recipients can both do this. Ask whether a Medicaid space is open.
- Get assessed. The ALP must assess you within 30 days before admission and at least every six months after.
- Medicaid eligibility. The local social services district decides it; DOH guidance says the ALP notifies the district of new enrollments. See what Medicaid covers for home care and Medicaid spend-down for income rules.
Does Medicare pay for assisted living?
No. Medicare.gov states that Medicare and most health insurance, including Medigap, do not pay for long-term care, which includes non-medical care in an assisted living facility.
Medicare can still pay for covered services delivered there. The Medicare Benefit Policy Manual (chapter 7, section 30.1.2) says home health can be covered for a person who lives in an assisted living facility, as long as the usual tests are met. Care that merely duplicates what the facility must provide under state licensing is denied. Our guide to the Medicare home health benefit has the rules.
How do you choose and check an assisted living residence?
DOH advises visiting several residences and talking with residents and staff. Here is how to check one before you sign.
- Confirm the license type on DOH’s adult care facility profiles. Check whether it is an ALR, and an EALR or SNALR if you need that level.
- Compare the quality data. The Residence Quality page shows each residence’s confirmed 2025 complaints, direct caregiver staffing and food service violations.
- Ask to see the latest inspection report. State rules require operators to post the most recent inspection report in a public area. You can also request copies under the Freedom of Information Law. DOH inspects residences every 12 to 18 months.
- Read the residency agreement and disclosure statement. The agreement must list fees, refunds, discharge conditions and resident rights. Have an elder law attorney review it.
- Call the ombudsman. The New York Long Term Care Ombudsman Program helps residents of nursing homes, assisted living and other adult care homes. The statewide number is 1-855-582-6769.
To report a problem, DOH’s centralized complaint line for adult care facilities is 1-866-893-6772, staffed 8:30 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., Monday to Friday, with voicemail after hours. You can stay anonymous.
What should you ask on a tour?
These questions come from the DOH consumer guide.
- What license does the residence hold, and how many beds are certified as enhanced or special needs?
- What does the monthly fee include, and what is extra, such as dry cleaning or cable?
- What happens if the fee rises or care needs increase? When would a resident have to leave?
- Do you accept long-term care insurance, SSI or the Medicaid ALP?
- Can I keep my doctors, and how do I get to appointments?
- Does staff speak my language, and who is on site overnight?
- Can I eat a meal here and see a model unit?
When is home care a better fit?
Home care tends to work better when the person wants to stay in their own apartment, the home can be made safe and the need is a few hours of help a day rather than round-the-clock supervision. At the survey’s $35 median hourly rate, four hours a day for 30 days is $4,200, below the $7,110 assisted living median.
Assisted living may fit better when someone needs 24-hour on-site monitoring, the home cannot be made safe, or isolation is the main problem. For dementia, see when it is time for memory care. Overnight care or live-in care can bridge the gap, and nursing home costs are covered in how nursing homes are paid for.
Finding out what you qualify for: advice from our nurse director
Anna Klyauzova, RN, MSN, MPA, Director of Patient Services at ProLife Home Care, on what she sees in practice:
If you don’t know what you qualify for, start with what is on the table: insurance, income, benefits already received and the person’s care needs. You don’t have to fill out a dozen applications this week. First find out which programs fit. NYC Aging, NY Connects (1-800-342-9871) and Medicaid specialists are good places to ask, and hospital Medical Social Services can help in tricky situations. Please don’t wait for a hospital stay or a fall to start looking at Medicaid and home care programs. It is far easier to arrange safe care before things reach a crisis.
ProLife is a licensed home care agency in Brooklyn and Queens, licence #2572L001, New York State Department of Health. We do not operate assisted living residences. We can talk through whether home care could meet your family’s needs, or help you see what care you would still need if you move. Call (718) 232-2777 or use our contact page.
Rules, rates and program availability change. Everything above was checked on 14 October 2026 against health.ny.gov, regs.health.ny.gov, ltcombudsman.ny.gov, medicare.gov, cms.gov, acl.gov and the CareScout survey. Some DOH pages cited here carry older revision dates, noted in the text. Confirm your own situation with the residence, your local social services district and an elder law attorney. This page is general information, not legal, financial or medical advice.
Frequently asked questions
How much does assisted living cost in New York?
The CareScout 2025 survey puts the New York statewide median at $7,110 a month, or $85,320 a year, for a private one-bedroom. The U.S. median is $6,200 a month. Individual residences vary, so check each one’s posted rent on DOH’s Assisted Living Residence Quality page.
How much is assisted living per month compared with a nursing home?
In the same survey, New York’s median nursing home price is $15,528 a month for a semi-private room, more than double the assisted living median. The two settings provide different levels of care.
Does Medicaid pay for assisted living in New York?
Medicaid does not pay for housing and meals in an assisted living residence. Through the Assisted Living Program it pays for listed care services such as nursing, personal care and therapies, for people who qualify medically and financially. The program is limited to 4,200 residents, per DOH.
How can I pay for assisted living in New York?
Common sources are private funds, long-term care insurance, SSI at residences that accept it, the Medicaid ALP for care services and, for dementia, the DOH SNALR voucher. Ask each residence which payment types it accepts before you apply.
Does Medicare pay for assisted living?
No. Medicare.gov says Medicare does not pay for long-term care, including non-medical care in an assisted living facility. Medicare can still pay for covered services there, such as doctor visits or home health that meets Medicare’s rules.
Can someone on SSI live in assisted living in New York?
Some residences accept SSI as their main payment, but not all do. In 2026 an SSI-only individual in an adult care facility receives $1,688 a month, of which $262 is a personal needs allowance, according to DOH.
Who can I call if I have a problem at an assisted living residence?
Call the NYS Long Term Care Ombudsman Program at 1-855-582-6769 or DOH’s adult care facility complaint line at 1-866-893-6772. You can remain anonymous when you report to DOH.
