Senior Living Statistics 2026
The complete, sourced picture of senior care in America — how many communities exist, what care costs, who lives in them, and where demand is headed. Built from authoritative national data and our own directory of 11,361 communities.
Sourced from AHCA/NCAL, the Alzheimer’s Association, CareScout/Genworth, KFF, NIC, the U.S. Census Bureau & HHS — plus our proprietary directory data.
Inside the Largest Verified Senior Living Directory
These numbers come straight from our own research team — a living database we maintain, verify, and expand. No other consumer directory publishes this depth of structured data.
Care types in our directory
Share of the 9,566 communities with a classified care type.
Top states by communities tracked
Where our verified coverage is deepest.
Source: SeniorLivingFacilities.com directory analysis, October 2026 (n = 11,361 published communities).
The Aging of America
The United States is getting older, fast. The demand for senior care over the next 25 years is driven by a demographic shift unlike any in the nation’s history.
Source: Population Reference Bureau, U.S. Census Bureau, and the Administration for Community Living.
How Many Communities — and How Big
Senior living is a large, consolidating industry running at near-record occupancy while new construction has slowed to its lowest level in over a decade.
Source: AHCA/NCAL Assisted Living Facts & Figures, KFF, and NIC.
Who Lives in Senior Living
More than a million older adults call assisted living and residential care home. Here’s who they are.
- ~68% of residents are women
- ~50% are age 85 or older
- ~40% live with Alzheimer’s or another dementia
- 75% need help bathing; 71% need help walking
- 1M+ older adults in assisted living & residential care
Source: AHCA/NCAL and CDC National Center for Health Statistics.
The Cost of Senior Care in 2026
Costs rose again in the latest national survey, led by assisted living. Medicare does not pay for room and board in assisted living or memory care.
Most expensive states (assisted living)
| Hawaii | $12,096/mo |
| Alaska | $9,882/mo |
| Massachusetts | $9,600/mo |
| Connecticut | $9,118/mo |
| New Jersey | $8,710/mo |
Most affordable states (assisted living)
| Missouri | $3,000/mo |
| South Dakota | $3,350/mo |
| North Dakota | $3,391/mo |
| Kentucky | $3,448/mo |
| Alabama | $3,503/mo |
Source: CareScout (Genworth) 2025 Cost of Care Survey; memory-care range via SeniorLiving.org and A Place for Mom. National medians; local costs vary.
Dementia by the Numbers
Memory care demand is driven by a steadily rising number of Americans living with Alzheimer’s — a figure projected to keep climbing for decades.
Source: Alzheimer’s Association, 2026 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures.
Will You Need Long-Term Care?
For most families, long-term care isn’t a possibility — it’s a near-certainty. Planning early is the difference between choice and crisis.
Source: HHS ASPE and the Administration for Community Living.
The Coming Supply Gap
As the first Baby Boomers turn 80, the need for senior housing is set to outrun supply by a wide margin — a gap families will feel as waitlists and higher prices.
Need help finding the right community?
Our senior living advisors help families compare options, understand costs, and tour communities — at no cost to you.
Senior Living Statistics: FAQ
How many assisted living facilities are in the United States?
There are roughly 30,000–31,000 assisted living communities in the U.S. according to AHCA/NCAL, offering about 1.2 million licensed beds. Broader counts that include all residential-care settings reach approximately 41,000. Our own verified directory tracks 11,361 communities in detail.
What is the average cost of assisted living in 2026?
The national median is $6,200 per month (about $74,400 per year), per the CareScout/Genworth 2025 Cost of Care Survey — up 5% year over year. Memory care typically runs 15–25% higher, and nursing home care ranges from about $9,581/mo (semi-private) to $10,798/mo (private).
How many Americans have Alzheimer’s disease?
An estimated 7.4 million Americans age 65 and older are living with Alzheimer’s in 2026 — about 1 in 9 people in that age group. The number is projected to reach nearly 13 million by 2050 (Alzheimer’s Association).
What percentage of seniors will need long-term care?
About 70% of adults who reach age 65 will need some form of long-term care in their remaining years, and roughly 20% will need it for more than five years (HHS ASPE).
How many older adults live in senior living communities?
More than 1 million older adults live in assisted living and residential care. About 84% are 75 or older, roughly two-thirds are women, and about 40% live with some form of dementia.
What is the average length of stay in assisted living?
The typical stay is about 22–27 months. Nearly 40% of residents move or transition within the first year, while others stay three years or longer.
Where These Numbers Come From
Every figure on this page is drawn from authoritative government, industry, or peer research — combined with our own directory analysis. Last reviewed October 2026.
Directory statistics reflect SeniorLivingFacilities.com’s database of 11,361 published communities as of October 2026. National figures are current as of each source’s most recent release.