By Naomi Foster · Health Writer, Senior Care CostsUpdated 2026-07-09
By Naomi Foster · Health Writer, Senior Care CostsA nursing home provides the highest level of daily care outside a hospital, with skilled staff available around the clock. That level of support is why it is the most expensive senior care option, and why families plan for it carefully.
The CareScout Cost of Care Survey, published by Genworth Financial on March 2, 2026 using 2025 data, put the U.S. median nursing home cost at $315 a day for a semi-private room and $355 a day for a private room, or about $9,590 and $10,810 a month. A private room runs well over $100,000 a year. Costs vary widely by state and region. Estimate a figure for your situation in the nursing home cost calculator.
Most nursing homes price by room type. A semi-private room, shared with another resident, is the lower-cost option. A private room costs more, often several hundred to a couple of thousand dollars more per month. The care itself is the same; you are paying for the space and privacy.
A nursing home costs more than assisted living or memory care because it includes skilled medical care and constant staffing, not just help with daily tasks. Many families use a lower level of care first and move to a nursing home only when medical needs require it. See the side-by-side in our care cost comparison.
Medicare does not cover long-term nursing home care, only short skilled stays, so families rely on Medicaid for those who qualify, long-term care insurance, savings, and veterans benefits. Understanding the payment paths early makes a real difference. Start with our rundown of funding sources for senior care.
One more reason to plan early: senior care costs have generally risen year over year, often faster than broad inflation, according to CareScout's long-running Cost of Care Survey, published under the Genworth name. A figure that looks manageable today may be higher by the time care is actually needed. Building in some room for increases, rather than budgeting to today's exact number, makes a plan more durable.
According to the CareScout Cost of Care Survey, published by Genworth Financial in March 2026 using 2025 data, the U.S. median sits at $315 a day for a shared room and $355 a day for a private one, working out to roughly $9,590 to $10,810 a month. Over a full year, a private room can pass $100,000, and the number shifts a lot depending on the state.
Nursing homes fold in skilled medical care, not only help getting dressed or to meals, and they staff for it around the clock. Assisted living is built around personal care in a more residential setting. That extra layer of licensed medical staffing is the main reason a nursing home costs meaningfully more.
A semi-private room means sharing space with another resident, and it is the lower-cost option. Going private adds anywhere from several hundred to a couple thousand dollars a month, depending on the facility. The level of medical care does not change between the two; you are paying for privacy and square footage.
Medicare's coverage is limited to short skilled-nursing stays, usually after a hospitalization, not ongoing long-term care. Medicaid picks up long-term nursing home costs for residents who qualify under their state's income and asset limits. Beyond that, families typically lean on long-term care insurance, personal savings, or veterans benefits to fill the gap.
Naomi digs into nursing home billing, from daily room rates to what Medicare will and will not pay. She checks primary sources like the CareScout survey rather than repeating numbers secondhand.