Approximately one million Americans make their home in one of approximately 30,000 assisted living facilities in the U.S. today, and this number is projected to grow. The U.S. Census Bureau reports that twenty-six states are projected to double their 65-and-older population between 2000 and 2030. By 2050 there will be an estimated eighty-six million people in the U.S. who are 65 years or older, fueling the demand for assisted living facilities.

Assisted living provides coordinated, personalized 24-hour assistance and support (both scheduled and unscheduled) in a congregate residential setting. The choices, privacy, independence and rights of the persons served are proactively protected and promoted as an essential part of assisted living's core values and mission.

For the Cost of LTC Care Study, 2,521 assisted living facilities were surveyed between October and November 2008. Key findings include:

• The U.S. state annual average cost for residing in a private room in an Assisted Living Facility is $41,160. Overall costs may be higher in urban settings or if a resident has a high level of chronicity which requires additional services.
  
  
• Twenty three states have average annual rates for Assisted Living facilities above the national average.
  
  
• The NLTC region national average monthly rate for a single occupancy, private unit in an Assisted Living facility is $3,443 in the regions surveyed. By state the national average monthly private unit rate is $3,430.
  
  
• The NLTC region with the most expensive average monthly rate for a private, single occupancy unit in an Assisted Living facility is Bridgeport/Stratford, CT and costs $4,896 per month.
  
  
• The NLTC region with the lowest average monthly rate for a private, single occupancy unit in an Assisted Living Facility is El Paso, Texas and costs $2,043 per month.

For more information about the cost of assisted living facilities in your area download the research summary or download the full survey report.