Assisted living services are most expensive in New Hampshire, Washington, D.C., and Delaware, according to a new analysis from senior living referral service Seniorly.

Assisted living costs average $8,248 per month in New Hampshire, nearly double the national average of $4,401, according to Seniorly data gleaned from more than 60,000 senior living communities. New Hampshire is one of only six states where assisted living care costs more per month on average than in-home care.

Ranking behind New Hampshire, the other most expensive places for AL care included:

–Washington D.C., $6,835 per month

–Delaware $6,101 per month

–Hawaii $5,924 per month

–Wyoming $5,894 per month

Between 2021 and 2023, the average senior living cost rose in 30 states, with the largest increases seen in Wyoming with a 53% increase, West Verginia at a 46% increase and New Hampshire at 46% increase in that time, Seniorly data shows.

“Choosing the right care for older family members involves more than just the price tag – it’s about finding the right balance between financial practicality and genuine well-being,” Seniorly CEO Arthur Bretschneider wrote in an article accompanying the new data.

With the high cost of care, Seniorly reported that the median cost for home health aides was less expensive than assisted living in 44 states. On the flip side, the least expensive locations for AL care included:

–Louisiana $2,948 per month

–Georgia $3,318 per month

–South Dakota $3,378 per month

–Iowa $3,420 per month

–Minnesota $3,472 per month

Based on price estimates, Seniorly reported that states with a higher concentration of large or high-end AL communities would likely result in having a higher cost. Costs fell by more than 10% in nine states, with Washington reporting the biggest decline in costs at a decrease of 16%, decreasing by 15% in Iowa and 15% in Indiana.

The affordability of senior living is a growing problem operators, legislators and municipalities must take into consideration when planning for the future. Just how much it costs to live within an AL facility for one year was demonstrated by New Hampshire residents needing nearly 27 years of savings to afford one year of assisted living.

That was followed by West Virginia at older adults needing 26 years of savings to afford one year of AL care. Mississippi and Wyoming residents on average need to save 24 years to afford one AL year, Seniorly data shows.

Even at the other end of the spectrum, an older adult must save for 11.7 years to afford one year of care at a facility in Maryland or 12.3 years of savings needed to afford senior living in Utah and Minnesota.

The average cost of assisted living in each state was determined via Seniorly’s 2023 move-in data from the company’s network of 60,000 senior living communities, and comparisons were made by examining 2021 Seniorly data.