14th
OVERALL STATE RANK
Seniors in Illinois may seek assisted living to secure a safe, maintenance-free lifestyle as they age. There are two main types of community in Illinois: assisted living establishments and shared housing establishments. Both must offer assistance with activities of daily living, meals, and supervision.[01] The average monthly cost of assisted living in Illinois is about $5,300, according to A Place for Mom’s proprietary data.[02] At this price point, Illinois assisted living costs slightly more than the national average.
State scorecard
How we determine rankings
Our 2023 state ranking for assisted living uses A Place for Mom’s proprietary data collected from our community partners. First, we sorted through our metrics and grouped them into three pillars that are key in a quality assisted living experience. We weighted these pillars differently based on insights from our senior living experts. Then, we used these categories and their weighting to determine how each state ranks.
Top ranked Illinois cities for assisted living overall
Key findings
Top ranked Illinois cities - Services & Amenities
Key findings
Illinois vs. the national monthly median cost of assisted living
Top ranked Illinois cities - Affordability
Key findings
Top ranked Illinois cities - Ratings
The staff are very friendly and helpful with anything that I need help with. The food is WONDERFUL! Everyone is always smiling and it is overall a good place to live.
I moved to Encore Village almost exactly three years ago. I was the best decision I have ever made! The apartments are very nice; the food and food choices are excellent. As a matter of fact, "choices"...
Despite my living in an apartment in Independent Living, I see the excellent care of others who are more impaired. I would absolutely recommend Brookdale Northbrook to other families!
Staff is very attentive and provides personal attention, making sure to acknowledge my mother by name. Her nurse, [name removed], she been in constant communication with me about medical attention my mother...
I've found that if I have a question I just ask & the staff & everyone will attempt to get the correct person to answer or it will be forwarded until I get the information I needed. Guess I'll just say I'm...
My mom said "I don't have to cook or clean." Based on the experience we have had so far, we would recommend the Lutheran Home to other families
Mercy Circle was wonderful. My dad was able to heal with support kindness and support. We highly recommend Mercy Circle to everyone.
We have had a great experience with the staff. There have been a few things that have broken, like a faucet leak and an air conditioner not working. They were awesome! We never waited more than a couple...
[name removed] is receiving good care. There were some transition problems, with incomplete information about utilities (e.g. WiFi & TV). Now that those have been resolved, I am grateful to have my brother...
It's new and lovely and working very hard to flourish. I certainly would recommend Trulee. Move in was very smooth. They work with a group that regularly moves people from their homes to Trulee and sets up...
I moved to Encore Village almost exactly three years ago. I was the best decision I have ever made! The apartments are very nice; the food and food choices are excellent. As a matter of fact, "choices"...
Despite my living in an apartment in Independent Living, I see the excellent care of others who are more impaired. I would absolutely recommend Brookdale Northbrook to other families!
My mother loves the staff. She loves the atmosphere. They go on outings almost every Wednesday and she looks forward to those outings. A varied list of activities. She has a great time. The staff is very...
My mom moved into Sunrise of Naperville last year. We looked at the newer, more modern places and decided to move to one of them. I am embarrassed to say it was because it was "prettier" and the salesperson...
StoryPoint Naperville is a very good place as a senior living community. I have been living here with my wife [name removed] since last two months. The staff and caregivers are caring and very helpful. We...
The average monthly cost of assisted living in Illinois is about $5,300, according to A Place for Mom’s proprietary data. This is around $200 more than the national median cost, making Illinois a bit more costly than other locations in the U.S.[02] These numbers refer to the final monthly costs paid by seniors living in our partner communities.
In Illinois, costs at A Place for Mom’s partner communities typically range from roughly $3,100 to just under $7,700 a month. Communities in large metropolitan areas like Chicago generally cost more than facilities in smaller or more rural locations. Costs can also vary by amenities provided, the level of care needed, and the community’s pricing structure.
Illinois divides their assisted living facilities into the following categories:[01]
Shared housing establishments may offer lower monthly rates than assisted living establishments. They house a maximum of 16 residents and allow double-occupancy rooms, while assisted living establishments only allow one occupant per room.
Monthly cost figures in these communities generally cover a senior’s complete care needs, including:
Factors that affect the cost of assisted living in Illinois may include:
Medicare and Medicaid may also help offset some of the costs of medical care expenses in an assisted living community for qualified seniors. Read on to learn how seniors and their families typically pay for assisted living in Illinois.
Average monthly costs
Illinois
US National average
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Let our care assessment guide you
Our free tool provides options, advice, and next steps based on your unique situation.
A senior’s individual budget, needs, and preferences can affect the ways they choose to pay for care. Across the board, the sooner you’re able to evaluate your family’s budget, the more options you may have available.
This is especially true if your aging relative has not yet signed up for Medicare, or if they plan to apply for public assistance programs, such as Medicaid home and community based services (HCBS) waivers or stipends from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), both of which are available for lower-income seniors in Illinois, but may have a waiting period. If you plan to use Medicare or Medicaid to cover any medical services in assisted living, an application or spend-down period may apply.
Many families use a combination of private funds and public payment methods to cover the costs of assisted living. For a high-level overview of payment options, consult our complete guide to paying for long-term care and review the information provided below.
Private pay options can include assets, pensions, retirement accounts, and personal savings. Financial assistance from family members also counts as paying privately for assisted living in Illinois.
Proceeds from the sale of a home can help fund Illinois assisted living.
Leveraging home equity through a reverse mortgage can help pay for assisted living in Illinois.
A Health Savings Account (HSA) can cover the cost of health expenses — like certain care services and medical supplies — in Illinois assisted living.
A life insurance policy can be sold or surrendered for cash value to offset the costs of assisted living in Illinois.
Long-term care insurance may cover some aspects of assisted living in Illinoi . Since policies vary, be sure to speak with your insurance policy representative to see what’s covered.
Social Security benefits for assisted living
Seniors who qualify for Social Security can use those funds at their cash value to cover part of their Illinois assisted living costs.
If your loved one or their spouse served the country as a member of the armed forces, they may be eligible for a variety of veterans benefits from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to help offset the costs of assisted living in Illinois. It’s important to understand the ins and outs of benefits to ensure your loved one has access to the funds they’ve earned.
Learning about and applying for these benefits can be complicated, so the best place to start is by reaching out to one of the many veterans resources available across the state for benefits counseling.
Medicaid is a health care program jointly funded by the state and federal governments. It’s designed to help low-income individuals and people with disabilities. In Illinois, Medicaid is also known as Illinois Medical Assistance.
There are two types of financial aid your loved one may be able to receive under Illinois Medical Assistance:
For more information about qualifying for Medicaid, seniors and their families can review the state’s Application for Benefits Eligibility site. It’s worth noting that, since Illinois Medical Assistance only covers seniors over the age of 65 or who have a qualifying disability, some assisted living residents will be exempt based on their age.
Even if your loved one qualifies for Medicaid, your family will still likely have to use a combination of private pay and public pay resources to cover assisted living costs. This is because Illinois Medical Assistance only pays for medical care — not room and board — in assisted living communities.
Medicare is a federally funded health insurance program available to all U.S. seniors aged 65 or older. Younger residents in Illinois assisted living facilities won’t qualify. While Medicare doesn’t cover room and board in assisted living communities, it can help with medical care costs, which might include the following:
Illinois offers a variety of different Medicare plans:[03]
Medicare enrollees can receive help through the State Health Insurance Program (SHIP). Public health agencies, individual coordinators, nonprofits, and the local area agencies on aging provide counseling on the process of applying for Medicare as well as tailored benefit information.
For additional resources and assistance with Medicare and Medicaid, families can contact the following agencies:
The Illinois Department of Public Health regulates and licenses both assisted living establishments and shared housing establishments.
All assisted living facilities and shared housing establishments in Illinois must be licensed and inspected by the state, no matter the size or level of care they provide. Inspections take the age and health care needs of residents, medication management guidelines, and safety standards into account.
All facilities in Illinois must offer 24-hour supervision, but requirements vary by community type and dementia care licensing.
Assisted living establishments:
Shared housing establishments:
Communities licensed to care for residents with dementia:
After a facility becomes licensed, they must renew their license yearly and undergo annual inspections by the Illinois Department of Public Health.
Let our care assessment guide you
Our free tool provides options, advice, and next steps based on your unique situation.
We developed a system to rate each state based on the ease of information access. In other words, how easy — or difficult — it is to find important assisted living records and reports.
States with the most transparent records allow you to look up important information about each assisted living facility online, including inspections, complaints, survey results, violations, capacity, and Medicaid acceptance.
Public access to assisted living records and reports for the state of Illinois is moderate. Key findings that informed this rating include:
For a simple list of licensed providers, visit the licensed establishments list.
We developed a standard methodology for state data collection and evaluation, and we based our rating primarily on the objective, state-specific accessibility criteria outlined in these questions:
1. Are licensed assisted living communities listed online in any form? Yes
2. If Yes to #1, is the information updated frequently? No
3. If Yes to #1, is the list of licensed communities searchable? Yes
4. Does the state post inspections, complaints, survey results, or violations online? No
5. If Yes to #4, is the information updated frequently (within 90 days)? No, or not applicable
6. If Yes to #2 and #4, is the enforcement information included in the same place as licensed communities? No, or not applicable
7. If Yes to #4 and No to #6, are violations and inspections searchable at all? No
8. Is information about special licensing for care shown? Yes
9. Is capacity shown? Yes
10. Are payment types shown (e.g., Medicaid, private pay)? No
11. Is the administrator/contact name shown? No
12. Can the state fine a facility? Yes
13. What is the frequency of inspections? Every 12 months
14. Does the website include pricing of facilities? No
Illinois Department of Public Health. (2023). Assisted Living.
A Place for Mom. (2023). A Place for Mom proprietary data.
Illinois Senior Health Insurance Program. (2022). Your Medicare Coverage Choices.
National Center for Assisted Living. (2022). Assisted Living State Regulatory Review
Overview of assisted living in IL
The information contained on this page is for informational purposes only and is not intended to constitute medical, legal or financial advice or create a professional relationship between A Place for Mom and the reader. Always seek the advice of your health care provider, attorney or financial advisor with respect to any particular matter, and do not act or refrain from acting on the basis of anything you have read on this site. Links to third-party websites are only for the convenience of the reader; A Place for Mom does not endorse the contents of the third-party sites.
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