In North Carolina, assisted living communities offer older adults a comfortable, hassle-free environment. As a Southern state famous for its diverse geography and culture, North Carolina offers plenty of charm and individuality. Its moderate cost of living and reasonable weather, in combination with stunning mountainous landscapes, historic coastal towns, and numerous state parks, make the state a remarkable place to call home.
My loved one is currently a resident at Brookdale Meadowmont and the overall experience has been great so far. The staff is better than great. The food is typical institutional food, I don't like it but our...
I would say that the facility and the staff are very warm and inviting, and we liked the overall feel of the assisted living facility.
The folks who work there are more like family than staff. They are kind, generous with their time and patience, and always put the needs of the residents first. I could not be happier with the experience my...
[name removed] and I have both been pleased with the services provided. From front desk staff to nursing assistance to nursing and administration we are pleased. Nutritional standards are superior. Our only...
I had the opportunity to come for an event here at Legacy Heights and I must say, it was top notch. Not only was the food fantastic, the music and hospitality were amazing. I am thrilled that my aunt is...
The staff is extremely helpful and friendly. The inside is always clean and homey. There's plenty for my mom to do and places to go. The gated community and someone always at the front desk makes sure to...
The food could be better. One of the reasons we chose this community over others is the entry fee was reasonable versus [community removed]
What we like the most about Morningview is that the staff are attentive, they had area to move to memory care, garden in middle. We would recommend this community to other families who may need a place for...
Meals need much better variety, much better taste of food: vegetables are over cooked and never roasted, never any condiments, most food is very plain and tasteless, overall food needs less starch and salt....
I would say that the facility and the staff are very warm and inviting, and we liked the overall feel of the assisted living facility.
My dad passed away [date removed]. He was there at Brookdale a total of 6 months. Those 6 months gave him a great quality of life in large part to the kind efforts of Brookdale's staff. They checked on...
Staff at Forest Heights is personal and meet the needs of my Mom. They are patient and understanding of the needs of each resident. They take the time to speak and participate in activities with residents...
I think Morningside of Raleigh is great and after two months, my dad is getting acclimated. The activities exist, my dad just doesn't participate.
Sunrise of Raleigh is one of the few places that offers a Hoyer lift. They also retain their staff very well. I highly recommend this facility to others.
All categories are a 5. We were very very pleased with the care he received. The nurses aides were so gentle with [name removed] dad and very friendly helpful to us as the family.
The average cost of assisted living in North Carolina is about $5,000 per month, according to A Place for Mom’s internal data on our partner communities throughout the state. That’s about $100 less expensive than the national average.[01]
However, assisted living costs vary across communities in North Carolina. Monthly costs range between about $3,000 at the low end and $7,100 at the highest end for North Carolina assisted living communities. This is because facilities base their costs on factors such as the following:
The figures above are reflective of actual prices paid by families who were referred to an A Place for Mom partner assisted living community in North Carolina. They account for all fees paid, including amenities, services, and care. Seniors and their families often use a combination of public and private payment methods to cover these costs. Read more about various payment options below.
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US National average
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South Carolina
Virginia
West Virginia
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Whether you or your family can cover assisted living using personal savings, or you opt to utilize public pay options, there are a variety of methods to pay for assisted living in North Carolina. This section outlines the various payment options families often use to cover their assisted living or long-term care costs. You can also view our guide to paying for long-term care for a high-level overview.
Some families can pay for long-term care using personal savings. However, there are a number of other private pay options. Click on the cards below to learn more about some different options.
North Carolina is home to roughly 637,800 veterans.[02] The state provides a range of benefits and resources for veteran residents in need of assisted living services.
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) provides generous benefit coverage to eligible, disabled veterans and their spouses. Many veterans assume they won’t qualify for disability benefits, but many VA benefits’ eligibility criteria are more inclusive than you may think. Also, if you or a loved one acquired a disability during wartime service, additional benefits may apply. See the VA’s list of service-connected ailments to learn more about some qualification requirements. Keep in mind that the list is not exhaustive, and other situations may still qualify.
If you find you need help navigating veterans benefits, or you’re unsure what even qualifies you, you’re not alone — eligibility requirements and the benefits application processes can be quite confusing. Fortunately, North Carolina has many resources available to guide veterans and their families through it, including local VA centers and veterans service organizations (VSOs). VSOs can help veterans and spouses through the entire benefit claim process, especially disabled seniors in need of long-term, assisted living care.
Local VSOs in North Carolina include the following:
Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA) has a regional office in the Winston-Salem area. They assist disabled veterans with various legal and medical matters and can provide advocacy to those seeking VA benefits.
Medicaid is a health insurance program for individuals with a low or limited income. It’s a state and federally funded program and is administered at the state level. Medicaid won’t cover the cost of room and board, but it can help families cover some assisted living costs.
NC Medicaid is North Carolina’s state Medicaid program. NC Medicaid covers a range of services, including the following:[03]
Most people receive their health care coverage through what’s called a “Standard Plan,” which offers physical health, pharmacy, care management, and basic behavioral health services. NC Medicaid also offers a “Tailored Plan” for people who need certain mental health services or have a traumatic brain injury or intellectual/developmental disability.[04]
Additionally, NC Medicaid offers a few waivers and programs that help more people have access to health care in the community of their choice, like an assisted living facility. The home and community waivers specific to North Carolina include the following:
Accessing or understanding Medicaid benefits can sometimes feel overwhelming. For free assistance, reach out to a local long-term care ombudsman. You can contact a North Carolina long-term care ombudsman by calling 1-800-662-7030.
Medicare is a federal health insurance program designed for adults aged 65 or older and people with disabilities. While Medicare can help cover some costs of assisted living, it won’t cover the cost of room and board or nonmedical personal care. If you’d like to learn whether a specific procedure, diagnostic test, or medical device is covered, you can search for it using the Medicare coverage search tool.
To help eligible individuals pay for premiums, deductibles, and copays associated with Medicare, North Carolina offers Medicare Savings Programs. For instance, Extra Help is a Medicare program that can help individuals who meet income requirements pay for their Medicare prescription drug costs.
Other Medicare programs in North Carolina include the following:
For further assistance with navigating Medicare benefits, reach out to one of North Carolina’s local resources:
The licensure term for assisted living in North Carolina is Assisted Living Residence. However, there are a couple of different types of Assisted Living Residences, each providing a slightly different scope of care:[05]
Adult Care Homes must be licensed through the North Carolina’s Department of Health and Human Services Division of Health Service Regulation, Adult Care Licensure Section. Multi-Unit Assisted Housing with Services facilities aren’t licensed, but they still must register with the Division of Health Service Regulation.
Although Adult Care Homes and Multi-Unit Assisted Housing with Services facilities are considered types of ALRs, each assisted living type is bound to slightly different rules and regulations. To read a full list of rules that North Carolina’s assisted living facilities are required to follow, view the North Carolina section in the National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL)’s Assisted Living State Regulatory Review.
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 on how easy — or difficult — it is to find important assisted living records and reports, and we compiled tips to help you in your search.
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 whether the facility accepts Medicaid.
Public access to assisted living records and reports for the state of North Carolina is exceptional. Key findings that informed this rating include:
How to look up North Carolina assisted living licenses and records
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:
A Place for Mom. (2023). A Place for Mom proprietary data.
United States Census Bureau. QuickFacts North Carolina.
North Carolina Medicaid Division of Health Benefits (NCDHHS). Benefits and services.
North Carolina Medicaid Division of Health Benefits (NCDHHS). Learn about NC Medicaid Managed Care.
National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL). (2022). Assisted living state regulatory review.
Overview of assisted living in NC
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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