15th
OVERALL STATE RANK
In Pennsylvania, assisted living residences provide food, shelter, personal care, and supplemental health care services to individuals requiring assistance or supervision with activities of daily living or medication administration. On average, assisted living in Pennsylvania costs $5,100 per month or $61,200 annually, according to A Place for Mom’s proprietary data.[01] To keep up with Pennsylvania’s increasing senior population, the state offers a range of assisted living communities to accommodate various budgets, care needs, and lifestyles.
Overall state ranking out of 50
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 Pennsylvania cities for assisted living overall
When my mom was diagnosed with dementia/Alzheimers, I felt lost and unsure and horribly sad. She went from being a vibrant, engaged woman to someone who began closing in on herself. Fast forward about 5...
Unfortunately my husband has Alzheimer,s and I have been taking care of him for 13 years. Due to my health declining it was hard for me to keep up with his care plus all the other responsibilities. I had...
I have no complaints about the Gardens of Green Ridge. The staff treats all the people with respect, and they listen to us and answer any questions we have. The food is good, a better quality than most. ...
My husband’s grandmother was a resident of Pinnacle. She had so many things to do and get involved in— and she loved it! I swear she had more of a social life than I did! The staff were very nice and if...
Nothing is perfect but staffing is great . And follow up on questions or concerns is very quick and If we had any concerns it was taken care of. Yes, I would highly recommend Pathways. They are able to...
I am very pleased with the care my grandmother is receiving. The facility is very clean and the staff try really hard to accommodate my grandmother's needs. She seems happy.
I moved into Fountain View two months ago and am enjoying my life here very much. I have especially been rewarded by meeting many compatible people. My newly renovated apartment is beautiful. I have...
Oakwood Residence is an established facility with an outstanding staff that is caring and helpful. The residents go out of their way to make a new resident feel comfortable and part of a family.
Reasons we chose Brookdale Mt. Lebanon: Close to my house, clean, friendly, my mom spent time there until Covid. Love the staff. Facilities are wonderful as well! I do think it is a bit expensive for every...
Overall, it was a good place. The lack of communication with the Director [name removed] was the biggest problem during our time there. Paying [fee removed] a month should at least entitle the family to be...
The facility was clean and did not have any odors The food service and the food was very good. The staff was friendly and very helpful. Unfortunately as it was my mother first time in a long term care...
It took a couple weeks for a transition with medications and plan of care. Once hubby settled in he likes the place very much staff is friendly the medical staff and text take good care of him food is good...
Assisted living was pretty good. Good food, support and activities. Memory Care was safe but activities greatly reduced. Overall experience vastly better than a nursing home.
Communication is excellent! The staff is familiar with the residents and their families and are always pleasant and involved. I would absolutely recommend Arbor Terrace Willistown to others looking for care...
The cost of assisted living can greatly vary given the range of options. However, the approximate monthly cost range of assisted living in Pennsylvania falls between $3,000 and $7,500 per month, according to A Place for Mom’s internal data. This range is an estimate based on what referred families actually paid at our partnering assisted living facilities in Pennsylvania. It accounts for all costs including room and board, care, and access to on-site amenities.
Pennsylvania assisted living costs are reflective of average nationwide costs, but prices can vary depending on location, floor plan, care needs, and amenities. Some Pennsylvania communities offer luxurious amenities — like 24-hour concierge, fully equipped fitness rooms, spacious lounge areas, and robust wellness programs — that lead to a higher cost. Fortunately, there are still many affordable options that focus on providing quality care along with a few essential amenities. Additionally, seniors can reduce some care costs with programs like Medicaid or Medicare.
Average monthly costs
Pennsylvania
US National average
Average monthly costs
Pennsylvania
Maryland
District of Columbia
Delaware
New Jersey
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Average monthly costs
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There are several payment methods for assisted living available to families in Pennsylvania, and families who start planning early tend to have the most options. Many families combine private and public resources to cover assisted living expenses. In this section, you’ll find a variety of potential options and resources. For a quick overview of payment options, you can also visit our guide to paying for long-term care.
The private pay options available to your senior loved one will depend on their current situation. Options may include savings accounts, retirement pensions, and any of the options listed below.
Pennsylvania seniors often choose to downsize by selling their homes to fund assisted living costs.
If selling their home isn’t feasible, Pennsylvania seniors can take out a loan based on their home’s equity to pay for assisted living expenses.
Seniors in Pennsylvania can use a health savings account, also known as an HSA, to cover medical expenses and some assisted living care costs.
Some life insurance policies can be borrowed from, surrendered, or sold to help Pennsylvania seniors cover assisted living expenses.
Long-term care insurance policies greatly vary in what they cover, but they may cover some care services at a Pennsylvania assisted living facility.
Social Security benefits for assisted living
Qualifying Pennsylvania seniors can use Social Security benefits to fund monthly assisted living expenses.
Pennsylvania assisted living facilities must be licensed and regulated by the Office of Long-Term Living’s Bureau of Human Services Licensing operated by the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services.[02]
The department performs inspections on assisted living facilities every 24 months to check for compliance in the following areas:[02]
To access information on inspections of Pennsylvania assisted living facilities, also referred to as personal care homes, you can visit the health department’s annual reports page. If you’d like more information on assisted living regulations in Pennsylvania, you can visit the personal care home and assisted living residence licensing page on the Department of Human Services website.
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 Pennsylvania is exceptional. Key findings that informed this rating include:
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. (2022-2023). A Place for Mom proprietary data.
Pennsylvania Department of Human Services. (2023). Personal care home and assisted living residence licensing.
Overview of assisted living in PA
Find assisted living near you
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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