6th
OVERALL STATE RANK
Dubbed “The Buckeye State” for the tree that produces nuts resembling a deer’s eye, Ohio’s diverse landscape appeals to many. With state parks, beautiful woodlands, and miles of great lake coastline, the state contains endless opportunities to enjoy the outdoors. For fun in the city, Ohio offers professional sports teams, award-winning restaurants, and neighborhoods that boast the charm of America’s heartland.
Assisted living in Ohio provides long-term residential living in a community setting, with care services tailored to meet the varied needs of residents. Assisted living communities offer a variety of activities for independent and active seniors, but also provide support with activities of daily living such as dressing, bathing, and eating. The median cost of assisted living in Ohio is $4,800 per month or $57,600 annually, according to A Place for Mom’s internal data on assisted living facilities in Ohio.[01]
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 Ohio cities for assisted living overall
Key findings
State highlights
Over 80% of our partner communities employ an activities director to plan senior friendly events and activities to help residents maintain a healthy social life. And if you own a car, you never have to worry about finding a spot to park because 90% of our Ohio partner communities also provide resident parking.
Top ranked Ohio cities - Services & Amenities
Key findings
Ohio vs. the national monthly median cost of assisted living
Top ranked Ohio cities - Affordability
Key findings
Top ranked Ohio cities - Ratings
You MUST see this place to know what the hype is all about! My words won’t do it justice. Don’t simply get sold on the idea that it’s an intimate setting in a residential neighborhood; it’s the PEOPLE who...
Choosing Oakley Place for my dad was the best decision we made. The staff communicates well, treats him with respect, and pays attention to the little things that matter. Knowing he is safe, supported, and...
Coming into this facility, it allows an individual to feel like home when they’re in the presence of a great team from front to back. Excellent care plans put together as well as staffing appropriately with...
Coming into this facility, it allows an individual to feel like home when they’re in the presence of a great team from front to back. Excellent care plans put together as well as staffing appropriately with...
My mother moved here this year and she loves it! She's made friends of other residents. The staff are all very nice and helpful. They genuinely care for each resident. The buildings are clean, well...
Coming into this facility, it allows an individual to feel like home when they’re in the presence of a great team from front to back. Excellent care plans put together as well as staffing appropriately with...
I enjoy the staff & other residents here at Barberton Pointe. Overall, I am quite happy living at the community & welcome new friends. I like playing 5 card draw with the other residents and currently it’s...
It is called 'The beautiful white house" bc it is inside & outside. You really need to take a tour to see for yourself. It is clean, neat, & tastefully decorated for holidays & seasonal changes. They are...
The staff has been very caring and supportive of my wife (resident) and me. Any issues I have and addressed and usually resolved promptly. A warm and wonderful family like atmosphere nursing and executive...
The staff at StoryPoint are exceptional. They give loving care support to my mom. They tell her they love her. They hug her. They tell her everything is gonna be OK. They bend over backwards to make sure she...
Everyone is very nice and have been accommodating. They serve too much food that most seniors can't eat, so they waste a lot. But the food is good for the most part. My mom says too many carrots. Always have...
My mother needed a lot of assistance and was reluctant to move around. The staff was excellent in helping her with hygiene and getting her to take part in some of the activities outside her room.
The cost of living in Ohio is lower than the national average, which is reflected in the state’s range of costs of assisted living: approximately $3,000 to $7,000 per month. This range is an estimate based on A Place for Mom’s proprietary data on the actual costs paid by referred families at partnering assisted living facilities in Ohio.[01]
Assisted living prices can vary and are affected by several factors including location, services, and amenities offered, as well as the specific care needs of an individual. Communities located near larger cities, like Columbus or Cincinnati, are likely to be more expensive. Certain amenities and specialized services can also add to monthly costs.
Other factors that can affect the cost of assisted living may include:
Many families pay for assisted living room and board fees using a combination of private pay methods, including personal savings and retirement funds. However, families may also use Medicare, Medicaid, private health insurance, or veterans benefits to cover some medical and personal care services.
Average monthly costs
Ohio
US National average
Average monthly costs
Average monthly costs
Average monthly costs
| Community type | Ohio | U.S. | Cost difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assisted Living | $4,890/mo | $4,705/mo | 3.9% above national median |
| Memory Care | $4,898/mo | $4,955/mo | 1.2% below national median |
| Independent Living | $3,977/mo | $4,161/mo | 4.4% below national median |
Let our care assessment guide you
Our free tool provides options, advice, and next steps based on your unique situation.
There are numerous ways to pay for senior care in Ohio, and it’s common for families to blend a variety of payment methods. Keep in mind that early planning often provides families with more payment options. The following section has information on several payment options, including private pay, veterans benefits, Medicaid, and Medicare.
Private pay is a term that describes using your own personal funds to pay for something. Personal funds used to pay assisted living costs may include money from the sale of a home, a savings account, pension payments or a retirement account. Many of the families we refer to assisted living use a combination of personal funds to pay, including the following common options.
Just over 50% of the veterans living in Ohio are 65 and over.[03] Many veterans or their spouses may qualify for pension payments or disability benefits through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). For many seniors and their families, understanding which VA benefits they qualify for can help them plan for assisted living costs.
Sifting through eligibility requirements and applying for benefits can be complicated and time consuming on your own. It can be challenging to know which benefits are available, and veterans often assume they won’t qualify. However, many veterans service organizations (VSOs) offer benefit counseling. An experienced veteran service officer can advise and advocate for veterans or their spouses who are trying to access VA benefits.
Certified veterans benefits assistance can be found through local VA centers and veterans service organizations. VSOs and VA centers in Ohio include the following:
Ohio Medicaid does not pay for room and board in an assisted living community, but it does cover some personal care and medically necessary services. Seniors who qualify for Medicaid in Ohio are entitled to coverage of several supportive services which may include:[04]
Ohio also offers several waiver programs that help pay for costs associated with assisted living. Keep in mind that waiver programs in Ohio don’t cover the cost of room and board.
Ohio’s PASSPORT program offers qualified seniors the opportunity to continue living in their community, which includes assisted living communities, instead of a nursing home.
The assisted living waiver program is designed to cover certain services in an assisted living facility. This may free up funds for some qualified Ohioans to pay for room and board expenses in an assisted living community with personal funds.
Ohioans who qualify for the aged, blind, and disabled program receive coverage for certain medical costs and some long-term care.[05]
Medicare is federal health insurance for people 65 or older. Medicare will cover some assisted living costs, such as medical services and procedures, but it doesn’t cover room and board expenses for assisted living communities in Ohio. Using the online Medicare coverage tool can help you to explore which tests, medical devices, or procedures Medicare will cover.
Seniors who have Medicare may qualify for a Medicare savings plan, which in Ohio is called the Medicare Premium Assistance Program (MPAP). There are four types of assistance to help Ohioans pay for Medicare Parts A and B. Depending on income, seniors may qualify for help paying for premiums, coinsurance, copayments, and/or deductibles.[06]
The Ohio Senior Health Insurance Information Program (SHIP) provides free information and counseling to help seniors understand and choose health insurance that fits their needs. Volunteers can answer questions about a variety of Medicare and Medicaid related topics, including:[07]
Seniors in Ohio who need help paying for their prescription medications may be eligible for assistance through the Medicare Extra Help program. Seniors who meet income and resources limits may qualify for assistance with Medicare part D premiums, copayments, coinsurance and other medication related costs.[08]
For seniors living in assisted living or other long-term care facilities, the Ohio long-term care ombudsman program advocates for their rights. The volunteers work to help protect the health and well-being of vulnerable older adults.
Assisted living facilities in Ohio are referred to as residential care facilities and are licensed by the Ohio Department of Health (ODH). The state defines these facilities as accommodations that provide personal care services for three or more people. Assisted living facilities must adhere to building, staffing and service regulations that include the following requirements:[09]
In Ohio, assisted living facilities are required to renew its license annually. Additionally, the Ohio Department of Health will perform at least one facility inspection every nine to fifteen months. In addition to reviewing previous inspection surveys and any complaints lodged against the facility, inspectors assess compliance with state laws and regulations, which may include evaluating the following:[09]
The Ohio Health Care Provider Search tool allows families to research information about assisted living facilities in Ohio. The tool doesn’t provide an inspection report or details about complaints, but it does list the facility’s current licensure status. The following tips can help you navigate the search tool:
State regulations — and a community’s track record with inspections and licensing — offer important insights into safety and quality of care in senior living communities.
Download the Guide to Senior Living Licensure and Inspection Reports to learn what to look for in inspection reports and what questions to ask when touring communities. This resource explains how to use state licensure and inspection information to evaluate a community’s compliance, care standards, and responsiveness to issues.
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 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 Ohio is high. Key findings that informed this rating include:
We developed a standard methodology for state data collection and evaluation, and 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.
Ohio Mental Health and Addiction Services. Residential state supplement.
United States Census Bureau. (2021). American community survey: Ohio, 65 to 74 years, 75 years and over, veteran status (S2101).
Ohio Department of Medicaid. Services.
Ohio Department of Medicaid. Aged, blind or disabled (ABD) Medicaid.
Ohio Department of Insurance. Medicare savings programs.
Ohio Department of Insurance. Ohio senior health insurance information program (OSHIIP).
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Help with drug costs. Medicare.gov.
Legislative Service Commission. (2018, March 1). Ohio Administrative Code: Chapter 3701-16: Residential Care Facility.
Overview of assisted living in OH
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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