How much does a nursing home cost in Massachusetts?
The median nursing home cost in Massachusetts is $15,817 per month for a private room and $14,448 per month for a semi-private room, based on the CareScout 2025 Cost of Care Survey released March 2026. That's roughly $189,800 per year for a private room.
Massachusetts nursing home costs run 46% above the national median, among the highest in the country.
2026 Massachusetts senior care costs at a glance
| Care type | Massachusetts median/month | National median (CareScout 2025) | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nursing home (private) | $15,817 | $10,798 | +46% |
| Nursing home (semi-private) | $14,448 | $9,581 | +51% |
| Memory care (est) | $12,000 | $7,750 | +55% |
| Assisted living | $9,600 | $6,200 | +55% |
| Non-medical caregiver (hourly) | $40 | $35 | +14% |
See your exact spend-down timeline for Massachusetts
Enter your savings, income, and care type to see how long your money lasts before reaching Massachusetts Medicaid asset limits.
Open the Massachusetts calculator →Nursing home costs by Massachusetts city
Costs vary by metro area within the state. Urban markets typically run 10–25% above state medians, while rural areas can be 10–20% below.
City-level estimates are based on CareScout 2025 metro-area data. Individual facility costs vary 20–40% from these medians depending on amenities, staffing ratios, and room type.
Massachusetts Medicaid for nursing home care
Massachusetts Medicaid covers nursing home care for residents who meet both medical eligibility (need for skilled nursing care) and financial eligibility (limited assets and income). Understanding the rules before you need them can save your family hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Massachusetts Medicaid 2026 asset limits
Individual applicant: $2,000 in countable assets (2026)
Married couple, one spouse applying: Community spouse may keep up to $162,660 under the federal Community Spouse Resource Allowance (2026 maximum), plus the home, one vehicle, and personal belongings
The 5-year look-back period in Massachusetts
Massachusetts Medicaid reviews all asset transfers made within 60 months (5 years) of your application date. Gifts to family, property transfers below market value, or large unexplained withdrawals trigger a penalty period that delays Medicaid eligibility — during which you must private-pay.
Massachusetts's 2026 penalty divisor is approximately $15,817 per month (~$520 per day). A $50,000 transfer that violates the look-back rule would create roughly a 95-day penalty period during which Massachusetts Medicaid will not cover care costs.
This is why elder law attorneys consistently advise families to begin Medicaid planning at least 5 years before nursing home care is needed.
Find a Massachusetts elder law attorney
The National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys maintains a state-by-state directory of certified elder law attorneys.
Find a Massachusetts attorney →What makes Massachusetts different
Massachusetts Nursing Home Medicaid is administered by MassHealth through the Office of Long-Term Services and Supports within the Executive Office of Health and Human Services. Massachusetts updates its penalty divisor in November rather than January (one of only a few states that uses a fall update cycle), meaning the current $15,817 per month figure will hold through October 2026. The state operates the Frail Elder Waiver (FEW) for HCBS and Group Adult Foster Care (GAFC) — a state-plan benefit unique to Massachusetts that covers personal-care services in assisted living through MassHealth without requiring a 1915(c) waiver. Massachusetts has the higher federal home equity tier of $1,130,000, and Personal Needs Allowance is $72.80 per month.
Sources: state Medicaid agency program documentation and CMS spousal-impoverishment standards. See our methodology page for the broader data sources used across this site.
How Massachusetts compares to neighboring states
Cost differences across state lines can be substantial. Some families consider relocating for care, particularly if adult children live across a border.