How much does a nursing home cost in Minnesota?
The median nursing home cost in Minnesota is $13,870 per month for a private room and $10,646 per month for a semi-private room, based on the CareScout 2025 Cost of Care Survey released March 2026. That's roughly $166,440 per year for a private room.
Minnesota costs run 11% above the national median, with the Twin Cities metro pulling the average higher.
2026 Minnesota senior care costs at a glance
| Care type | Minnesota median/month | National median (CareScout 2025) | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nursing home (private) | $13,870 | $10,798 | +28% |
| Nursing home (semi-private) | $10,646 | $9,581 | +11% |
| Memory care (est) | $8,200 | $7,750 | +6% |
| Assisted living | $6,573 | $6,200 | +6% |
| Non-medical caregiver (hourly) | $44 | $35 | +26% |
See your exact spend-down timeline for Minnesota
Enter your savings, income, and care type to see how long your money lasts before reaching Minnesota Medicaid asset limits.
Open the Minnesota calculator →Nursing home costs by Minnesota 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.
Minnesota Medicaid for nursing home care
Minnesota 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.
Minnesota Medicaid 2026 asset limits
Individual applicant: $3,000 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 Minnesota
Minnesota 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.
Minnesota's 2026 penalty divisor is approximately $13,870 per month (~$456 per day). A $50,000 transfer that violates the look-back rule would create roughly a 108-day penalty period during which Minnesota 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 Minnesota elder law attorney
The National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys maintains a state-by-state directory of certified elder law attorneys.
Find a Minnesota attorney →What makes Minnesota different
Minnesota's Medicaid program — Medical Assistance — uses a state-specific term not found in any other state for HCBS-funded residential care: "customized living," delivered through the Elderly Waiver (~38,500 enrollment slots) administered by the Department of Human Services. Minnesota completed a major regulatory shift in 2021, moving assisted living from a registration model to formal licensure under the Department of Health, meaning every facility is now licensed rather than simply registered. The state also operates a state-funded Alternative Care (AC) program for seniors who meet functional requirements but exceed Medical Assistance income or asset limits — filling a middle-income gap most states leave uncovered. Personal Needs Allowance is $128 per month, among the higher tiers nationally.
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 Minnesota 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.