How much does a nursing home cost in Washington?
The median nursing home cost in Washington is $15,969 per month for a private room and $13,155 per month for a semi-private room, based on the CareScout 2025 Cost of Care Survey released March 2026. That's roughly $191,625 per year for a private room.
Washington nursing home costs run 7% above the national median, with Seattle metro significantly higher.
2026 Washington senior care costs at a glance
| Care type | Washington median/month | National median (CareScout 2025) | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nursing home (private) | $15,969 | $10,798 | +48% |
| Nursing home (semi-private) | $13,155 | $9,581 | +37% |
| Memory care (est) | $9,500 | $7,750 | +23% |
| Assisted living | $7,600 | $6,200 | +23% |
| Non-medical caregiver (hourly) | $45 | $35 | +29% |
See your exact spend-down timeline for Washington
Enter your savings, income, and care type to see how long your money lasts before reaching Washington Medicaid asset limits.
Open the Washington calculator →Nursing home costs by Washington 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.
Washington Medicaid for nursing home care
Washington 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.
Washington 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 Washington
Washington 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.
Washington's 2026 penalty divisor is approximately $15,969 per month (~$525 per day). A $50,000 transfer that violates the look-back rule would create roughly a 94-day penalty period during which Washington 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 Washington elder law attorney
The National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys maintains a state-by-state directory of certified elder law attorneys.
Find a Washington attorney →What makes Washington different
Washington took a rare approach to Medicaid long-term care: it implemented Community First Choice (CFC) — a 1915(k) state plan amendment created by the Affordable Care Act — making personal care services in nursing facilities, assisted living, adult family homes, and private homes an entitlement rather than a waiver-capped benefit, with no waitlist for eligible residents. The state also operates a non-standard Community Spouse Resource Allowance of $72,529 for HCBS waivers (below the federal $162,660 maximum used for nursing home Medicaid), and uniquely regulates small residential care settings as Adult Family Homes (up to six residents in a licensed private home), administered by the DSHS Aging and Long-Term Support Administration.
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 Washington 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.