How much does a nursing home cost in Wisconsin?
The median nursing home cost in Wisconsin is $12,319 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 $147,825 per year for a private room.
Wisconsin nursing home costs run 5% above the national median.
2026 Wisconsin senior care costs at a glance
| Care type | Wisconsin median/month | National median (CareScout 2025) | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nursing home (private) | $12,319 | $10,798 | +14% |
| Nursing home (semi-private) | $10,646 | $9,581 | +11% |
| Memory care (est) | $8,200 | $7,750 | +6% |
| Assisted living | $6,540 | $6,200 | +5% |
| Non-medical caregiver (hourly) | $36 | $35 | +3% |
See your exact spend-down timeline for Wisconsin
Enter your savings, income, and care type to see how long your money lasts before reaching Wisconsin Medicaid asset limits.
Open the Wisconsin calculator →Nursing home costs by Wisconsin 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.
Wisconsin Medicaid for nursing home care
Wisconsin 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.
Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin
Wisconsin 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.
Wisconsin's 2026 penalty divisor is approximately $12,319 per month (~$405 per day). A $50,000 transfer that violates the look-back rule would create roughly a 122-day penalty period during which Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin elder law attorney
The National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys maintains a state-by-state directory of certified elder law attorneys.
Find a Wisconsin attorney →What makes Wisconsin different
Wisconsin operates one of the most mature managed-long-term-care systems in the country, with two statewide pathways for Medicaid-funded long-term care: Family Care (managed-care delivery through regional MCOs) and IRIS (Include, Respect, I Self-Direct), a fully self-directed budget program. Both are now available in all 72 counties without waitlists for eligible applicants — a structural advantage few states offer. Wisconsin uses a unique Minimum Monthly Maintenance Needs Allowance of $3,525 to $3,948 (between the federal min and max), and a state-specific minimum CSRA of $50,000 (above the federal $32,532 floor). Wisconsin's three-tier residential licensing — Community-Based Residential Facilities, Residential Care Apartment Complexes, and 1-to-4-bed Adult Family Homes — governs what facilities Family Care and IRIS members can choose.
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 Wisconsin 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.