Texas cost guide
Adult Day Care Cost in Texas (2026)
Adult day care in Texas runs $40 to $80 a day, or roughly $900 to $1,700 a month for five days a week.
That is below the $80 to $130 a day typical nationally. Texas is one of the more affordable states for this service, and the gap is large enough to matter when you are comparing it against in-home care or a facility.
Texas against the national rate
Monthly and annual figures assume five days a week, every week. Almost nobody attends every single weekday, so your real number is usually lower — three days a week is a common pattern and it costs a little over half.
What the Genworth survey says, and why it is higher
The CareScout Cost of Care Survey published by Genworth is the dataset most articles on this topic cite, including the one an AI assistant is most likely to quote back to you. Its 2024 edition put the Texas figure at $26,000 a year — about $100 a day at five days a week, which sits above the range at the top of this page.
Both numbers are real and they are measuring slightly different things. A survey median is drawn from what providers report, and it pulls upward toward larger licensed centers with fuller service lists. The range above reflects what Texas families are commonly quoted when they call around, including smaller community and faith-based programs. Use the survey figure as the top of your budget and the lower end as what is worth calling for.
What moves the number inside Texas
- Metro versus small town. Austin and the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex sit above small-town East and West Texas, in line with everything else that is priced by local wages and rent.
- Half day versus full day. Many centers sell a half-day rate. If the goal is covering a work shift or giving a caregiver a break, that is often the right product.
- Dementia programming. Specialized memory-care day programs carry higher staffing ratios and price accordingly.
- Transportation. Sometimes included, sometimes a per-trip add-on, sometimes not offered. This is the line item most likely to surprise people.
- Personal care needs. Help with the bathroom, with eating, or with medication may be included or billed separately depending on the center.
- Nonprofit and faith-based programs. Often the lowest rates in a given town, sometimes with sliding-scale fees. Worth asking your Area Agency on Aging who they are.
Who pays for it in Texas
Most families pay privately. Texas does have a specific Medicaid program for this, and it is under-used because people do not know its name.
Day Activity and Health Services (DAHS)
DAHS is a Texas Medicaid service administered by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, which also licenses and certifies DAHS facilities as adult day care centers. It provides weekday daytime care under nurse supervision — nursing, personal care, meals, activities, and transportation when no other transportation is available — up to five days a week and up to ten hours a day depending on assessed need.
To qualify, the person must be at least 18, have a medical condition that requires a nursing-home level of care, and meet Texas Medicaid's financial eligibility rules. Start at hhs.texas.gov or with your local Area Agency on Aging, which can tell you which centers near you are DAHS-certified.
Other paths worth checking
- VA Aid & Attendance — a monthly cash benefit for qualifying wartime veterans and surviving spouses that can be spent on adult day care.
- Long-term care insurance — many policies cover adult day services. Check the policy for "adult day care" or "adult day health."
- Medicare Advantage — some plans have added adult day services as a supplemental benefit. Original Medicare does not cover it.
- Area Agency on Aging — sliding-scale programs and local subsidies. Find yours at eldercare.acl.gov.
Trusted resources
- Texas Health and Human Services — Day Activity and Health Services (hhs.texas.gov) — the Medicaid program, licensing, and provider requirements
- CareScout / Genworth Cost of Care Survey (genworth.com) — the state-level cost dataset most sources cite
- Eldercare Locator (eldercare.acl.gov) — find your Texas Area Agency on Aging
- National Adult Day Services Association (nadsa.org) — what to look for in a center
- VA Aid & Attendance (va.gov) — eligibility and application
Reviewed by the Call Mabel team. Last reviewed: .
Ranges reflect what Texas families are commonly quoted and are published alongside our national figures on the adult day care guide. The survey figure is from the CareScout Cost of Care Survey published by Genworth. Program details are from Texas Health and Human Services. Prices vary by center and by metro — confirm directly with the provider. We do not accept paid placement in our content.