Assisted living has a national median of $6,200 a month, or $74,400 a year, while non-medical home care runs a median of $35 an hour, both per the CareScout Cost of Care Survey 2025 published by Genworth. Which one is right for your parent comes down to two things: how many hours of help they actually need, and how isolated they'd be staying at home. This guide walks through both, honestly, so you can decide with clear eyes instead of guilt.
What each one actually is
Home care means a caregiver comes to your parent's own home. It covers non-medical help — meals, bathing, dressing, laundry, errands, reminders, and company. You choose the hours, from a few mornings a week to around-the-clock. Your parent stays in the house they know, sleeps in their own bed, keeps their routines.
Assisted living is a residential community. Your parent has their own apartment or room, and the community provides meals, housekeeping, help with daily tasks, activities, and staff on-site day and night. It's not a nursing home — residents are usually fairly independent but need some help and don't want to manage a house alone anymore.
What each one costs — and what drives the price
The honest headline is that cost isn't a clean comparison, because they're priced differently. Assisted living has a national median of $6,200 a month, per the CareScout Cost of Care Survey 2025 published by Genworth — a flat fee that bundles housing, food, and help together. Home care runs a national median of $35 an hour, per the same survey, so the total depends entirely on hours.
Here's the math families miss: at $35 an hour, roughly 40 hours of home care a week starts to approach the monthly cost of assisted living — and if your parent needs help most waking hours, home care can cost considerably more. But at 10 to 20 hours a week, home care is usually the cheaper path by a wide margin. That's why the number of hours needed is the single biggest factor in this decision.
Prices vary widely by state, city, and level of care. Assisted living fees often rise as your parent needs more help, and memory care units cost more. Home care rates depend on whether you go through an agency or hire privately. Ask for the full fee schedule in writing before you compare anything.
How to choose between them
Money matters, but it shouldn't decide this alone. Start with what your parent actually needs day to day, then let cost inform the final call.
- Count the hours. Track a typical week: how many hours does your parent need help or supervision? Under 20 hours usually favors home care; most waking hours may favor assisted living.
- Weigh the isolation. A parent who sees people and gets out does well at home. A parent alone for days at a time may thrive with the built-in company of a community.
- Check the house. Stairs, a slippery bathroom, or a bedroom on the second floor can make aging at home harder and pricier to adapt.
- Think about the trend. Is your parent's need for help holding steady or climbing? A rising trend often points toward assisted living sooner rather than later.
- Ask your parent. Many people feel strongly about staying home. Honoring that — where it's safe — matters for their wellbeing.
- 1Write down a week of real needs — meals, bathing, medication reminders, mobility, transportation, and hours alone.
- 2Get quotes for both: 2-3 home care agencies (ask their hourly rate and minimums) and 2-3 assisted living communities (ask for the full monthly fee plus care-level add-ons).
- 3Tour communities in person and, for home care, meet the actual caregiver before committing.
- 4Do the math at your parent's real hours, not a guess — then compare total monthly cost side by side.
- 5Decide for now, not forever. Revisit in a few months as needs change.
Questions to ask each provider
The right questions surface the things brochures hide. For home care agencies: Are caregivers employees or contractors? Who covers if the regular aide is sick? Is there a minimum number of hours per visit? How are caregivers screened and trained? Can we meet them first?
For assisted living: What exactly does the base monthly fee include, and what costs extra? How are care levels assessed and repriced? What's the staff-to-resident ratio at night? What happens if my parent's needs grow beyond what you provide? How much notice before a rate increase?
Warning signs and common mistakes
- Underestimating hours. Families often guess low on home care hours, then get a bill far above what they expected.
- Comparing base prices only. An assisted living quote without care-level add-ons isn't the real number.
- Ignoring loneliness. A safe parent who's alone all day is not a well parent — social contact is part of care.
- Waiting for a crisis. A fall or a hospital stay forces a rushed decision; researching early gives you better choices.
- Assuming either covers skilled nursing. Wound care, IV medication, and 24/7 medical needs require home health or a nursing facility — a separate, higher tier.
Staying connected either way
Whichever path you choose, the gap that lingers is contact between visits. A parent at home with a part-time aide still has long, quiet afternoons alone. A parent in assisted living has neighbors, but not always someone who knows them well. This is where a daily check-in helps fill the space — not as a replacement for care, but alongside it.
- ✓Count real hours of help needed first — it's the biggest driver of which option costs less.
- ✓Assisted living's $6,200 median month bundles housing and help; home care's $35/hour scales with hours (CareScout 2025, Genworth).
- ✓Get written quotes for both, including all add-ons, before comparing.
- ✓Factor in loneliness, not just safety — social contact is part of good care.
- ✓The choice isn't permanent; start with what fits now and revisit as needs change.