Florida's reputation as a retirement destination doesn't automatically mean senior care is cheap there — but it also isn't the most expensive large state, either. Florida pricing lands close to the national average overall, with meaningful variation by care type: home and daytime care run below the national number, while round-the-clock nursing home care runs slightly above it.
Quick answer: Florida assisted living averages $5,610/month, below the national figure, while a semi-private nursing home room averages $10,342/month, slightly above it. In-home care and adult day care both run noticeably below the national average.
Florida vs. national average, by care type
Care type | Florida average | National average | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
Nursing home (semi-private) | $10,342/month | $10,250/month | +$92/month |
In-home care | $6,101/month | $6,864/month | −$763/month |
Assisted living | $5,610/month | $6,241/month | −$631/month |
Adult day care | $1,625/month | $2,058/month | −$433/month |
Nursing home (private room) | $379/day | $364/day | +$15/day |
Private duty nursing | $138 | $165 | −$27 |
Home health aide | $30.83/hour | $33.63/hour | −$2.80/hour |
The pattern here is worth noticing: Florida is genuinely more affordable than the national average for in-home care, assisted living, and adult day care — the options that let a senior stay out of a facility longer — but essentially at par (or slightly above) for nursing home care. For families weighing "age in place with support" against "move into residential care," that gap matters. Our guide to the different levels of senior care walks through exactly what each option provides.
Staying active with daily tasks at home is part of why in-home care remains a lower-cost option than residential care in Florida.
Assisted living costs, and the pace of increase
Florida assisted living pricing rose from about $5,020/month in 2024 to $5,610/month in 2025, an increase of roughly 12%. That's a smaller jump than California (~29%) or Texas (~23%) saw over the same period, though still well above general inflation.
Why Florida prices the way it does
No state income tax draws retirees, which keeps demand — and prices — for home-based and community care competitive. Florida has one of the largest senior populations in the country, which has built out a large, competitive market of in-home care agencies and assisted living operators, helping keep pricing in check relative to demand.
Hurricane and insurance risk affects facility operating costs. Property insurance for licensed care facilities in Florida has risen sharply in recent years, which shows up disproportionately in nursing home and residential facility pricing rather than in-home care.
Regional cost variation is significant. South Florida (Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach) prices well above the state average across every category, while North and Central Florida, outside Orlando, tend to price below it.
Photo: Annabel Podevyn / Unsplash
Questions to ask before you commit, in Florida specifically
Does the facility's pricing reflect recent insurance and hurricane-preparedness cost increases? Ask directly whether a rate increase is planned or recently applied, since Florida facilities have faced above-average insurance cost growth.
What's the facility's emergency preparedness plan, and is it reflected in the contract? This matters more in Florida than most states, and facilities with robust plans sometimes price at a premium worth paying for.
Is the quoted assisted living rate base-level care only? As in most states, Florida communities often quote a base rate with care-level add-ons for memory care supervision, incontinence care, or medication management. The Florida Department of Elder Affairs can connect you with your local Area Agency on Aging and its Long-Term Care Ombudsman program to verify a facility's standing before you sign anything.
See our full checklist of questions to ask any senior care provider for the questions worth asking regardless of state.
Data sources
Pricing above is compiled from multiple independent sources — including the CareScout Cost of Care Survey, the Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program (FLTCIP), Care.com, and AARP — and confidence-rated based on source agreement. See our national cost breakdown for how Florida compares to every other state category.
Comparing providers in Florida? Ubora Health's directory lets you filter assisted living, memory care, and home health providers by city and price, so you can benchmark a specific facility's quote against real Florida data before you commit.
