Wisconsin has a larger than average senior population, with 17.5% of its almost 5.9 million residents aged 65 and older. Seniors may enjoy the cost of living in Wisconsin, which is nearly 10 points below the national average. Wisconsin features a number of great hospitals, including the University of Wisconsin Hospital—nationally ranked in seven categories, as well as the Froedtert Hospital and the Medical College of Wisconsin—nationally ranked in three categories.
The state ranks in the top 10, specifically ninth overall, in our 2024 Senior Living Report, and it’s fifth in the country for community involvement and, perhaps more important for seniors, fourth in affordability. Assisted living costs across the state average $4,600 per month, just $100 more than the national average.
Wisconsin’s Department of Health Services licenses four kinds of assisted living facilities:
- Community-based Residential Facilities (CBRFs)
- Residential Care Apartment Complexes (RCACs)
- Adult Family Homes
- Adult Daycare
Community-based Residential Facilities are created for seniors who are semi-independent and require some supportive care but not nursing home level care. This guide will focus on CBRFs: the cost of care in Wisconsin as well as ways to afford care, including Medicaid and Medicare support and free and low-cost resources for seniors in assisted living.