The 10 Best Memory Care Facilities in Norfolk County, MA for 2024

Norfolk County, which is the wealthiest county in Massachusetts, has 700,322 residents, 16.6 percent of whom are 65 or over. Of the 6,859,819 residents in Massachusetts, approximately 130,000 have Alzheimer's disease. By 2025, this number is expected to grow to 150,000, a 15.4 percent increase. With numbers likes these, it's important for the state to have enough memory care facilities to support this population.

In Norfolk County, there are 22 memory care facilities, known as Dementia Special Care Units (DSCUs), to support residents who have cognitive impairments like Alzheimer's or dementia.

• The climate in Norfolk County is comfortable for most of the year, aside from winter, which tends to be a bit cold and snowy. The average January low is 17, and the area receives an average of 41 inches of snow a year. Seniors who find winters challenging may want to keep this in mind.
• In general, Massachusetts is considered moderately tax-friendly for retirees. While income from Social Security and public pensions are fully tax exempt, retirement income from other sources, including 401ks, IRAs and private pensions are subject to the state's income tax rate of 5.1 percent.
• Crime in Norfolk County is relatively low, so seniors can feel safe living in this region of Massachusetts. On a scale of one (low crime) to 100 (high crime), Norfolk County's violent crime is 23, and property crime is 24.1. For property crime, this number is right around the state average of 21.1, but is much lower than the Boston-Cambridge-Newton metro area. Norfolk County's violent crime score is much lower than both the state average (31.6) and the average in the surrounding metro area (34.2).
• Norfolk County is home to world-class medical facilities, including those specializing in brain health and dementia care such as Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital-Milton, in the event of medical emergencies or illness.

Memory Care costs in Norfolk County start around $7,552 per month on average, while the nationwide average cost of memory care is $5,694 per month.

It’s important to note that memory care rates in Norfolk County and the surrounding suburbs can vary widely based on factors such as location, the level of care needed, apartment size and the types of amenities offered at each community.

Learn more about these programs, plus who’s eligible, on our Memory Care in Massachusetts page.

While many families use their own funds or personal assets to pay for memory care, there are plenty of additional options to cover these costs. Some additional ways to finance memory care costs include:

• Veterans Benefits
• Life Insurance Policy
• Long-Term Care Insurance
• Reverse Mortgage

For more information about different ways to finance memory care, visit our Memory Care in Massachusetts page.

Norfolk County-area memory care communities must adhere to the comprehensive set of state laws and regulations that all memory care communities in Massachusetts are required to follow. Visit our Memory Care in Massachusetts page for more information about these laws.