The 10 Best Memory Care Facilities in Orange County, NC for 2024

The Alzheimer's Association estimates that some 170,000 people have Alzheimer's in North Carolina. This figure is expected to grow 23.5 percent to 210,000 people by 2025.

Orange County, NC, is located in north central North Carolina, and its largest community is Chapel Hill. Its population as of July 2017 is estimated to be 144,946 residents, 13.4 percent of whom are 65 or over. To accommodate these seniors who may have Alzheimer's or dementia, there are six memory care facilities in Orange County, all of them located in Chapel Hill.

In Orange County as in the rest of North Carolina, memory care facilities are officially known as Special Care Units (SCUs) within Adult Care Homes (ACHs). The state considers ACHs to be a type of assisted living residence (ALR).

• Orange County, NC, has a very comfortable year-round climate. On Sperling's Comfort Index, which is based on the average number of days each year that reach 70-80 degrees, Orange County ranks 60 out of 100. The area gets an average of 217 sunny days every year, and the average high in July is warm, around 89 degrees. While winters are chilly in Orange County, it doesn't get as cold as other places farther north, and the area receives an average of 4 inches of snow each winter.
• The cost of living in Orange County is a bit higher than the average for North Carolina. On a cost of living index where the national average is 100, North Carolina is 96 and Orange County is 118.
• The Orange County area is home to world-class medical facilities, including those specializing in brain health and dementia care such as UNC Medical Center in Chapel Hill, in the event of medical emergencies or illness. 
• For a retiree, living in North Carolina means enjoying moderate tax-friendly benefits. The state does not tax Social Security income and the state has low property taxes. However, other forms of retirement income, including 401ks and IRAs, are taxed at the state rate of 5.499 percent. 

Memory Care costs in Orange County start around $7,613 per month on average, while the nationwide average cost of memory care is $5,743 per month.

It’s important to note that memory care rates in Orange 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 North Carolina 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 North Carolina page.

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