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New Hampshire is one of the oldest U.S. states, both literally and figuratively. It was one of the original 13 American colonies and the first to have its own state constitution; that’s the literal part. What’s so figuratively old about New Hampshire? For starters, more than two in five residents are 50 and older, and the state has the second-highest median age in the country.
The state’s ratio of 50-plus residents is No. 3 in the country, and the median age (43.1) is nearly five years older than the overall U.S. median age, which is 38.5. Only Maine’s median age is higher. What else can demographic, economic and health data teach us about New Hampshire and how it compares to other states when it comes to data related to older adults?
New Hampshire is aging at a more rapid rate than other states, as the median age rose by double the national increase between 2010 and 2018, and the state’s life expectancy is No. 10 among all states (79.9). While a tiny percentage of those 60 and up are people of color (4.4 percent compared to the U.S. average of 27.6 percent), seniors in New Hampshire tend to have above-average income, with the median household income for those 65 and up sitting near $50,000.
*Includes Black, Native American, Alaska Native, Asian, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander or individuals of one or more other races, and Hispanic/Latinx people of any race.
New Hampshire's Senior Living Costs
New Hampshire's housing index of 117.90 makes it one of the more expensive states to retire in the United States. However, it's not the priciest out there. One bedroom apartments go for around $856 a month (average is the US is $825 a month), and two bedrooms go for an average of $1088 a month (U.S. average of $1027 a month).
Wondering what the monthly senior living costs in New Hampshire are like? Firstly, the average home health care costs are approximately $4,767 a month. Home health care services allow seniors to live in their own homes while receiving help with housekeeping duties and completing other everyday errands.
Adult day care facilities exist throughout the state to provide a safe and supervised space for seniors to stay during the day while their caregivers are busy tending to their other day-to-day obligations. It costs approximately $1,560 per month to stay in an adult day care facility in New Hampshire. Here, seniors take part in social activities and therapeutic and health services as needed. However, since adult day care does not include extensive nursing care, so it's best for seniors who are mostly independent.
Seniors who require more help with their everyday tasks may benefit from staying at an assisted living facility in New Hampshire. Seniors can receive personal care and health services for approximately $4,855 a month in this state.
Last but not least, seniors who cannot live at home by themselves and don't have a caregiver who can take care of them may find it best to stay at a nursing home in New Hampshire. The cost for a semi-private room is roughly $9,657 a month, while a private room is about $10,570 a month. Nursing home residents are provided with personal care, medication, housing, supervision, 24/7 skilled nursing care, and therapies and rehabilitation.
Living Options for New Hampshire's Seniors
Seniors retiring in New Hampshire have several living options depending on individual needs: independent living, assisted living, memory care, or nursing home care. Learn about each option below and determine which one best suits your lifestyle.
Independent Living
Seniors who are healthy and active for the most part, and don't require day and night nursing care may enjoy independent living options best. New Hampshire is home to more than 80 independent living facilities, and the cost to stay at one ranges anywhere from $770 to $3,045 a month depending on a variety of factors like location. Prefer apartment-style living? The state also offers plenty of apartment choices for seniors 55+ or 65+ depending on the community. Active senior communities may include useful amenities like fitness centers, walking trails, pools and jacuzzis, meeting rooms, and more for residents to enjoy.
Assisted Living
New Hampshire has more than 100 assisted living facilities providing the elderly with attentive caregivers, healthcare, and access to local activities and social opportunities to thrive. Residents at assisted living facilities get assistance with a variety of day-to-day necessities like housekeeping, laundry, transportation, and meal services, to name a few. It costs anywhere from $2,097 to $8,500 a month to stay at an assisted living facility in New Hampshire.
Memory Care
Seniors with dementia will have no problem finding the specialized care they need, as there are 92 memory care facilities in Maine. The average cost is $76,081 per year, higher than the national average of $60,900 per year. The lowest cost memory care facilities are around the Hanover area, at $3,040 per month. The highest price point in the state is $12,325, around the Rochester area.
Nursing Homes
New Hampshire has 235 senior living providers, with most of them in the southern half of the state. Seniors will have no problem finding what they need to make their retiree years most enjoyable.
Adult day care centers cost an average of $17,841 annually in New Hampshire. Seniors have more than 15 adult daycare centers to choose from within the state. The southwestern region of the state, where Manchester and Nashua are located, has the largest concentration of adult daycare centers.
There are 28 hospices in New Hampshire to take care of terminally ill seniors. Hospices do a tremendous job to ease the pain and suffering of seniors nearing the end of their lives, utilizing a combination of medication, counseling, and therapies through the arts. Hospice care can also be provided at home or hospital, rather than only at a hospice facility.
Respite care facilities are also available in New Hampshire, to provide temporary relief to primary caregivers, especially when they are familial and need to tend to their other life responsibilities. There are 100 respite care facilities in the state, at an average cost of $106,215 per year. The range in costs goes from $9,135 up to $17,139 a month, with the more expensive facilities located around Rochester.