Assisted Living Cost in Maryland
Maryland is an above-average state for assisted living, with one metro, Salisbury, far below the state figure and the rest at or above it. The metro table matters here, because Frederick maps to the Washington survey region, not a Maryland-only region.
Sources: CareScout Cost of Care Survey 2025, released March 2026, ranked state tables and Cost of Care calculator, accessed November 2026; Maryland Department of Health Community Options Waiver information; Maryland Department of Veterans Affairs Charlotte Hall Veterans Home information.
Maryland assisted living costs, against the national median
The table below is the CareScout 2025 survey for Maryland, with the national median beside it. The survey collected more than 25,000 provider rates between July and November 2025 and reports medians, the middle price, not averages pulled up by luxury buildings. Assisted living figures are for a private one-bedroom apartment for 12 months of care.
| Care type | Maryland median | National median |
|---|---|---|
| Assisted living, per month | $7,165 ($85,980 per year) | $6,200 ($74,400 per year) |
| Home care, non-medical caregiver, per hour | $35 ($80,080 per year at 44 hours a week) | $35 ($80,080 per year at 44 hours a week) |
| Adult day health care, per day | $117 ($30,313 per year at 5 days a week) | $95 ($24,700 per year at 5 days a week) |
| Nursing home, semi-private room, per month | $12,927 ($155,125 per year) | $9,581 ($114,975 per year) |
| Nursing home, private room, per month | $14,448 ($173,375 per year) | $10,798 ($129,575 per year) |
The assisted living cost Maryland median runs $965 a month above the national median, which is $11,580 over a full year (965 times 12). Home care at $35 an hour matches the national rate exactly. Adult day care at $117 a day sits $22 above the $95 national rate. The nursing home gap is larger: a semi-private room at $12,927 sits $3,346 above the $9,581 national figure (12,927 minus 9,581), and a private room at $14,448 sits $3,650 above the $10,798 national figure (14,448 minus 10,798). For the full national picture, read how much does assisted living cost and how much does a nursing home cost.
Assisted living cost Maryland by metro
Metro medians come from the same CareScout survey, through its Cost of Care calculator, which reports the closest survey region for each city. All figures are 2025 monthly medians for a private one-bedroom apartment. The spread runs from $5,359 to $8,725, a gap of $3,366 a month between the lowest and highest Maryland metro in this table.
| Metro area | Assisted living median per month, 2025 | Against the Maryland median |
|---|---|---|
| Frederick (Washington metro region) | $8,725 | $1,560 above |
| Hagerstown | $8,248 | $1,083 above |
| Baltimore | $7,225 | $60 above |
| Salisbury | $5,359 | $1,806 below |
Frederick needs stating plainly: the calculator maps Frederick to the Washington metropolitan area, so the $8,725 Frederick figure is the Washington metro median, not a Frederick-only figure. Baltimore sits almost exactly on the state median, at $60 above it, while Salisbury sits $1,806 below it. Use the metro figure for the city where your parent will live, then replace it with three written quotes in that metro, with apartment size and care level stated. For how to use competing quotes, read can you negotiate assisted living costs.
What the monthly bill includes, and what it leaves out
The median buys the building and the base service: a private apartment, meals, housekeeping, supervision, and activities, with staff on site around the clock. It does not buy every charge a resident actually pays. Care is priced in levels, and the level rises as help needs grow, so the second year costs more than the first even before any annual rate increase. Medication handling, a higher care level, and a second occupant are commonly billed on top of the base rate, and many buildings charge a one-time community fee at move-in.
Maryland licenses Assisted Living Programs through the Office of Health Care Quality, inside the Maryland Department of Health, and the license type matters at the tour: a facility's license states the level of care it may provide, and a parent whose needs pass that level will need a different setting or added services. Ask at the tour, in writing, which care level the license covers, which services the base rate covers and which are billed as extras, and what each extra costs. The tour checklist on assisted living checklist groups those questions for you.
Medicaid in Maryland: the Community Options Waiver
Maryland Medicaid for older adults runs the Community Options Waiver, also known as the Home and Community-Based Options Waiver, run by the Maryland Department of Health, Medicaid Administration. Its service list includes assisted living services, for people who meet the nursing facility level of care. An official state one-pager states income may not exceed 300% of Supplemental Security Income benefits.
The hard limit is the same as in every state on this site: the waiver pays for assisted living services, excluding room and board. Your parent still pays the building for rent and meals. The waiver is also capped: applicants join the Community Options Waiver Registry through Maryland Access Point, so there is a waitlist, and this page states no wait time, because none was verified. This page also states no room-and-board dollar figure, because none was verified from an official state page. Apply early and do not sign a private-pay agreement that assumes the waiver will pay. For the national Medicaid rules, read does medicaid pay for assisted living, and for the full payment map, read how to pay for assisted living. Medicare does not pay for assisted living room charges or custodial care; see does medicare pay for assisted living for the exact boundary.
VA resources in Maryland
For a veteran parent, two Maryland routes sit beside the private market. The first is VA Aid and Attendance, a monthly cash benefit added to a VA pension for a veteran or surviving spouse who needs help with daily living; the amounts and rules are on VA Aid and Attendance requirements and veterans affairs assisted living. The second is the state's own veterans home. Maryland has one state veterans home, Charlotte Hall Veterans Home in Charlotte Hall, described by the state as offering assisted living, skilled nursing, and memory care since 1985. It is a state veterans home, not a private assisted living community, so treat it as a separate application track, not as a price comparison. For VA health care, use VA.gov to find the facility nearest your parent.
Maryland against the national median, in one row
Maryland assisted living at $7,165 a month sits $965 above the $6,200 national median, home care at $35 an hour matches the $35 national rate, adult day care at $117 a day sits $22 above the $95 national rate, and a nursing home semi-private room at $12,927 a month sits $3,346 above the $9,581 national figure. Maryland is an above-average state on every row except home care, where it matches the nation, and the nursing home gap is the story: at $12,927 a month, a semi-private nursing home room costs $5,762 a month more than the $7,165 assisted living median.
Frequently asked questions
Does the Community Options Waiver pay for room and board in assisted living?
No. The waiver pays for assisted living services, excluding room and board. Your parent pays the building for rent and meals separately, so the waiver's help and the building's quote are two different numbers.
How do I join the Community Options Waiver waitlist?
Through Maryland Access Point, which handles the Community Options Waiver Registry. Join the registry early, keep your contact details current, and keep a private-pay or family plan running while waiting, because this page states no wait time and the registry does not promise a date.
Why does the Frederick figure match the Washington figure?
Because the CareScout calculator maps Frederick to the Washington metropolitan area, the same survey region it uses for the Washington area. The $8,725 figure is the Washington metro median, not a Frederick-only figure. Treat it as the Washington metro figure when budgeting for Frederick.
Does the $7,165 median cover two people sharing one apartment?
No. The CareScout median is for a private one-bedroom apartment occupied by one person. A second occupant adds a second-person fee set by each community, on top of the median, not inside it. Couples should budget the median plus the community's written second-person fee, plus a care level for each spouse who needs help, since care is priced per person. See average cost of assisted living for a couple for how couples totals are built.
Your next step is to take the metro median for the city where your parent will actually live, get three written quotes that state apartment size, care level, and every extra fee, and join the Community Options Waiver Registry before you sign. Start with assisted living checklist and assisted living costs.