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Care Homes in Massachusetts
The most populous state in New England, Massachusetts features a distinctive blend of natural beauty and treasures of U.S. history. The Berkshire Mountains in the western region are a convenient getaway for coastal residents around Cape Cod Bay, and the famously upscale islands of Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard sit just off the state’s southern shores. As one of the country’s original Thirteen Colonies, Massachusetts is rich with early American historic sites like Plymouth and Salem. Within Boston there’s the timeless North End neighborhood, along with popular tourist spots like the USS Constitution and the Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum. The amount of variety within reach to those who call Massachusetts home makes the Bay State an exemplary retirement destination.
The median monthly cost of a care home in Massachusetts is about $5,500. However, the cost of living in a care home depends largely on location. Since the homes are private residences, costs are tied to real estate value and therefore may vary greatly.
Top cities in Massachusetts
Massachusetts Care Home Regulations
Each state regulates senior living communities differently. Because care homes operate similarly to assisted living communities, states may regulate care homes within their guidelines for assisted living. You can use APFM’s guide to assisted living regulations to learn more about access to facility records in Massachusetts.
In Massachusetts, care homes — sometimes called residential care homes, board and care homes, group homes, or personal care homes — are often houses in residential neighborhoods that are adapted, equipped, and staffed to care for a small number of residents, usually 10 or less. Similar to assisted living but in a smaller, more residential setting, these homes provide supervision, organized events, and assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs). This means care homes can help with everyday routines but typically do not provide 24-hour skilled nursing assistance.
Cost of Living
Overall, the cost of living in Massachusetts is considered to be less affordable than the national average. All index scores are based on a scale with the national average set at 100.
Price Indexes
- Cost of Living: 134
- Groceries: 114
- Housing: 170
- Utilities: 110
- Transportation: 116
Demographics
About 17% of Massachusetts’s population are seniors. In the 2016 presidential election, Massachusetts leaned liberal.
2016 Presidential Election
- 60% voted Democratic
- 33% voted Republican
- 7% voted third party or abstained
Population
- Median age: 39
- Over the age of 55: 30%
- 2018 population: 6,902,149
- 2020 population: 6,980,618
- Estimated 2025 population: 7,180,715
Miscellaneous
- 23% regularly attend a religious service
- 60% consider themselves atheist, agnostic, or a non-believer
- The state has a total of 4,200 congregations
- There are 27 Masonic lodges in the state
Climate and Weather
Massachusetts’s climate is divided into three sections, with almost all of the state’s western counties classified as warm-summer humid continental. This means the region has four distinct seasons with significant differences between summer and winter, although temperatures overall tend to be less extreme compared to most of the country. To the east, the Boston area has a humid subtropical climate, and the Cape Cod coastal region has an oceanic climate, meaning winters aren’t quite as cold as the rest of the state and there’s slightly more precipitation. Massachusetts experiences severe winter storms, nor’easters, and hurricanes.
Humidity and Precipitation
- Average humidity level: 71%
- Average monthly precipitation: 4”
- Average maximum monthly precipitation: 6” (May)
Air Quality
- Average air quality index rating: 39 (Good)
- Average maximum air quality rating: 48 in May (Good)
Seasonal Temperatures
- Average temperature: 48°F
- Average summer temperature: 68°F
- Typical summer high: 85°F (July)
- Typical summer low: 50°F (June)
- Average winter temperature: 28°F
- Typical winter high: 45°F (December)
- Typical winter low: 7°F (January)
Cities in Massachusetts
and surrounding area
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