Nursing 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.

There are more than 170 nursing homes in Massachusetts. A Place for Mom’s Senior Living Advisors can provide you with a list of nursing homes in Massachusetts to help you find the community that fits your needs and budget.

The median monthly cost of a private room in a nursing home in Massachusetts is about $13,200, according to Genworth.

Top cities in Massachusetts

Middlesex County Essex County Cape Cod Suffolk County Plymouth Andover

Massachusetts Nursing Home Regulations

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is a federal agency that regulates and provides ratings for nursing homes and skilled nursing facilities. CMS offers guidance to state Medicaid services regarding rules for facilities that are Medicaid-certified. Medicare provides a national nursing home website to view the audit and licensing history of Medicare-approved nursing homes.

Each state regulates senior living communities differently, but you can use APFM’s guide to assisted living regulations to learn more about access to facility records in Massachusetts.

In Massachusetts, nursing homes — also called convalescent homes or skilled nursing facilities — are intended for seniors who require 24-hour monitoring and medical assistance. These communities are designed to promote independence among seniors who require constant nursing care to perform activities of daily living (ADLs), but do not require hospital-level care.

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.