--- title: "Nursing Home Statistics: What Percent of Elderly Live There?" canonical: "https://www.simplyinsurance.com/nursing-home-statistics/" description: "Last year was an especially rough time for nursing homes because over 40% of all reported Coronavirus (COVID-19) deaths in the entire U.S." silo: "long-term-care" published: "2026-05-21" updated: "2026-05-21" author: "sa-el" source: "Simply Insurance" --- Last year was an especially rough time for nursing homes because over 40% of all reported Coronavirus (COVID-19) deaths in the entire U.S. happened in a nursing home. That’s a huge number when you consider that only about 1.5 million people live in nursing homes in America. And according to the Associated Press, for every two COVID-19 victims in long-term care, there is another who died prematurely of other causes. In this post, you will discover how many people live in nursing homes, how covid-19 deaths are affecting nursing homes, the number of nursing homes in America, and over 101 additional nursing home stats. ## Top Nursing Home Statistics: - In **2020 over 40%** of all reported Coronavirus (COVID-19) deaths in the U.S. **happened in a nursing home.** - **COVID-19** is responsible for the deaths of over **107,107 nursing home residents**. - **Around 1,340 nursing home staff** members have died from the Coronavirus. - **Only 0.46% (roughly 1.5 million) people** live in nursing homes in America. - Around **0.21% (1 million) of elderly adults** live in assisted living facilities in the U.S. - The **average age** of a nursing home resident **is 81.1 years old.** - There are **15,600 nursing homes in America**. - There are over **1.7 million licensed nursing beds** inside of nursing homes. - **835 days is the average stay** in a nursing home. - **5 Months** Is the average nursing home stay **before death**. ## U.S. Nursing Home Population Statistics & Facts ### **What Percent Of Elderly People Live In Nursing Homes?** Only **0.46% (roughly 1.5 million) people** live in nursing homes in America, while about **1 million elderly (0.26%) live in assisted living facilities**. Women account for a whopping **70% of all nursing home residents**, while men only make up only 30%. **Key Statistics:** - **Only 0.46%** (**roughly 1.5 million**) people live in nursing homes in America. - Around 0.21% (1 million) of elderly adults **live in assisted living facilities in the U.S.** - **Women account for a whopping 70%** of all nursing home residents. - Men only make up **30% of nursing home residents**. - **Between 1992 – 2009**, admissions to skilled nursing facilities increased **from 28 to 80 per 1,000 Medicare beneficiaries**. - In 2012 **only 1.3 million Americans** lived in nursing homes - **1 in 4 Americans** over the age of 85 lived in a nursing home in 1990. - Around 5 Million senior citizens **utilize home health care** - Some **730,000 older adults** are in assisted living facilities - **1 in 9 people** age 85 or older lived in institutions in 2010 - Private pay prices for a **private or semi-private room grew by 4% to 4.5%** per year between 2002 & 2012 - The number of Americans age 65 and older that will require [Odie Pet Insurance Pros And Cons; Is Odie Trustworthy?](https://www.simplyinsurance.com/odie-pet-insurance-pros-and-cons/) nursing home care **will increase by up to 75% by year 2030**. - On average **a nursing home has 87 residents** on any given day. - As of 2017 **two-thirds of Americans living in a nursing home** rely on Medicaid to pay for their care. ### **How Many People Die In Nursing Homes Each Year?** It was estimated that **by 2020 40% of U.S. residents would die in a nursing home**; however, due to covid-19, that rate has drastically changed. The Associated Press estimates that **for every two COVID-19 victims** in long-term care, there is another who died **prematurely of other causes**. **Key Statistics:** - **40% of U.S. residents** are expected to die in a nursing home by 2020 - 65% of people who entered a nursing home **passed away within one year of admission**. - For **every two coronavirus victims** in long-term care, there is another who died prematurely of **other causes**. ### **What Are The Leading Causes Of Nursing Home Deaths?** **Alzheimer’s is the most common cause of death** in a nursing home; this stat could change if things stay the same or worsen with covid-19 deaths inside nursing homes. In a study **conducted for 6 months** by Science Direct, 39 of their patients passed away in a nursing facility.  The **primary causes of death** were: Cause Of Death | Percentage --- | --- Alzheimer’s/Dementia | 36% (14 People) Cardiac/Cerebrovascular | 30% (9 People) Pulmonary | 23% (3 People) Hematologic And Other Malignancies | 7% (2 People) ### **Top 10 Nursing Home Populations By State, Race, & Ethnicity** State | American Indian Or Alaska Native | Asian | Black, not Hispanic origin | Hispanic or Latino | Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | White, not hispanic orgin | More Than One Race --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- California | 0.3% | 10.2% | 11% | 18% | 0.4% | 58.8% | 1.2% Florida | 0.1% | 0.5% | 15.9% | 10.7% | 0.1% | 72.3% | 0.3% Illinois | 0.1% | 1.6% | 17.7% | 3.8% | 0.1% | 76.4% | 0.3% Massachusetts | 0.1% | 1.3% | 5.3% | 2.8% | 0.1% | 90.3% | 0.2% Michagan | 0.2% | 0.3% | 16.8% | 0.9% | 0% | 81.6% | 0.1% New Jersey | 0.1% | 2.6% | 17.3% | 7.4% | 0.1% | 72% | 0.4% New York | 0.3% | 2.4% | 18.5% | 8.6% | 0.1% | 69.3% | 0.8% Ohio | 0% | 0.2% | 14% | 0.7% | 0.1% | 84.9% | 0.1% Pennsylvania | 0% | 0.4% | 10.5% | 1.4% | 0.1% | 87.5% | 0.1% Texas | 0.1% | 0.8% | 13.6% | 17.3% | 0.1% | 67.9% | 0.2% - The number of Americans age 65 and older that will require nursing home care **will increase by up to 75% by year 2030**. - On average **a nursing home has 87 residents** on any given day. - As of 2017 **two-thirds of Americans living in a nursing home** rely on Medicaid to pay for their care. ### **Number Of Americans Living In Nursing Homes (By State)** State | Number Of Residents --- | --- Alabama | 22684 Alaska | 499 Arizona | 10325 Arkansas | 17285 California | 106523 Colorado | 16004 Connecticut | 1,624 Delaware | 3937 District of Columbia | 1256 Florida | 76985 Georgia | 22894 Hawaii | 3444 Idaho | 3286 Illinois | 74576 Indiana | 37564 Iowa | 22349 Kansas | 16812 Kentucky | 21482 Louisiana | 25863 Maine | 5846 Maryland | 16464 Massachusetts | 42464 Michigan | 41372 Minnesota | 23444 Mississippi | 15923 Missouri | 37277 Montana | 3776 Nebraska | 10584 Nevada | 5626 New Hampshire | 6397 New Jersey | 46366 New Mexico | 5510 New York | 108291 North Carolina | 36148 North Dakota | 5321 Ohio | 77859 Oklahoma | 17213 Oregon | 4672 Pennsylvania | 80331 Rhode Island | 7558 South Carolina | 15563 South Dakota | 5585 Tennessee | 26647 Texas | 90708 Utah | 5574 Vermont | 2359 Virginia | 19550 Washington | 15094 West Virginia | 9278 Wisconsin | 21236 Wyoming | 2224 ## Coronavirus (COVID-19) Nursing Home Death Statistics ### What Percent Of COVID 19 Deaths Come From Nursing Homes? **40% of all covid-19 deaths in America have occurred in nursing homes**; this total includes residents and staff members. In all, **112,373 nursing home residents** have died from covid-19, and there have been **over** **1,380 staff deaths** related to covid-19. State | Number Of Nursing Home Deaths --- | --- Alabama | 13009 Alaska | 123 Arizona | 909 Arkansas | 1907 California | 7037 Colorado | 1537 Connecticut | 2579 Delaware | 341 District of Columbia | 116 Florida | 4063 Georgia | 2649 Hawaii | 59 Idaho | 213 Illinois | 6415 Indiana | 4795 Iowa | 2223 Kansas | 1535 Kentucky | 2243 Louisiana | 2641 Maine | 200 Maryland | 1906 Massachusetts | 4316 Michigan | 3124 Minnesota | 2153 Mississippi | 1576 Missouri | 3249 Montana | 288 Nebraska | 782 Nevada | 327 New Hampshire | 454 New Jersey | 4803 New Mexico | 533 New York | 6829 North Carolina | 2952 North Dakota | 590 Ohio | 6452 Oklahoma | 1564 Oregon | 379 Pennsylvania | 8138 Rhode Island | 922 South Carolina | 1426 South Dakota | 696 Tennessee | 2275 Texas | 7243 Utah | 290 Vermont | 78 Virginia | 2232 Washington | 1030 West Virginia | 626 Wisconsin | 1607 Wyoming | 186 ## Average Age Of Nursing Home Residents ### **What Is The Average Age of Nursing Home Residents?** A **nursing home resident’s average age is 81.1 years old**, and almost half of all nursing home residents are age **85 years or older**. Single and widowed women account for **over 72% of the residents**, and the average age for people using long-term care services is around **65 years old**. **Key Statistics:** - The average age of a nursing home resident is **81.1 years old** - **7.8% of residents** are 95 years old or older. - 33.8% of nursing home residents are **85-94 years old.** - **26.4% of the older adults** in a nursing home are 75-84 years old. - 16.5% of the elderly people living in a **nursing home are 65-74 years old**. - **Only 15.5% of people** living in a nursing home are younger than 65. - Single and widowed women account for **over 72% of the residents**. - **88% of nursing home resi** dents are 65 or older, and 45% are older than 85 years old. - Almost half of all nursing home residents **are 85 years or older** - In 1999, **52% Of the nursing home population** was age 85 or older. - The average age of a nursing home resident at **admission was 82.6 years old In 1997.** - **Some 15% of people aged 85 and older** live in nursing homes, compared with just 1.1% of people 65-74 years of age. - The current average age at nursing home admission **is 79 years old.** - In 2010, **people ages 31 to 64** made up 14% of the nursing home population. - The ratio of women to men is **7 to 1 in assisted living communities.** ## Average Length Of Stay In Long Term Care Facilities ### **What’s The Average Stay In An American Nursing Home?** **835 days is the average stay in a nursing home**; however, for residents who have been discharged, their average stay in a nursing home is 270 days. At least 10% of the older adults who enter a nursing home **will stay there for 5 or more years**. **Key Statistics:** - **835 days** is the average stay in a nursing home. - 270 days is the average stay in a nursing home **for people who have been discharged**. - **10% of the residents** who go into a nursing home will stay there **for five years or more**. - In-home care **costs around $3,800 per month** for 44 hours worth of care. - To get a private room in a nursing facility it will **cost you around $7,700 per month**. - On average, **4 to 5 years of long term care** could cost more than $300,000 depending on where you live. - In 1999 the average stay for a nursing-home resident **was 892 days** - In **1999 the average length of stay** for a discharged nursing-home resident was 272 days ### **What Is The Average Stay In A Nursing Home Before Death?** **5 Months is the average nursing home stay before death**, while about **53% of residents die within 6 months of admission**. About 65% of residents died within 1 year of being admitted to a nursing home. The average stay for women is much more extended than for **men at around** **8 months**. **Key Statistics:** - **5 Months** is the average nursing home stay **before death**. - Some **53% of residents die within 6 months** of admission. - About 65% of residents died **within 1 year of being admitted** to a nursing home - **On average, men die sooner** after admission to a nursing home than women. - **8 months** is the average length of stay in a nursing home **before death for a woman**. - **3 months is the average length of stay** that men had at a nursing home before death - Nursing home residents **who were married died 4 months sooner** after admission than unmarried residents. - **Residents with a high net worth** died 5 months sooner after admission than those with a low net worth. ### **What Is The Average Length Of Stay In An Assisted Living Facility** The **average length of stay** in an assisted living facility is around **2 ½ years to 3 years**, mainly because the resident might have to move to a nursing home for more care **or due to passing away**. The most common reason people leave an assisted living facility is that **they need more care**. **Key Statistics:** - **28 months** is the average length of stay for residents **in an assisted living facility**. - **$3,600 is the average monthly cost** for an assisted living facility. - Around **59% of residents in an assisted living facility** will eventually move to a skilled nursing facility. - **78%** of all assisted living residents **leave because they need more care**. - **About 14% of assisted living residents** leave to be closer to loved ones. - Some 12% of assisted living residents **will leave because they are dissatisfied with care**. - **Cost is the reason about 11% of people** will leave an assisted living facility. - 11% of people leave assisted living facilities **because of other dissatisfaction**. - **Around 9% of assisted living residents** will have to leave because they ran out of money. - Some 86% of assisted living residents **need help with medications**. - About **72% of residents** in an assisted living facility need help with bathing. - **57%** of assisted living residents **need help with dressing**. - The number of assisted living facility residents **that need help with toileting is 41%**. - Around **36% of people living in an assisted living facility** need help with transferring. - **23% of assisted living residents** need help with eating. ## U.S. Nursing Home Industry Statistics ### **How Many Nursing Homes Are In The U.S.?** There are **15,600 nursing homes in the U.S.**  However, on average, people are only able to visit their family members **in nursing homes about 6 times per month**. **Key Statistics:** - There are **15,600 nursing homes** in the United States Of America. - The U.S. has **4,600 adult day service centers**. - Some **12,200 home health agencies** exist in the U.S. - **4,300 facilities are dedicated** to hospice care in America. - In the **United States there are 28,900** residential care communities - Around **69.3% of all nursing homes** are for-profit. - **RNs will spend about 40 minutes** with each nursing home resident daily. - LPNs will usually spend around **53 minutes per day with each resident**. ### **Best & Worst States For Nursing Homes** Below are **the results of a quality rating system** created by The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). **Using a scale from 1 to 5**, with 5 being the highest satisfaction and 1 being the lowest satisfaction, it turns out that **Hawaii** nursing home residents are **most satisfied** with the care and **Texas residents are least happy** with their nursing home care. **Top 10 Best Nursing Home States** STATE | RATING --- | --- Hawaii | 3.93 Washington D.C. | 3.89 Florida | 3.75 New Jersey | 3.75 Colorado | 3.74 Delaware | 3.73 Connecticut | 3.73 Minnesota | 3.72 North Dakota | 3.71 Idaho | 3.71 **Top 10 Worst Nursing Home States** STATE | RATING --- | --- Texas | 2.68 Oklahoma | 2.67 Louisiana | 2.8 Kentucky | 2.98 Georgia | 3.01 New Mexico | 3.07 North Carolina | 3.07 Missouri | 3.12 West Virginia | 3.15 Illinois | 3.18 ### **What Are The Number Of Nursing Home Beds In America?** According to the CDC, there are over **1.7 million licensed nursing home beds**, which has about 1.5 million residents in them. About 79% of beds are occupied every day, and a patient will receive **approximately 4 hours of nursing care per day.** However, on average, family members **only spend 1 hour and 27 minutes** visiting their family members in nursing homes. **Key Statistics:** - There are over **1.7 million licensed nursing home beds** in The U.S. - **People usually visit** their family members **6 times per month** in a nursing home. - **In America, about 79%** of nursing home beds are occupied every day. - A patient will receive approximately **4 hours of nursing care per day**. - On average, **family members only spend 1 hour and 27 minutes visiting** their family members in nursing homes. - **Jobs were 57% of the reason** people say it’s too difficult for them to **spend more time visiting** nursing home relatives. - It took about **9 visits per month for 45.3% of people** to say they were satisfied with their visiting habits. - Some **39% of people said** they found visiting loved ones **in the nursing home too depressing**. - **38.3% of visitors said other obligations** are the reason they can’t visit relatives in a nursing home more often. - About **34.4% of visitors say that finances** was the reason they weren’t able to visit nursing home relatives more often. ### **Number Of Certified Nursing Homes By State** State | Number Of Certified Nursing Facilities --- | --- Alabama | 228 Alaska | 17 Arizona | 139 Arkansas | 227 California | 1187 Colorado | 223 Connecticut | 204 Delaware | 45 District of Columbia | 14 Florida | 688 Georgia | 280 Hawaii | 44 Idaho | 72 Illinois | 722 Indiana | 531 Iowa | 432 Kansas | 330 Kentucky | 273 Louisiana | 277 Maine | 93 Maryland | 202 Massachusetts | 356 Michagan | 442 Minnesota | 363 Mississippi | 203 Missouri | 520 Montana | 69 Nebraska | 197 Nevada | 66 New Hampshire | 74 New Jersey | 361 New Mexico | 71 New York | 570 North Carolina | 424 North Dakota | 80 Ohio | 952 Oklahoma | 290 Oregon | 116 Pennsylvania | 684 Rhode Island | 80 South Carolina | 184 South Dakota | 104 Tennessee | 316 Texas | 1214 Utah | 99 Vermont | 35 Virginia | 245 Washington | 205 West Virginia | 123 Wisconsin | 353 Wyoming | 37 ## Taking Action ### **Concluding Thoughts** The **most shocking statistic that we found** was that COVID-19 nursing home deaths are responsible for over 40% of all coronavirus deaths in America. While **COVID-19 is reeking havoc** on our nursing home community we must all work together to stay safe by wearing masks and practicing our social distancing. The average life expectancy has definitely changed for nursing home residents due to COVID-19 and more people are probably going to need some type of **long-term care coverage**. No matter what, we all need to stick together and **get these numbers lowered.** **Sources:** AP News | [AARP](https://assets.aarp.org/rgcenter/il/fs10r_homes.pdf) | UMASS Med | GEORGIA DCH | [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nursing_home_care_in_the_United_States)| [US News](https://health.usnews.com/health-news/best-nursing-homes/articles/nursing-home-facts-and-statistics) | Pub Med | [A Place For Mom](https://www.aplaceformom.com/caregiver-resources/articles/suprising-facts-about-senior-living) | Braswell Murphy | [Care.com](https://www.care.com/c/stories/15840/nursing-homes-in-america/) | [Caregiver.org](https://www.caregiver.org/selected-long-term-care-statistics) | [CDC](https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/ahcd/agingtrends/04nursin.pdf)| [CMS](https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Provider-Enrollment-and-Certification/CertificationandComplianc/Downloads/nursinghomedatacompendium_508-2015.pdf) | [Elder Needs Law](https://www.elderneedslaw.com/blog/how-many-older-adults-will-wind-up-in-skilled-nursing-homes) | Health Affairs | [Health In Aging](https://www.healthinaging.org/age-friendly-healthcare-you/care-settings/nursing-homes) | Ibis World | [Institute On Aging](https://www.ioaging.org/aging-in-america)| [KFF](https://www.kff.org/other/state-indicator/number-of-nursing-facilities/)| LTCCS | [Morning Star](https://www.morningstar.com/articles/564139/40-must-know-statistics-about-long-term-care) | [My Life Site](https://www.mylifesite.net/blog/post/so-ill-probably-need-long-term-care-but-for-how-long/) | NBC News | [NCBI](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK51841/)| NIA | NOA Medical | [NPR](https://www.npr.org/2010/12/09/131912529/a-new-nursing-home-population-the-young)| Nursing Home Abuse Center | Research Gatae |