19th
OVERALL STATE RANK
State scorecard
How we determine rankings
Our 2023 state ranking for assisted living uses A Place for Mom’s proprietary data collected from our community partners. First, we sorted through our metrics and grouped them into three pillars that are key in a quality assisted living experience. We weighted these pillars differently based on insights from our senior living experts. Then, we used these categories and their weighting to determine how each state ranks. Read our full methodology
Top ranked Rhode Island cities for assisted living overall
Key findings
State highlights
Assisted living communities in Rhode Island keep residents entertained with a variety of unique amenities and activities. 90% offer off-site activities, and 83% include live musical or dance performances, daytrips and outings, art classes, book clubs, and parties for residents.
Top ranked Rhode Island cities - Services & Amenities
Key findings
Rhode Island vs. the national monthly median cost of assisted living
Top ranked Rhode Island cities - Affordability
Key findings
Top ranked Rhode Island cities - Ratings
Reviewer Ranking
4.9/ 5.0
(54)My brother had decided that he didn't like to be in Rhode Island. He wanted to move to an assisted living residence on Long Island. Both my daughter and I felt that Atria Lincoln Place was a wonderful...
Reviewer Ranking
4.5/ 5.0
(58)5s across the board. They are great to work with and based on the experience we have had with would recommend Chapel Hill Senior Living to other families who may need a place for their loved ones.
Reviewer Ranking
4.6/ 5.0
(90)My father in law has been there for 10 months although he's declining the staff there is good and redirects him when he wants to leave or find his car. He seems happy, well fed, and safe.
Reviewer Ranking
4.9/ 5.0
(54)My brother had decided that he didn't like to be in Rhode Island. He wanted to move to an assisted living residence on Long Island. Both my daughter and I felt that Atria Lincoln Place was a wonderful...
Reviewer Ranking
4.8/ 5.0
(26)From the first day we were welcomed for our tour , my mom felt like she was home. The kindness we were greeted with that day continues, and we knew we had made right choice. There was no better feeling...
Reviewer Ranking
4.8/ 5.0
(29)Everything was absolutely perfect at Great Woods but unfortunately my mom had to step up to long term care. They were so wonderful. The facility was beautiful and clean and all the staff were great, helpful...
Reviewer Ranking
4.5/ 5.0
(55)I highly recommend Anchor Bay Assisted living. The staff are very conscientious. The residents are friendly. The community spaces are bright and the activities are designed to capture a broad audience.
Reviewer Ranking
4.7/ 5.0
(29)I love Cedar Dell. I feel like I am on a cruise, and I am a life long cruiser. You are waited on hand and foot. The residents and staff have been so nice and welcoming. The restaurant makes you exactly...
Reviewer Ranking
4.9/ 5.0
(54)My brother had decided that he didn't like to be in Rhode Island. He wanted to move to an assisted living residence on Long Island. Both my daughter and I felt that Atria Lincoln Place was a wonderful...
Reviewer Ranking
4.2/ 5.0
(24)I love it here more than you can imagine. The staff is really good and friendly, the food is good and I have a life again. I have one of the largest apartments with a back door and patio which is great...
Reviewer Ranking
4.5/ 5.0
(25)The secretary/receptionist, [name removed] the Director, and [name removed] the Marketing Director, all welcome us by name whenever we visit The Highlands. [name removed] the head nurse has been very...
Reviewer Ranking
4.4/ 5.0
(19)The staff at Wingate went out of their way to insure that my Mom would have a place to go upon her release from rehab with very little notice. She initially went in as a respite care resident. After a couple...
Reviewer Ranking
4.9/ 5.0
(54)My brother had decided that he didn't like to be in Rhode Island. He wanted to move to an assisted living residence on Long Island. Both my daughter and I felt that Atria Lincoln Place was a wonderful...
Reviewer Ranking
4.8/ 5.0
(29)Everything was absolutely perfect at Great Woods but unfortunately my mom had to step up to long term care. They were so wonderful. The facility was beautiful and clean and all the staff were great, helpful...
Reviewer Ranking
4.5/ 5.0
(58)5s across the board. They are great to work with and based on the experience we have had with would recommend Chapel Hill Senior Living to other families who may need a place for their loved ones.
The average monthly cost of assisted living in Rhode Island is around $5,500 a month, according to A Place for Mom’s internal data.[01]. This amount is only slightly higher than the national average cost of assisted living, which is roughly $5,100 a month.
Assisted living costs throughout the state vary greatly — they range from about $5,000 to over $8,000 a month. Location can contribute to these cost differences — beachfront communities or facilities located in the city of Providence may cost more than communities in smaller towns. Services, amenities, and the types of apartments offered can also affect costs. Luxury communities will often come with a higher price tag than smaller, more homelike options.
The prices listed above cover all of your loved one’s care needs, from assistance with activities of daily living, like dressing and bathing, to nutritious meals, housekeeping, and transportation. Eligible seniors may qualify for Medicare, Medicaid, or other benefits to help offset the costs of assisted living in Rhode Island.
Average monthly costs
Rhode Island
US National average
Average monthly costs
Rhode Island
Massachusetts
Connecticut
New Hampshire
Vermont
Average monthly costs
Average monthly costs
Our free tool provides options, advice, and next steps based on your unique situation.
Understanding your loved one’s financial situation and budget is a key first step to paying for assisted living. By planning ahead, your family may be able to access a variety of benefits to help cover Rhode Island assisted living costs. Below, we’ll explore a selection of public and private payment options available to Rhode Island seniors. For more details about how families pay for senior care, check out our complete guide to paying for long-term care.
Families commonly use private pay resources, like pensions, retirement accounts, and assets to cover the majority of assisted living costs.
If your loved one owns a home, they may consider selling it to pay for assisted living expenses in Rhode Island.
Equity from a reverse mortgage can free up funds for assisted living in Rhode Island.
Health savings accounts (HSAs)
Health savings accounts may cover the cost of some medically necessary services and supplies in an assisted living community in Rhode Island.
Selling or surrendering a life insurance policy can help cover the cost of assisted living in Rhode Island.
Social Security benefits for assisted living
Social Security benefits can help offset assisted living costs for Rhode Island seniors.
A number of benefits are available to veterans and their surviving spouses, but navigating U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) resources can be complex and time-consuming. If your loved one is a veteran, surviving spouse, or otherwise military-connected, they may be eligible for VA benefits to offset some Rhode Island assisted living costs.
The State of Rhode Island Office of Veterans Services has put together a comprehensive list of benefits available to veterans and their families. The VA Providence Regional Benefit Office can also provide Rhode Island veterans and their families with support and advocacy services.
Additional benefits for Medicaid-eligible veterans are also available through the state. These cover the costs of transportation to and from medical appointments as well as substance abuse help.[02]
Local chapters of various veterans service organizations (or VSOs), like AMVETS, the American Legion, and Veterans of Foreign Wars can offer families resources and benefits counseling, as well.
Medicaid is a public health insurance program jointly funded by the state and federal governments. It provides health insurance benefits to eligible low-income Americans and people with certain disabilities. The Rhode Island Executive Office of Health and Human Services facilitates safe, secure care options for seniors in need of health care assistance who choose to remain in their own homes or in communal settings, like assisted living.
Rhode Island Medicaid offers two main benefits programs.
The SSI Enhanced Assisted Living Program offers financial assistance to eligible low-income seniors in need of assisted living care. The SSI enhanced benefit is an increased Supplemental Social Security Income payment that qualifying seniors can use to pay for room and board in an approved assisted living community. To receive this benefit, seniors must:
Medicaid Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS) is designed to serve seniors in the setting that best suits their needs. Services can be provided in an institutional setting, in a senior’s home, or in a community setting, like an assisted living facility. To qualify for LTSS, your loved one has to meet both financial and level of care requirements. They must:
Families can learn more about eligibility on the Department of Human Services website, and can apply for benefits through their Medicaid LTSS application portal.
For more information and application assistance, families can contact The Point helpdesk at (401) 462-4444 or visit a local chapter of the Office of Healthy Aging.
Medicare is a federal health insurance program available to all adults over 65 years of age. Medicare benefits may cover some medical expenses in assisted living, such as on-site therapy services, prescription drugs, home health services, and medical supplies.
The Rhode Island Office of Healthy Aging compiled a convenient brochure of available Medicare resources seniors and their families can review for information on benefits and how to apply.
Rhode Island’s State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) is a network of trained, compassionate volunteers and community partners dedicated to helping seniors find the right Medicare coverage fit. They’re able to provide free, unbiased, personal guidance based on your loved one’s individual health and personal care needs.
In Rhode Island, the Department of Health, Office of Residences Regulation is tasked with licensing assisted living communities. These communities are designed for seniors who don’t need significant medical or nursing care, but who do require assistance with activities of daily living, such as bathing, dressing, and personal grooming, as well as room and board and medication assistance.
Facilities are categorized and licensed in the following ways:[03]
An assisted living community can have distinct wings, floors, or areas with separate licenses.
All assisted living facilities in Rhode Island must:[04]
Facilities licensed for dementia care must:
Our free tool provides options, advice, and next steps based on your unique situation.
We developed a system to rate each state on how easy — or difficult — it is to find important assisted living records and reports, and we compiled tips to help you in your search.
States with the most transparent records allow you to look up important information about each assisted living facility online, including inspections, complaints, survey results, violations, capacity, and whether the facility accepts Medicaid.
Public access to assisted living records and reports for the state of Rhode Island is exceptional. Here are some key findings that informed this rating:
We developed a standard methodology for state data collection and evaluation, and we based our rating primarily on the objective, state-specific accessibility criteria outlined in these questions:
A Place for Mom. (2022). A Place for Mom Proprietary Data.
State of Rhode Island Office of Veterans Services. (2021, November 18). Additional benefits For Medicaid eligible benefits.
State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, Department of Health. (2012, September). Rules and regulations for licensing assisted living residences.
State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, Department of Health. (2012, September). Rules and regulations for the certification of administrators of assisted living residences.
Overview of assisted living in RI
The information contained on this page is for informational purposes only and is not intended to constitute medical, legal or financial advice or create a professional relationship between A Place for Mom and the reader. Always seek the advice of your health care provider, attorney or financial advisor with respect to any particular matter, and do not act or refrain from acting on the basis of anything you have read on this site. Links to third-party websites are only for the convenience of the reader; A Place for Mom does not endorse the contents of the third-party sites.
Please enter a valid email address.