A clear, current breakdown of assisted living costs across the Dallas–Fort Worth metro in 2026 — the Park Cities, North Dallas, Frisco, and the southern suburbs — plus the Medicaid and VA programs that lower the bill.
By Sandra Boyd, CSA · January 14, 2026
In the Dallas–Fort Worth metro, assisted living typically runs $3,800 to $5,800 a month in 2026. Facilities are licensed as assisted living facilities by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC), Long-Term Care Regulation, under Texas Health & Safety Code Chapter 247 and 26 Texas Administrative Code Chapter 553. Memory care runs $4,800 to $7,000 a month, nursing home care (skilled nursing) $6,500 to $9,500 for a private room, in-home care roughly $26 to $34 an hour, and adult day care $50 to $85 a day.
Geography matters within the metro. The Park Cities (Highland Park and University Park), North Dallas, and Frisco tend to price toward the higher end of the assisted living range because of land costs and newer construction. Richardson, Plano, and Carrollton sit near the metro median. Mesquite, Garland, and parts of Oak Cliff, along with communities in the southern suburbs, often run somewhat lower than the Park Cities for comparable care, though Collin County towns such as McKinney and Allen have been climbing as new communities open.
A base assisted living monthly rate usually covers housing, three meals, 24-hour supervision, housekeeping, laundry, and activities. What gets billed on top — medication administration above a basic tier, two-person transfers, incontinence supplies, and one-on-one aide time — is where the quoted price and the real monthly bill diverge. HHSC rules under 26 Texas Administrative Code Chapter 553 require facilities to disclose their services and charges in writing before admission. Always get a full itemized rate sheet and ask specifically what triggers a move to a higher care level.
Texas also distinguishes a Type A assisted living license from a Type B license. A Type A facility serves residents who can evacuate the building without staff assistance, while a Type B facility serves residents who need staff help to evacuate — which covers most residents who use a wheelchair, need help with more than one or two activities of daily living, or have progressed dementia. If your parent has higher-acuity needs, confirm the community holds a Type B license; a Type A license alone may not cover it.
The biggest cost levers in Dallas are shared-room pricing, choosing a smaller residential care home over a large campus, right-sizing the care level to current need, and exploring Texas's Medicaid long-term care waiver. Texas's STAR+PLUS Medicaid managed-care program, including the STAR+PLUS Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) waiver, can cover personal and attendant care in a participating assisted living setting for income- and asset-qualifying seniors. STAR+PLUS is delivered through managed care organizations including Molina Healthcare, UnitedHealthcare Community Plan, Superior HealthPlan (Centene), and Aetna Better Health.
Veterans and surviving spouses should also evaluate VA Aid & Attendance, which can add meaningfully toward care costs. Dallas-area veterans are served by the Dallas VA Medical Center, part of the VA North Texas Health Care System. For free local benefits help, families across Dallas County can call the Dallas Area Agency on Aging (operated by The Senior Source), families in Collin, Denton, and Rockwall counties can reach the Area Agency on Aging of North Central Texas, and anyone in the metro can dial Texas 2-1-1 for the HHSC Aging and Disability Resource Center.
Free, no-pressure call. We work for families, not facilities.