Illinois Senior Living Options & Resources
Senior Living in Illinois: What You Need to Know
Illinois is home to 2,101,833 seniors aged 65 and older, representing 16.6% of the state's 12.7 million residents. The state's 930 senior living communities span 56 cities, providing assisted living, memory care, independent living, and skilled nursing services tailored to varying needs and budgets.
The greatest concentration of senior living communities is found in the Chicago metropolitan area, which accounts for a significant portion of Illinois's options. Chicago alone hosts 36 communities, while surrounding suburbs like Naperville, Vernon Hills, Glen Ellyn, Lincolnwood, and Arlington Heights collectively add dozens more. Central Illinois cities including Springfield and Peoria offer additional choices, while communities in Belleville and Effingham serve residents in the southern and eastern regions of the state.
This pricing reflects the state's diverse economy and cost-of-living variations between the Chicago metro area and downstate regions. Illinois benefits from world-class healthcare infrastructure, including renowned medical centers like Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Rush University Medical Center, and the University of Chicago Medical Center, alongside strong regional hospitals throughout the state.
The Illinois Department on Aging administers several programs supporting seniors, including Community Care Program services and Medicaid waivers that help eligible residents access home and community-based services. The state's four-season climate, rich cultural amenities, Big Ten university communities, and strong family networks make Illinois an attractive choice for retirees, particularly those who value proximity to major metropolitan resources alongside more affordable suburban and rural options.
Types of Senior Living Care in Illinois
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Cost of Senior Care in Illinois
The median cost of assisted living in Illinois was $5,836 a month in the 2024 survey, 1% below the national median of $5,900.
| Care type | Illinois | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|
| Assisted living | $5,836 1% below U.S. | $5,900 |
| Nursing home, semi-private room | $7,908 15% below U.S. | $9,277 |
| Nursing home, private room | $9,125 14% below U.S. | $10,646 |
| Home health aide | $6,673 3% above U.S. | $6,483 |
| Adult day health care | $3,142 45% above U.S. | $2,167 |
Source: Genworth/CareScout Cost of Care Survey, 2024 (state median). Monthly figures are the annual median divided by 12. The survey does not cover independent living or memory care. Actual costs vary by community, location and level of care.
Frequently Asked Questions About Senior Living in Illinois
How much does senior living cost in Illinois?
The median cost of assisted living in Illinois was $5,836 a month in the 2024 survey, 1% below the national median of $5,900. Source: Genworth/CareScout Cost of Care Survey, 2024 (state median).
How many senior living communities are in Illinois?
Illinois has 930 senior living communities listed on Ultimate Senior Resource, across 369 cities. The most listings are in Chicago (111), Rockford (15) and Naperville (13).
Does Illinois Medicaid cover assisted living?
Yes, Illinois Medicaid covers assisted living through the Supportive Living Program (SLP) for eligible low-income seniors who meet nursing home level of care criteria. The state also offers Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) waivers including the Community Care Program and Elderly Waiver, which help pay for personal care and support services. Eligibility is based on income limits, asset tests, and demonstrated medical need.
What are the best cities for senior living in Illinois?
Chicago offers the most options with 111 communities and access to world-class healthcare and cultural amenities. Naperville and Vernon Hills each have 6 communities and provide excellent suburban environments with strong services. Glen Ellyn, Lincolnwood, and Springfield each offer 5 communities with different appeals—Glen Ellyn for charming suburban character, Lincolnwood for urban convenience, and Springfield for affordable downstate living. Peoria and Effingham serve as regional hubs for central and eastern Illinois residents seeking quality care outside the Chicago metro area.
What healthcare resources are available for seniors in Illinois?
Illinois boasts exceptional healthcare infrastructure, particularly in the Chicago area with world-renowned institutions like Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Rush University Medical Center, University of Chicago Medical Center, and Advocate Health Care. Regional centers include Memorial Health and HSHS hospitals in Springfield, OSF HealthCare in Peoria, and connections to St. Louis-area health systems in Metro East. The state's medical schools and teaching hospitals ensure access to specialized geriatric care and cutting-edge treatments.
Is Illinois a good state for retirees?
Illinois offers retirees diverse options from vibrant urban living in Chicago to affordable small-town communities downstate. The state provides strong healthcare access, rich cultural amenities, and Big Ten sports entertainment. However, Illinois does tax retirement income including Social Security benefits and public pensions (though it exempts federally taxed Social Security), and property taxes can be high, particularly in the Chicago metro area. Many retirees appreciate staying close to family, excellent medical care, and four distinct seasons.
Major Cities with Senior Living Options in Illinois
Cities ranked by number of communities.
Springfield
Population 113,714
Seniors (65+) 18.7
%
Communities 12
Cities in Illinois
St. Charles
1 community Addison
1 community Aledo
3 communities Algonquin
2 communities Alhambra
2 communities Alsip
1 community Altamont
1 community Alton
3 communities Anna
1 community Arcola
1 community Arlington Heights
4 communities Arlington Hts
2 communities Arthur
1 community Auburn
1 community Aurora
11 communities Aviston
1 community Barrington
2 communities Barry
1 community Bartlett
2 communities Batavia
3 communities Beardstown
1 community Beecher
1 community Belleville
7 communities Bellwood
1 community Belvidere
3 communities Bement
1 community Bensenville
1 community Benton
3 communities Berwyn
1 community Bethalto
1 community Bloomingdale
5 communities Bloomington
6 communities Blue Island
2 communities Bolingbrook
3 communities Bourbonnais
2 communities Bradley
1 community Breese
3 communities Bridgeport
1 community Bridgeview
2 communities Brookfield
1 community Buffalo Grove
3 communities Burbank
2 communities Burnham
1 community Burr Ridge
3 communities Byron
1 community Cahokia
2 communities Calumet City
1 community Camp Point
1 community Canton
4 communities Carbondale
2 communities Carlinville
3 communities Carlyle
1 community Carmi
2 communities Carol Stream
2 communities Carrier Mills
1 community Carterville
1 community Cary
1 community Casey
2 communities Caseyville
1 community Centralia
2 communities Champaign
3 communities Charleston
4 communities Chatham
1 community Chester
1 community Chicago
111 communities Chicago Heights
3 communities Chicago Ridge
2 communities Chillicothe
1 community Chrisman
1 community Cicero
2 communities Cisne
2 communities Clifton
1 community Clinton
1 community Cobden
1 community Collinsville
2 communities Columbia
2 communities Coulterville
2 communities Country Club Hills
2 communities Crestwood
4 communities Crete
1 community Crystal Lake
6 communities Cuba
1 community Danforth
1 community Danville
4 communities Decatur
6 communities Deer Park
1 community Deerfield
1 community Dekalb
4 communities Des Plaines
7 communities Dixon
3 communities Dolton
2 communities Downers Grove
3 communities Du Quoin
2 communities Durand
1 community Dwight
1 community East Moline
2 communities East Peoria
3 communities Edwardsville
4 communities Effingham
6 communities El Paso
2 communities Eldorado
1 community Elgin
9 communities Elk Grove Village
2 communities Elmhurst
5 communities Elmwood Park
1 community Energy
1 community Eureka
2 communities Evanston
9 communities Evergreen Park
1 community Fairbury
1 community Fairfield
3 communities Fairview Heights
1 community Farmer City
1 community Farmington
1 community Flanagan
1 community Flora
2 communities Flossmoor
1 community Forest Park
1 community Forsyth
1 community Fox Lake
1 community Frankfort
2 communities Franklin Grove
1 community Freeburg
2 communities Freeport
5 communities Galena
1 community Galesburg
5 communities Geneseo
3 communities Geneva
2 communities Gibson City
2 communities Gifford
1 community Gillespie
1 community Gilman
1 community Glen Carbon
2 communities Glen Ellyn
4 communities Glenview
7 communities Glenwood
2 communities Godfrey
3 communities Golden
1 community Granite City
2 communities Grayslake
1 community Grayville
1 community Greenup
1 community Greenville
2 communities Gurnee
3 communities Hanover Park
1 community Hardin
1 community Harrisburg
3 communities Harvard
1 community Harvey
1 community Havana
1 community Hazel Crest
2 communities Henry
1 community Herrin
2 communities Hickory Hills
1 community Highland
2 communities Highland Park
3 communities Highwood
1 community Hillsboro
2 communities Hillside
1 community Hinsdale
1 community Hoffman Estates
2 communities Homer Glen
1 community Homewood
2 communities Hoopeston
1 community Huntley
1 community Indian Head Park
1 community Inverness
1 community Itasca
1 community Jacksonville
5 communities Jerseyville
3 communities Joliet
10 communities Kankakee
3 communities Kewanee
3 communities Knoxville
2 communities La Grange
3 communities La Grange Park
3 communities Lacon
1 community Lake Barrington
1 community Lake Bluff
2 communities Lake Forest
1 community Lake Zurich
3 communities Lansing
3 communities Lebanon
2 communities Lemont
2 communities Lena
1 community Libertyville
4 communities Lincoln
2 communities Lincolnshire
3 communities Lincolnwood
1 community Lindenhurst
1 community Lisle
3 communities Litchfield
2 communities Lombard
4 communities Long Grove
3 communities Loves Park
1 community Macomb
5 communities Mahomet
2 communities Manito
1 community Marengo
1 community Marion
2 communities Marseilles
1 community Marshall
2 communities Maryville
1 community Mascoutah
2 communities Mason City
1 community Matteson
1 community Mattoon
6 communities McHenry
3 communities Mcleansboro
2 communities Melrose Park
2 communities Mendota
1 community Metamora
1 community Metropolis
2 communities Midlothian
1 community Millstadt
1 community Mokena
1 community Moline
5 communities Momence
1 community Monmouth
2 communities Monticello
1 community Morris
3 communities Morrison
2 communities Morton
2 communities Morton Grove
1 community Mount Carmel
1 community Mount Carroll
1 community Mount Morris
1 community Mount Pulaski
1 community Mount Sterling
1 community Mount Vernon
5 communities Mount Zion
2 communities Moweaqua
1 community Mundelein
1 community Naperville
13 communities Nashville
1 community Neoga
1 community New Baden
1 community New Lenox
1 community Newman
1 community Newton
2 communities Niles
7 communities Nokomis
1 community Normal
5 communities Norridge
2 communities North Aurora
2 communities Northbrook
9 communities Northlake
1 community Oak Brook
2 communities Oak Lawn
5 communities Oak Park
4 communities Oblong
1 community Odin
1 community Olney
4 communities Olympia Fields
1 community Oregon
1 community Orland Park
4 communities Oswego
2 communities Ottawa
3 communities Palatine
3 communities Palos Heights
3 communities Palos Hills
1 community Palos Park
2 communities Pana
2 communities Paris
3 communities Park Forest
1 community Park Ridge
4 communities Paxton
2 communities Pekin
4 communities Peoria
11 communities Peoria Heights
2 communities Peru
2 communities Petersburg
1 community Pinckneyville
1 community Pittsfield
2 communities Plainfield
2 communities Polo
1 community Pontiac
3 communities Princeton
2 communities Prophetstown
2 communities Prospect Heights
2 communities Quincy
7 communities Rantoul
1 community Red Bud
1 community Richton Park
1 community Ridgway
1 community River Forest
1 community Riverwoods
1 community Roanoke
1 community Robinson
2 communities Rochelle
2 communities Rochester
1 community Rock Island
3 communities Rockford
15 communities Rolling Meadows
1 community Romeoville
1 community Roselle
1 community Roseville
1 community Rosiclare
1 community Round Lake Beach
2 communities Rushville
1 community Saint Charles
1 community Salem
2 communities Sandwich
2 communities Savanna
1 community Savoy
2 communities Schaumburg
3 communities Shabbona
1 community Shelbyville
3 communities Sherman
1 community Shiloh
1 community Shorewood
2 communities Silvis
3 communities Skokie
5 communities South Beloit
1 community South Chicago Height
1 community South Elgin
5 communities South Holland
3 communities Sparta
2 communities Spring Valley
1 community Springfield
12 communities St Elmo
1 community St. Charles
3 communities Staunton
2 communities Sterling
4 communities Stickney
1 community Stockton
1 community Streamwood
2 communities Streator
2 communities Stronghurst
1 community Sugar Grove
1 community Sullivan
2 communities Swansea
2 communities Sycamore
1 community Taylorville
2 communities Tinley Park
2 communities Toluca
1 community Toulon
1 community Troy
1 community Tuscola
2 communities Urbana
3 communities Vandalia
3 communities Vernon Hills
4 communities Vienna
1 community Virden
1 community Virginia
1 community Walnut
1 community Washington
2 communities Waterloo
3 communities Watseka
2 communities Wauconda
1 community Waukegan
3 communities West Chicago
2 communities West Frankfort
1 community Westchester
1 community Westmont
4 communities Wheaton
6 communities Wheeling
4 communities White Hall
1 community Willowbrook
2 communities Wilmette
2 communities Wilmington
1 community Winchester
1 community Winfield
1 community Winnebago
1 community Wood River
1 community Woodridge
1 community Woodstock
3 communities Yorkville
2 communities Zion
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