Assisted Living in Minnesota: A Family Guide
What assisted living is called in Minnesota, what it costs, how Medicaid can help, how to check a community’s license and inspections, and who to call if something goes wrong. Every fact links to the official source.
- Licensed by
- Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), Health Regulation Division, Assisted Living Licensure1
- Licensed communities on Lilisity
- 2,532 assisted living, 609 with memory care
- Medicaid help
- Yes: Elderly Waiver (EW), customized living services2
- Typical cost
- $6,573 a month (state median, CareScout 2025)
- Long-term care ombudsman
- 1-800-657-35913
- File a complaint
- 651-201-42004
What assisted living is called in Minnesota
- Assisted living facilityA licensed place that gives adults a place to sleep plus assisted living services.5
- Assisted living facility with dementia careThe license category for assisted living that advertises specialized dementia care. Any assisted living with a locked (secured) dementia unit must hold this license.5
Memory care rules
Under state law, an assisted living that advertises specialized care for Alzheimer's or other dementias is an "assisted living facility with dementia care." Any assisted living with a locked (secured) dementia unit must hold that license.5
Questions to ask memory care about nights.
What assisted living costs in Minnesota
The median cost of assisted living in Minnesota is $6,573 a month, above the national median of $6,200 (CareScout Cost of Care Survey 2025, collected July to November 2025). Prices vary with the apartment, the level of care and the community, so ask each one for its current rate sheet, including care-level fees.
If more care is needed later: nursing home costs in Minnesota, with CareScout medians and the private-pay rates Minnesota nursing homes publish.
Plan with our free tools: how long will the money last? and home care or assisted living?
Paying for assisted living in Minnesota
Medicare does not pay for assisted living. Families pay from savings and income, long-term care insurance, or benefits such as VA Aid and Attendance (estimate it). Who actually pays for long-term care.
Medicaid. Minnesota's Elderly Waiver, part of Medical Assistance (Minnesota Medicaid), can pay for "customized living" services, and a provider of those services must hold an assisted living license (or meet certain exceptions). You must qualify for Medical Assistance and need a nursing-home level of care. Program: Elderly Waiver (EW), customized living services.2 Medicaid does not pay rent or meals in assisted living in any state, and not every community accepts it, so ask each one.
How to check a community in Minnesota
Look up a license. Search MDH's provider directory by type, county, city or name to see a facility's address, phone, administrator and license status. Search Minnesota’s records.6
Inspection reports. MDH posts evaluation (survey) and investigation results online. Choose a provider type to search. Results for closed facilities must be requested through a data practices request.7
Lilisity shows Minnesota’s inspection record on each community’s page where the state publishes one: the state’s own records, dated and linked to the official source.
Always visit in person, at a mealtime or in the evening if you can. Bring the tour scorecard and the 8 tour questions.
If something goes wrong
Complaints about care or conditions. Suspected abuse, neglect, unexplained injury or financial exploitation goes to MAARC. Other concerns, like rights violations, poor care, licensing violations or discharge problems, go to MDH's Office of Health Facility Complaints (OHFC). Call 651-201-4200 or file online.4
Abuse, neglect or exploitation. Call 844-880-1574. How to report.4 If someone is in danger, call 911.
The long-term care ombudsman is a free advocate for residents of assisted living and nursing homes: they help resolve problems with a community, including move-out notices. Call 1-800-657-3591 or find your local ombudsman.3
Find assisted living in Minnesota
Assisted living by city
Memory care by city
Every community and county in Minnesota
Common questions
Minnesota's Elderly Waiver, part of Medical Assistance (Minnesota Medicaid), can pay for "customized living" services, and a provider of those services must hold an assisted living license (or meet certain exceptions). You must qualify for Medical Assistance and need a nursing-home level of care. Medicaid does not pay rent or meals in assisted living.
The median is $6,573 a month (CareScout Cost of Care Survey 2025), compared with $6,200 nationally.
Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), Health Regulation Division, Assisted Living Licensure.
Suspected abuse, neglect, unexplained injury or financial exploitation goes to MAARC. Other concerns, like rights violations, poor care, licensing violations or discharge problems, go to MDH's Office of Health Facility Complaints (OHFC). Phone: 651-201-4200.
Search MDH's provider directory by type, county, city or name to see a facility's address, phone, administrator and license status.
Sources
- Licensing agency (health.state.mn.us)
- Medicaid (revisor.mn.gov)
- Ombudsman (mn.gov)
- Complaints, reporting abuse (health.state.mn.us)
- License types, memory care rules (revisor.mn.gov)
- License lookup (health.state.mn.us)
- Inspection reports (health.state.mn.us)
- CareScout Cost of Care Survey 2025 (state medians)
Facts checked against these official sources on September 28, 2026. Rules and programs change; confirm with the agency before making a decision. General information, not legal or financial advice.
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