Assisted Living in Tennessee: A Family Guide
What assisted living is called in Tennessee, 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 communities on Lilisity
- 369 assisted living, 1 with memory care
- Medicaid help
- Limited: CHOICES (TennCare)2
- Typical cost
- $5,845 a month (state median, CareScout 2025)
- Long-term care ombudsman
- 877-236-00133
- File a complaint
- 1-877-287-00101
What assisted living is called in Tennessee
- Assisted-Care Living Facility (ACLF) (Rules Chapter 0720-26)Tennessee's assisted living license. It is for places that mainly take in older adults and give them a place to live along with care and services.4
- Home for the Aged (Rules Chapter 0720-21)A lighter level of care. It gives room, board and personal help to four or more unrelated people, mostly older adults. Residents must be able to get to safety in an emergency without hands-on help, and they move to a hospital, nursing home or assisted care living facility when they need health care the home cannot give.5
Memory care rules
An assisted care living facility may run a secured (locked) unit, where residents are kept from leaving. Before a resident moves onto the unit, a team with at least a doctor, a registered nurse, and a family member or patient advocate must evaluate them, and the team reviews the placement every three months. At least one awake staff member must be on the unit at all times, and all unit staff get yearly training that includes Alzheimer's disease.4
Questions to ask memory care about nights.
What assisted living costs in Tennessee
The median cost of assisted living in Tennessee is $5,845 a month, below 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 Tennessee, with CareScout medians and the private-pay rates Tennessee 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 Tennessee
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. Yes, for people who qualify. TennCare CHOICES can pay for care in an Assisted Care Living Facility for members in CHOICES Groups 2 and 3. The member still pays for room and board. Group 3 has an enrollment target of 1,750 people who do not get SSI. Program: CHOICES (TennCare).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 Tennessee
Look up a license. The state's facility search lets you look up licensed Assisted Care Living Facilities and Homes for the Aged by county and see their license status. Search Tennessee’s records.6
Lilisity shows Tennessee’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. The Health Facilities Commission takes complaints about licensed, certified, and unlicensed healthcare facilities through its online portal, by phone on weekdays, or by mail. Call 1-877-287-0010 or file online.1
Abuse, neglect or exploitation. Call 1-888-277-8366. How to report.7 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 877-236-0013 or find your local ombudsman.3
Find assisted living in Tennessee
Assisted living by city
Every community and county in Tennessee · 8 with verified resident testimonials
Common questions
Yes, for people who qualify. TennCare CHOICES can pay for care in an Assisted Care Living Facility for members in CHOICES Groups 2 and 3. The member still pays for room and board. Group 3 has an enrollment target of 1,750 people who do not get SSI. Medicaid does not pay rent or meals in assisted living.
The median is $5,845 a month (CareScout Cost of Care Survey 2025), compared with $6,200 nationally.
Tennessee Health Facilities Commission (HFC), Division of Licensure and Regulation.
The Health Facilities Commission takes complaints about licensed, certified, and unlicensed healthcare facilities through its online portal, by phone on weekdays, or by mail. Phone: 1-877-287-0010.
The state's facility search lets you look up licensed Assisted Care Living Facilities and Homes for the Aged by county and see their license status.
Sources
- Licensing agency, complaints (tn.gov)
- Medicaid (tn.gov)
- Ombudsman (tn.gov)
- License types, memory care rules (publications.tnsosfiles.com)
- License types (publications.tnsosfiles.com)
- License lookup (internet.health.tn.gov)
- Reporting abuse (tn.gov)
- 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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