Assisted Living in Minnesota
Residential communities that combine private apartments with help for daily living — meals, medication management, housekeeping, and staff available around the clock.
848 providers statewide · most in Minneapolis, Brooklyn Park, Saint Paul
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Assisted Living providers
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Guides on assisted living in Minnesota
- What assisted living actually costs in Minnesota — Minnesota's median was $69,900 a year in the most recent survey that published state figures. Other sites quote widely different numbers, mostly because they measure different things. Here is which figure to trust and what you will actually be quoted.
- The Minnesota Elderly Waiver, explained for families — Who qualifies, the $3,000 asset limit, exactly what DHS will pay per month by case mix, how long the application takes, and the room-and-board rule that surprises almost everyone.
- Which Minnesota assisted living facilities accept the Elderly Waiver — Qualifying for the Elderly Waiver does not mean a building has to take you. DHS says plainly that some facilities cap how many waiver residents they serve, and the provider must be enrolled with DHS before the waiver can pay it at all. Here is how to ask, in DHS's own words.
- Questions to ask on a Minnesota assisted living tour — A tour is a sales visit. These are the questions that turn it into an inspection — grouped by theme, grounded in Minnesota law, and covering the five things that tell you more than the tour ever will: the license type, the care-tier pricing, the UDALSA, the report card rating and the Elderly Waiver policy.
- What a Minnesota assisted living must give you before you sign — Before an assisted living contract is signed, a Minnesota facility must hand you a Uniform Disclosure of Assisted Living Services and Amenities — the UDALSA — separately from every other document. It must also offer you an unsigned copy of the contract itself. Almost no family has heard of either.
- Can a Minnesota assisted living make you leave? Notice periods and how to appeal — Minnesota law allows an assisted living facility to end a contract on five grounds only, each with a fixed notice period, a meeting that must happen before the notice, and an appeal heard within days. Services must keep running while you appeal.
Common questions about assisted living in Minnesota
How much does assisted living cost in Minnesota?
Genworth's 2024 Cost of Care Survey put the median cost of assisted living in Minnesota at $69,900 per year — about $5,825 per month — a 9% increase over the prior year, ranking Minnesota 29th nationally. That is a statewide median: actual quoted prices vary widely by city, apartment size, and care level. Ask every community for the base rent and the care-level pricing as two separate numbers, because a single monthly quote usually bundles both and rises as care needs increase.
Does Medicaid cover assisted living in Minnesota?
Minnesota's Elderly Waiver (EW) can pay for assisted living services for people 65 or older who need a nursing-home level of care but choose to live in the community. Critically, the waiver pays only for your services — DHS states plainly that "you are responsible for paying the costs of room and board." Some people also qualify for Housing Support, which helps with room and board, but not everyone on EW does. The asset limit for EW is $3,000 for most people.
Source: Minnesota DHS, "Elderly Waiver services in assisted living" (DHS-7935-ENG, 7-2024)
Can an assisted living facility refuse the Elderly Waiver?
Yes. DHS states that "not all assisted living facilities accept residents receiving Elderly Waiver services; some limit the number of residents in facilities who are receiving Elderly Waiver services." The provider must also be enrolled with DHS for the waiver to pay them at all. Ask directly: does this facility accept Elderly Waiver, is there a cap or waiting list for waiver residents, and do I have to pay privately for a period first?
Source: Minnesota DHS, "Elderly Waiver services in assisted living" (DHS-7935-ENG, 7-2024)
How is assisted living licensed in Minnesota?
Minnesota has licensed assisted living facilities through the Department of Health since August 1, 2021, under Minnesota Statutes chapter 144G. There are two license types — assisted living facility, and assisted living facility with dementia care — plus provisional licenses. As of June 2025 MDH had licensed over 2,300 assisted living facilities, more than 1,200 of them small facilities with a capacity of five or fewer residents. MDH inspects facilities at least once every two years, and you can verify any license directly with MDH.
Source: MN Office of the Legislative Auditor, Assisted Living Facility Licensing (2025)
How do I compare the quality of Minnesota assisted living facilities?
Minnesota runs a public Assisted Living Report Card that star-rates five domains: resident quality of life, family satisfaction, resident health, safety, and staffing. Facilities are scored against similar facilities, grouped by size and by Twin Cities versus greater Minnesota location, and licensing survey results and substantiated maltreatment findings are shown alongside the stars. Expect gaps: many of Minnesota's smallest facilities carry no rating yet, so an unrated home is not a bad home — check the MDH license and inspection record too.
What is the difference between assisted living and a nursing home?
The license is the real difference. Assisted living is licensed by MDH under chapter 144G and supports people who need help with daily activities. Nursing homes are licensed under chapter 144A, are typically certified for Medical Assistance, and provide 24-hour skilled nursing, rehabilitation, and higher staffing for complex medical needs. The funding routes differ too: nursing home care is largely paid by Medical Assistance, while assisted living services are paid privately or through the Elderly Waiver.
Source: Minnesota Department of Health — Assisted Living Licensure
Figures and rules on this page are quoted from the sources named above and were last reviewed August 2026. Programs and rates change — verify anything you are relying on with the agency directly before you act on it.