Adult Family Home
A licensed residential home, usually six residents or fewer.
Why I built this
Most families I meet start planning for care after a fall or a hospital stay, when there's no time to compare options. The first question is almost always about cost, and an honest answer is hard to find online. I built these calculators so you can see real Washington numbers before you're forced to decide. Adult family homes often cost less than assisted living for similar care, but prices vary widely from one home to the next.
— David Stein, founder of Real Property Planning
Adult Family Home in Washington
No national figure: adult family homes are a Washington license type, so there is no national median to compare.
Type a city or county. You'll get the DSHS Medicaid rate range for that county (what the state pays a home per day and per month, by care level), a typical private-pay range where one has been reviewed, and how many licensed homes are there.
Location
Estimate. No survey covers adult family home private-pay rates; each home sets its own. DSHS Medicaid rates work out to about $4,030–$8,495 a month depending on county and care level. Washington medians from the CareScout Cost of Care Survey, 2025 data (published March 2026); memory care, adult family home, independent living and CCRC figures are estimates. Includes a 3.5% yearly increase in costs. Actual prices vary by community and level of care.
Senior Living Cost Calculator — Results Summary
Prepared via realpropertyplanning.com on October 23, 2026
Care Type
Adult Family Home
Care Timeline
Care begins now (2026).
Planned for 3 years of care, through 2029.
Cost Assumption
Annual cost growth: 3.5%
Projected Cost
| Washington | National | |
|---|---|---|
| Per month | $6,500 | No national figure |
| Per year | $78,000 | No national figure |
| Total over 3-year plan | $242,286 | No national figure |
Washington medians from the CareScout Cost of Care Survey, 2025 data (published March 2026); memory care, adult family home, independent living and CCRC figures are estimates. Actual costs vary by area, provider, and level of care. For general planning only. Courtesy of Real Property Planning — realpropertyplanning.com.
Compare another option
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Your next questions
Adult family home, assisted living or nursing home?
How Washington's care settings differ, and which fits which needs.
Will Medicaid pay, and what happens to the house?
Apple Health long-term care in Washington: eligibility, the home exemption, spend-down and the five-year look-back.
Should we sell the house to pay for care?
How a parent's home is sold to fund senior living in Washington, step by step, and what it means for taxes and Medicaid.
What does an adult family home cost?
Monthly costs by region and care level, including what Medicaid pays.
Can Mom or Dad afford to stay home?
A worksheet: the real monthly cost of staying home, with care hours at Washington rates, against income and savings.
Professional Disclosure
Real Property Planning is an educational and connection hub. It does not provide legal, tax, accounting, financial, brokerage, or appraisal services. Professionals referenced on this site are independently licensed and operate through their own separate businesses. Real estate brokerage services are provided by David Stein, a licensed Washington broker, through eXp Realty. Appraisal services are provided by David Stein through Stein Appraisal. Read the full disclaimer.
Working out how to pay for care?
The home is usually the largest part of the answer — what it is worth, whether to sell before or after the move, and how the proceeds fit the monthly number above. Talk through the housing and property options.
Talk through the housing and property optionsProperty questions go to David Stein, the featured broker and appraiser (eXp Realty), independently of Real Property Planning.