Alaska nursing home costs highest in US as senior population surges

Alaska's median annual nursing home cost reached $364,453 in 2024, the highest in the United States, according to the 2025 Senior Snapshot released by the Alaska Commission on Aging.

That cost is landing in a state where the over-60 population grew 78 percent between 2010 and 2025 — from about 91,000 to 162,000 — and now makes up nearly 22 percent of all Alaskans. The 85-and-older group is projected to nearly quadruple by 2050, exceeding 29,000 people.

State Sen. Bill Wielechowski, an Anchorage Democrat, said the typical Social Security check of about $2,000 a month does not come close. The average cost of living in Alaska runs north of $5,000 a month, according to IRS figures. Social Security alone, Wielechowski said, will not allow Alaskans to afford to live in the state.

The Alaska Legislature has responded in its State Fiscal Year 2027 operating budget, approving increased funding for Adult Day Services, senior centers, Centers for Independent Living, General Relief assisted-living payments, and reimbursement-rate increases for Private-Duty Nursing, Community First Choice, and Personal Care services. The Senior Benefits Program and Senior Citizens Housing Development Fund continue at existing levels. Final funding remains subject to Gov. Mike Dunleavy's approval and any line-item vetoes.

The Alaska Commission on Aging will hold its Statewide Summit on Aging October 15 through 17, both virtually and in person at the Turnagain Social Club in Anchorage.