Assisted Living in Colorado
What It Costs Across Colorado
Finding assisted living in Colorado means navigating a range of costs depending on where you look. While the state median is around $4,750 per month, specific prices fluctuate significantly. You'll generally find higher costs in major metropolitan areas like Boulder and Colorado Springs, where averages can exceed $5,000 per month. Denver's average has been cited around $4,250 to $5,350 per month, but the Denver metro area can see costs from $5,000 to $7,000 or more. Conversely, cities such as Pueblo ($2,750 per month), Greeley ($3,550 per month), and Grand Junction ($3,795 to $4,625 per month) tend to offer more affordable options. These regional differences often mirror the overall cost of living in those areas.
Will Medicaid Help Pay?
For families in Colorado, Health First Colorado (the state’s Medicaid program) offers assistance through the Elderly, Blind, and Disabled (EBD) waiver. This waiver helps cover essential services in assisted living communities, including personal care, 24-hour oversight, medication administration, homemaker services, and transportation. It's crucial to understand that while the EBD waiver covers these services, it does not pay for room and board. To be eligible, a single applicant in 2026 must have a monthly income under $2,982 (300% of the SSI limit) and countable assets under $2,000. For couples, countable resources must be less than $3,000. The EBD waiver is not an entitlement program, meaning there are limited enrollment slots, and waitlists can form. Currently, only the HCBS Developmental Disability waiver has an active waitlist, but it's wise to inquire about potential wait times for any program you consider.
How to Find a Good Facility
Colorado has a substantial number of assisted living residences, with over 600 facilities statewide, and approximately 350 in the Denver metro area alone. Other sources indicate around 795 facilities across the state. The primary oversight agency is the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE), which licenses all assisted living residences and conducts annual health surveys. When choosing a facility, you should always check their inspection records. The CDPHE provides an online "Find and Compare Facilities" tool where you can search for inspection results and occurrence reports (incidents or violations) from the past three years. This tool can provide valuable insights into a facility's compliance history and how they address any issues. Additionally, the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program is a free advocacy resource for residents and families, helping to resolve complaints and protect resident rights.
Last updated: March 2026. Sources: Genworth 2024, state licensing agency.