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Somerville is a community in the Greater Boston Metropolitan area located just to the north of Cambridge. It’s home to 81,360 residents, of whom only 9% are seniors aged 65 or older. The lower senior population may be due to the student population attending one of the several world-renowned universities in the neighborhood, including Tufts University. Somerville gets more than its fair share of rain and snow but has very pleasant summers that last long into the fall.
Seniors in Somerville have easy access to world-renowned hospitals across the Charles River in Boston, public lectures by world-famous scientists, authors or politicians at Harvard or MIT in nearby Cambridge, several parks in the vicinity, professional sports teams and lots of great places to eat.
The average cost of assisted living in Somerville, according to the Genworth Cost of Care Study 2020, is $6,100. This cost can fluctuate based on the facility chosen and the services offered.
Hundreds of thousands of American seniors utilize assisted living, a figure that is only growing. For these seniors, assisted living combines residential housing,assistance in daily activities, and some healthcare. These communities also strive to provide an atmosphere that is comfortable and engaging for their residents… Read More >
With an average assisted living cost of $6,100 a month, Somerville is $15 above the state average of $6,085 a month. The cost of assisted living in Somerville is $1,800 a month more expensive than the national average of $4,300 a month. Massachusetts has one of the higher costs of assisted living on the East Coast. New York averages $4,800 a month. Rhode Island costs $4,950 a month, while Vermont is $5,310 a month. New Hampshire has the highest cost in the region of $6,650 a month.
The cost of assisted living is higher in Somerville than in most locations in Massachusetts. The lowest cost can be found in Taunton at $4,950 a month. Worcester, directly to the west, is next at $5,488 a month. Springfield, the site of the basketball Hall of Fame, averages $5,750 a month. Pittsfield averages $5,789 a month. Only Barnstable on Cape Cod has a higher cost at $6,338 a month.
Note: Data for Somerville was unavailable, so data for the nearest city, Boston, was used instead.
Seniors in Somerville may qualify for financial assistance programs that reduce the cost of assisted living. Many of these programs depend upon the senior’s income and assets. Seniors who are eligible for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) may also qualify for the Massachusetts Optional State Supplement. This program is aimed at low-income seniors to help them with assisted living or adult foster care costs.
For more information about these programs, as well as eligibility and how to apply, visit our Assisted Living in Massachusetts page.
| Resource | Contact | Description |
| Somerville Cambridge Elderly Services | (617) 628-2601 | Operating as the local Area Agency on Aging, this organization coordinates resources and support for seniors and works to close gaps in coverage. Elderly Services provides seniors and their caregivers with information on assisted living facilities in the community, delivers nutritious meals to homebound seniors, provides transportation to medical or social events and advocates for seniors with local and state lawmakers. |
| Massachusetts Department of Veterans Services | (617) 210-5480 | The department helps veterans and their dependents with issues of employment and housing, mental health care and long-term health care. The department operates two veterans’ homes including one in Chelsea, which offers veterans, their spouses or their survivors assisted living and memory care. |
| SHINE | Office appt: (617) 349-6220In-home appt: (617) 628-2601 | Serving the Health Insurance Needs of Everyone (SHINE) is a program that provides Medicare-eligible seniors and their families or caregivers with information and advice on important health care issues. Its trained volunteer counselors provide free, unbiased and confidential counseling on Medicare, Medicaid, Medicare Advantage programs, long-term care insurance and Medigap. Seniors can request an in-person or in-home appointment |
| Executive Office of Elder Affairs | (617) 727-7750 | Massachusetts’ Executive Office of Elder Affairs provides an entire section on assisted living in Massachusetts, including a directory of all assisted living facilities in the state. It also offers information on programs that reduce expenses in assisted living facilities, how to determine eligibility and instructions on how to contact a long-term care ombudsman if a senior has a complaint about a long-term care facility. |
| Group Adult Foster Care (GAFC) | (800) 841-2900 | Seniors who need help with activities of daily living (ADL), and who reside in a GAFC-certified assisted-living facility, can have some of these personal care services costs reimbursed. Eligible seniors must require help with at least one ADL. To apply, a senior must be at least 65 years of age, live in a GAFC-certified facility and meet the program’s financial and medical eligibility requirements. Interested seniors or their families or caregivers can complete the Application for Health Coverage for Seniors and People Needing Long-Term-Care Services and mail it to a local MassHealth Enrollment Center. |
The Executive Office Of Elder Affairs regulates long-term care facilities in Massachusetts. Before a senior can be admitted to an assisted-living facility, the facility is required to make an individual service plan. This plan must be reviewed within a month of the senior’s admission. For more information on the laws and regulations visit our Assisted Living in Massachusetts page.
