2026 National Senior Care Cost Index • Updated with U.S. Census ACS & CMS Medicare Data Covering 51 States & DC • 29,639 Cities • 14,676 CMS Facilities

Senior Care & Assisted Living Costs in Darlington, WI

2026 monthly care rates for Darlington (Lafayette County), local Census affordability metrics, and 1 CMS-certified care facilities.

Assisted Living🏠
$4,420/mo
$53,040/yr
-29% vs U.S. avg
Memory Care🧠
$5,390/mo
$64,680/yr
-29% vs U.S. avg
In-Home Care🤝
$24.98/hr
$4,760/mo (44h/wk)
-29% vs U.S. avg
Nursing Home (Semi)🏥
$6,840/mo
Private: $7,710/mo
-29% vs U.S. avg

2026 Long-Term Care Financial & Runway Simulator

Models eldercare inflation, home equity liquidation fees (7%), income offsets & Medicaid spend-down rules.

1. Select Care Setting & Schedule
Assisted Living$4,420/mo
Memory Care$5,390/mo
Home Care$24.98/hr
Nursing Semi$6,840/mo
Nursing Priv$7,710/mo
Planning Horizon 3 Years (36 mos)
Average U.S. assisted living stay: 28–36 mos
Annual Care Inflation 4.0% / yr
Historical eldercare inflation: 3.5%–4.5%/yr
2. Monthly Income & Insurance Offsets
Social Security & Pension ($/mo)
LTC Insurance / VA Benefit ($/mo)
VA Aid & Attendance up to $2,358/mo
3. Capital & Home Equity Reserves
Liquid Savings & IRA ($)
Home Value / Equity ($) Net: $169k
Auto-deducts 7% realtor & closing costs
Total Projected Care Cost
$0
Year 1 → Year 3
Net Out-of-Pocket Gap
$0
Initial monthly shortfall: $0/mo
Annual Care Cost vs. Remaining Capital End Balance: $0
Annual Care Cost (Inflation-Adjusted) Remaining Net Capital
2026 Cost Crossover Analysis

Home Care vs. Assisted Living Break-Even Point in Darlington, WI

40.8 hrs/wk Break-even threshold

At Darlington, WI's average caregiver rate of $24.98/hr, hiring in-home care equals the $4,420/mo cost of Assisted Living at exactly 40.8 hours per week (~5.8 hrs/day).

Part-Time Care (15 hrs/wk) Crossover: 40.8 hrs/wk 24/7 Shifts (168 hrs/wk)
Home Care Cheaper 20 hrs/wk at Home
$2,165/mo

Saves $2,255/mo vs. Assisted Living (excludes home mortgage/utilities).

Full-Time Benchmark (44h/wk) 44 hrs/wk vs. Assisted Living
$4,762 vs. $4,420/mo

Full-time home care costs $342/mo more than Assisted Living (where meals & utilities are included).

Facility Cheaper 80+ hrs/wk (Day + Night)
$8,659/mo

Assisted Living saves $4,239/mo; Memory Care averages $5,390/mo.

Darlington vs. Wisconsin & U.S. Averages

Monthly Assisted Living cost comparison adjusted for Lafayette County economic indicators.

Darlington, WI$4,420/mo
Wisconsin State Average$5,090/mo
U.S. National Median$6,200/mo

Lafayette County Economic Context (U.S. Census)

Official ACS 5-Year benchmarks used to model local care affordability (see methodology).

Median Household Income $72,091/yr ($6,008/mo)
Median Home Value $182,100
Median Gross Rent $835/mo
Wisconsin Medicaid Limit (2026) $2,901/mo

CMS-Certified Senior Care & Nursing Facilities in Darlington, WI

Official Medicare provider registry showing certified bed capacity, ownership structure, and CMS 5-star quality ratings.

Lafayette Manor
719 E. Catherine St. Box 167, Darlington, WI 53530 • 6087764210
50 Certified Beds Government - County CCN: 525362
2/5 CMS Rating

Frequently Asked Questions About Senior Care in Darlington

The estimated median cost of assisted living in Darlington, WI is $4,420 per month ($53,040 per year), adjusted for Lafayette County housing and income data.
A semi-private room in a skilled nursing facility in Darlington averages $6,840 per month, while a private room averages $7,710 per month.
In-home caregiver services in Darlington, WI average $24.98 per hour, or roughly $4,760 per month for 44 hours of weekly care.
For 2026, the standard monthly income cap for Medicaid nursing home and HCBS waiver eligibility in Wisconsin is $2,901 per individual applicant.

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