Assisted Living in Vermont

Assisted living facilities offer long-term housing and care for older adults in Vermont. The median starting cost of assisted living in Vermont is around $6,300 per month or $75,600 annually, according to A Place for Mom’s proprietary data from its brand partners in the state.^[01] With the state’s scenic mountains and abundant trees, assisted living communities in Vermont can be a great fit for seniors looking for proximity to year-round outdoor activities and the state’s famously open-minded local culture.

The median monthly cost of assisted living in Vermont is about $6,300, according to A Place for Mom’s internal data from its brand partners. Compared to the national median monthly cost of assisted living in the U.S. at about $4,800, assisted living in Vermont is more expensive than other places in the country.^[01] However, this is in line with the higher cost of living in the state.

When you’re considering assisted living in the Green Mountain State, it’s a good idea to look at median costs instead of average costs. Medians normally aren’t influenced by extreme values, such as high-end assisted living communities near Lake Champlain, Burlington, and popular ski destinations.

Variation among prices is normal for assisted living in Vermont. For example, the lower 10th percentile monthly cost is around $5,200, while the 90th percentile monthly cost is approximately $12,200 per month.^[01]

Many different factors drive the cost of assisted living. Most notably, pricing considers the level of care needed by a specific resident. The following may also play a role in pricing for assisted living in Vermont:

• Single or double occupancy in a room
• Room size
• Features in room, such as large windows with mountain views
• Services and amenities available on-site
• Proximity to a major metro and popular vacation destinations

With Vermont being known as a vacation destination on the East Coast, the cost of living tends to be higher in areas that attract tourists to the state. As such, assisted living communities tend to cost less in more rural areas away from tourist attractions than in higher population areas, such as Colchester and Rutland.

It’s not uncommon to feel overwhelmed when looking at assisted living costs, and you’re not alone in wondering how to cover these expenses. However, there are a variety of ways to pay for assisted living. In fact, some Vermonters may qualify for Medicaid or Medicare, which can help offset expenses related to assisted living in the Green Mountain State.

For families pursuing assisted living in Vermont, it’s important to plan ahead and consider your loved one’s budget. In some cases, a senior can combine private and public pay options to cover assisted living expenses in Vermont. In the following sections, you can learn about the different ways families can pay for assisted living costs. To learn more about options available for seniors, visit our complete guide to paying for long-term care.

Within Vermont, the Agency of Human Services’ Division of Licensing and Protection oversees the state’s assisted living facilities. Those operating assisted living communities in Vermont must follow the state requirements outlined in Vermont’s Assisted Living Rules and Regulations to be licensed.^[02] The State of Vermont usually conducts inspections of assisted living facilities periodically. You can access publicly available information about assisted living facilities in Vermont by using the Division of Licensing and Protection’s Assisted Living Directory.

As you know, your loved one’s situation, needs, and preferences are unique. If you’re interested in your loved one having a facility with specific qualifications, amenities, or services, it’s best to ask prospective assisted living facilities about these during a tour or exploratory phone call.

Seniors considering assisted living should be assured that they have protected rights through the State of Vermont. In this state, Vermonters in assisted living can expect the following, as outlined in the state’s Residential Care Homes and Assisted Living Residences Resident’s Rights:

• Each resident has the right to be treated with consideration and respect.
• An assisted living facility should fully recognize each resident’s dignity, individuality, and privacy.
• A facility cannot ask a resident to give up their resident’s rights.
• Residents can keep their personal affects in their unit, space permitting.
• An assisted living community will have visitor’s hours from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at a minimum. ^[03]

With those rights in mind, you should make sure to ask prospective communities about their own policies and how they might affect your loved one’s unique situation and personal preferences.

State licensing in Vermont

We developed a system to rate each state on how easy — or difficult — it is to find important assisted living records and reports, and we compiled tips to help you in your search.

States with the most transparent records allow you to look up important information about each assisted living facility online, including inspections, complaints, survey results, violations, capacity, and whether the facility accepts Medicaid.

Access to Vermont assisted living records: Moderate

Public access to assisted living records and reports for the state of Vermont is moderate. Here are some key findings that informed this rating:

• Vermont was marked down somewhat in our rankings because it doesn’t provide a searchable database of licensed assisted living communities.
• Vermont requires assisted living inspections on an annual basis.

How to look up Vermont assisted living licenses and records

• Visit Vermont’s webpage with records about the backgrounds of assisted living providers: Division of Licensing and Protection.
• Select “residential homes” or “additional care providers & facilities” from the green menu on the left side of the screen.
• Providers are listed alphabetically, and you can click a communities name for documentation regarding inspections and investigations.

How we arrived at our Vermont rating

We developed a standard methodology for state data collection and evaluation, and we based our rating primarily on the objective, state-specific accessibility criteria outlined in these questions:

1. Are licensed assisted living communities listed online in any form? Yes
2. If Yes to #1, is the information updated frequently? Yes
3. If Yes to #1, is the list of licensed communities searchable? No
4. Does the state post inspections, complaints, survey results, or violations online? Yes
5. If Yes to #4, is the information updated frequently (within 90 days)? Yes
6. If Yes to #2 and #4, is the enforcement information included in the same place as licensed communities? No
7. If Yes to #4 and No to #6, are violations and inspections searchable at all? Yes
8. Is information about special licensing for care shown? Yes
9. Is capacity shown? Yes
10. Are payment types shown (e.g., Medicaid, private pay)? No
11. Is the administrator/contact name shown? No
12. Can the state fine a facility? Yes
13. What is the frequency of inspections? Every 12 months
14. Does the website include pricing of facilities? No