If you're looking to retire, one place you might want to consider is The Bay State. Being where the Mayflower landed, Massachusetts can also be where you set your anchor as you enjoy your golden years. There's a lot to do, including enjoying the bay and the humid climate. Massachusetts is a place with a lot to do, but the cost of living can be higher than you might expect. See below as we break down the cost of living. This way, you can determine if moving to Massachusetts is within your budget or if you should look to another state.
Find senior living in Massachusetts
Or describe what you needand our AI helps narrow down.
If you want to move to Massachusetts, it will cost you. The cost of living is over 31 points higher than the national average, and every expense is also higher. The biggest challenge for living in Massachusetts is the housing, which costs nearly 80 points more than the average, with a median home costing almost $100k more. If you're looking to retire, you must have the money to do so. While there are affordable home options, they are less frequent than in the rest of the country. Keep that in mind when you're considering where to move.
Cost-of-living indices
100 = US average. Higher means more expensive.
Housing & rent
Statewide medians and averages.
Whether you're comparing options for a parent or planning ahead for yourself, here's where to start by care level.
Assisted living provides personal care, meals, and daily support for seniors who need help with everyday tasks but not full medical supervision.
Memory care is a specialized type of senior living for people with Alzheimer's disease, dementia, or other cognitive decline.
Independent living is community housing for active seniors who want amenities, social life, and freedom from home upkeep without daily personal-care services.
Home care brings personal-care services and companionship into the senior's own home rather than moving them into a community.
A skilled nursing facility (SNF, often called a nursing home) provides 24-hour licensed medical care and rehabilitation for seniors with serious health conditions.
Senior apartments are age-restricted rental homes - typically for residents 55+ or 62+ - designed for older adults who live independently.
Browse by city
Hand-picked from our directory
Caregivers who come to you
Brant Rock, MA
4.6 · 186 reviews
Newton, MA
4.5 · 125 reviews
Westborough, MA
4.8 · 101 reviews
Norwood, MA
4.4 · 84 reviews
Newton Upper Falls, MA
4.7 · 73 reviews
Pittsfield, MA
4.5 · 67 reviews
Get matched
Tell us the city and care level you're considering. We'll send pricing and availability for Massachusetts communities that match. No phone calls until you ask.
Loading the matching form…
Powered by SilverAssist. By submitting this form you agree to our privacy policy.
Insurers are pulling out of some Medicare Advantage markets and trimming benefits for 2027. Humana alone expects its exits to affect about 600,000 members. Here is what is confirmed, what is only expected, and the special rights you get if your plan is dropped.
Social Security can now hold back up to 50 percent of a monthly benefit to recover an overpayment, up from the 10 percent cap in place a year earlier. Here is why the rate changed, who it affects, and the three forms that can stop or shrink the withholding.
A new federal law requires adults ages 19 to 64 on expanded Medicaid to work, volunteer, or study 80 hours a month to keep their coverage, starting by January 1, 2027. People 65 and older and those on disability are exempt, but adults 50 to 64 are expected to lose coverage in the largest numbers, often over paperwork rather than refusing to work.
Medicare's fall Open Enrollment runs October 15 through December 7, 2026, for coverage that starts January 1, 2027. The out-of-pocket cap on Part D drug costs rises to $2,400 and the deductible to $700. Here is what changed, the one letter you need to read, and how to compare plans before the window closes.
A federal tax law now gives most people 65 and older an extra $6,000 deduction, or $12,000 per couple, for tax years 2025 through 2028. It is not the same as ending taxes on Social Security. Here is who qualifies, how the income phaseout works, and how to claim it.
A 2025 federal law raised the age for SNAP work requirements from 54 to 64. Many adults in their late 50s and early 60s now have to work, train, or volunteer 80 hours a month to keep food benefits, and several long-standing exemptions are gone. Here is who is affected, who is not, and what to do.
Request pricing from Massachusetts communities that match your needs.
