McAllen Senior AdvisorBy McAllen Senior Advisor Care Team · November 5, 2026
CareScout's 2025 Texas medians: $5,666 a month for assisted living, $185 a day for a semi-private nursing home room, about $30 an hour for home care and $90 a day for adult day health care. No McAllen median exists. In the Valley, Medicaid pays for much home and day care, while assisted living is private pay.
The 2025 Texas medians
CareScout, which now publishes the survey once known by Genworth's name, released its 2025 Cost of Care results in March 2026. It publishes state medians, not metro medians for McAllen or the Valley, and it does not survey memory care separately.
| Care type (Texas, 2025) | Per month | Per day or hour | U.S. median per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assisted living (private one-bedroom) | $5,666 | $184 | $74,400 |
| Nursing home, semi-private room | $5,627 | $185 | $114,975 |
| Nursing home, private room | $7,604 | $250 | $129,575 |
| Homemaker / non-medical caregiver (44 hrs/week) | $5,720 | $30 an hour | $80,080 |
| Adult day health care (5 days/week) | $1,950 | $90 | $24,700 |
A private duty nurse at home runs about $90 an hour or $150 a visit at the Texas median.
Why the nursing home number misleads
Texas's semi-private nursing home median, $185 a day or about $5,627 a month, is almost level with assisted living and far below the national figure. That is because Medicaid pays for so many Texas nursing home residents, and Medicaid rates pull the median down.
A family paying privately in Hidalgo County should ask each home for its own private daily rate. The $250-a-day Texas median for a private room is a closer guide for private pay.
Hours, not rates, drive home care costs
At $30 an hour, the cost of home care depends almost entirely on how many hours are needed.
| Paid help per week | About per month |
|---|---|
| 10 hours | $1,300 |
| 20 hours | $2,600 |
| 44 hours | $5,720 |
| 84 hours | $10,920 |
| 168 hours | $21,840 |
Ten or twenty hours a week costs far less than assisted living. Round-the-clock care at home costs far more than any facility. Most Valley families land in between, combining a few attendant hours with family care and an adult day center.
How Valley families pay
Medicaid is the largest payer for long-term care in the Valley. STAR+PLUS health plans pay for attendant hours and adult day attendance for members who qualify, and Texas Medicaid pays for long-term nursing home care. In 2026 the income limit is $2,982 a month and the asset limit $2,000 for one person.
Assisted living is different. None of Hidalgo County's licensed assisted living facilities reports accepting Medicaid in TULIP, so residents pay privately, sometimes with help from long-term care insurance or a VA pension with Aid and Attendance.
Medicare pays for none of this long-term care. It covers short rehab stays after a hospital admission, home health visits and hospice.
What prices leave out
Median prices hide extras. Assisted living often adds level-of-care charges as needs rise. Nursing homes may bill separately for some supplies or a private room. Home care agencies may set minimum shifts or charge more on weekends and holidays. Adult day centers may charge for transportation for private-pay participants.
Ask each provider for a written list of everything that is not included in the base rate, and how often prices have gone up in the last two years.
Free help with the numbers
HICAP (1-800-252-9240) gives free Medicare counseling, including help with the Medicare Savings Programs and Extra Help that lower premiums and drug costs. The Area Agency on Aging's benefits counselors can screen an older adult for several programs in one conversation.
A worked example
Consider a mother in Pharr who needs help each morning and supervision during the day while her daughter works. Twenty attendant hours a week at $30 an hour would run about $2,600 a month privately. Five days a week at an adult day center would run about $1,950 a month at the Texas median. If she qualifies for STAR+PLUS, the plan may authorize both, and the family's cost could fall to little or nothing. If she does not, the family might choose adult day care alone and cover mornings themselves.
The example is illustrative, not a quote. Real costs depend on the provider and on what the plan authorizes.
Building a budget
Write down monthly income, the monthly cost of the care plan, and liquid savings. Divide to see how many months the plan lasts. If the answer is less than two years, start learning the Medicaid path now, and talk with the Area Agency on Aging of the Lower Rio Grande Valley ((956) 682-3481) or an elder law attorney.
Get every price in writing, including level-of-care charges and how much notice is given before an increase.
Frequently asked questions
How much does assisted living cost in McAllen?
No McAllen figure is published; CareScout's 2025 Texas median is $5,666 a month for a private one-bedroom.
Why is the Texas nursing home median so low?
Because Medicaid pays for so many Texas nursing home residents, and Medicaid rates pull the median down; private-pay rates are higher.
Does Medicare pay for long-term care?
No. Medicare pays for short rehab stays, home health and hospice, not long-term custodial care.
Is there a published memory care cost for Texas?
No. CareScout does not survey memory care separately, so no authoritative Texas or McAllen memory care median exists; ask each certified unit for its all-in rate in writing.
