Long-term care costs in Texas are below the national average, but families in Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, and Austin are facing a very different reality.
Texas may rank below the national average for long-term care costs statewide, but families living in larger population centers like Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, and Austin are facing a physical, emotional, and financial reality that challenges even the most carefully laid retirement plans.
Research from LTC News on the rising cost of long-term care services, combined with alarming new research on caregiver burnout, underscores why long-term care planning has never been more urgent for families throughout the country, including Texas families.
According to the LTC News Cost of Long-Term Care Services Calculator, widely considered the most accurate source of real-world long-term care costs, the national median for home healthcare is $5,673 per month, based on a 44-hour workweek. Nationally, assisted living costs $5,005 a month (plus surcharges). Memory care averages $5,723 amonth (plus surcharges). Nursing home care tops $10,824 a month.
Long-term care costs in Texas run below the national average statewide, but that broad figure masks a sharply different reality in the state's major cities. Matt McCann, CLTC, a nationally known long-term care planning specialist, cautions that families in Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, and Austin, for example, are facing costs that climb well above both the state and national averages.
"The base cost for assisted living in Houston is now almost $5,100 (plus surcharges) a month, higher than the national average and the state average of $4,512 a month. We see this trend of higher cost for long-term care services in the major population centers. However, no matter where you live, long-term care is not cheap." — Matt McCann, CLTC.
The LTC News research shows that in Texas's major population centers, costs track closely with, or exceed, national benchmarks, driven by competitive labor markets, higher urban operating costs, and growing demand for extended care from one of the fastest-aging populations in the country.
Texans can access current, city-specific cost data at no charge using the LTC News Cost of Care Calculator at ltcnews.com/long-term-care/cost-of-care. Texans can learn more about long-term care resources: Texas Long-Term Care Resources.
The calculator draws on actual retail costs from care providers nationwide — not published rates — and incorporates LTC Insurance claims data and independent research, making it a more precise planning tool than surveys based solely on provider self-reporting.
The Hidden Price Tag: Family Caregivers Bearing the Burden
McCann says the financial numbers alone don't capture the true cost of long-term care to Texas families. A new national survey commissioned by LogicMark, released in June 2026, found that 90 percent of family caregivers report symptoms of burnout, with 20 percent describing their burnout as severe. The survey was conducted among 1,000 U.S. adults in April 2026.
The research also found that 73 percent of caregivers say caregiving has affected or will affect their financial stability, and 67 percent reported significant career impacts — from missed promotions to workforce exits that cut retirement savings and Social Security benefits simultaneously.
McCann says the financial picture is only part of the story.
"When someone needs extended care in Texas, or anywhere in the United States, and no plan is in place, the burden almost always lands on family. A spouse stops working. An adult daughter cuts her hours. Someone moves in to provide care. The out-of-pocket costs of professional care are devastating, but so is the toll on the people providing that care — their health, careers, relationships, and retirement security. Long-term care costs in a city like Dallas or Houston can quickly run $60,000 to $130,000 a year or more, and most families simply aren't prepared for that. By the time they realize the scope of the problem, their options have already narrowed." — Matt McCann, CLTC.
McCann adds that caregiver burnout is not a peripheral issue; it's a predictable consequence of failing to plan.
"The new burnout data confirms what I hear from families every day. Caregiving without a plan eventually breaks people. The emotional and physical toll is immense. Long-Term Care Insurance changes that equation entirely. When benefits are in place, families can bring in professional care, even care at home. The spouse gets to be a spouse again. The adult children get to be sons and daughters again. That's not a luxury — it's the whole point of planning." — Matt McCann, CLTC.
What Care Costs in Texas's Major Markets
While Texas as a whole tends to run below the national average for some care settings, the state's largest metros are a different story. Urban areas like Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio, and Austin face upward cost pressure across all care settings — home care, assisted living, memory care, and nursing home care — driven by higher wages, real estate costs, population growth, and growing demand for extended care.
McCann says this is a trend being seen nationwide.
"Too many families find themselves in a crisis as there was not only no plan for extended care, there was never even a conversation about aging and long-term care." — Matt McCann, CLTC.
Many older adults tell their adult children, "Don't put me in a nursing home," but McCann says that's often where the conversation ends.
Long-Term Care Insurance: Protecting Income, Assets, and Choices
McCann says that many families are adding Long-Term Care Insurance to their retirement plan. According to AHIP data, McCann says that in the last reporting year, 2014, $1,072,975,680 in LTC Insurance benefits were paid to Texas families, for a total of $10,464,171,980 since the first LTC policies were issued in the state.
"Long-Term Care Insurance does more than pay bills. A quality LTC policy gives policyholders access to their choice of care, at home, in an assisted living community, in memory care, or in a nursing facility, without being forced to exhaust savings first. Benefits are paid tax-free. LTC Insurance is custom-designed to provide the benefits you need, no matter where you live." — Matt McCann, CLTC.
For families, the impact is equally significant. When an LTC policy is in place, professional care can begin earlier, reducing or eliminating the unpaid caregiving that drives burnout. The LogicMark research found that 76 percent of women and 67 percent of men prefer to age in place. McCann says that a well-designed LTC policy makes that preference financially achievable.
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 56 percent of Americans turning 65 today will require long-term care services meeting the federal definition: needing help with at least two activities of daily living or supervision due to cognitive impairment. Medicare does not cover ongoing custodial care. Medicaid requires you to have near-poverty levels before benefits begin.
For most Texans, McCann says, Long-Term Care Insurance is the only tool that bridges that gap while preserving what they've built.
Texas Partnership Program: Dollar-for-Dollar Asset Protection
Texas offers Texans an additional and powerful reason to act. The state participates in the federal/state Long-Term Care Insurance Partnership Program, authorized by the federal Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 and signed into law by President George W. Bush.
A Texas Partnership Long-Term Care Insurance policy provides dollar-for-dollar Medicaid asset protection. For every dollar the policy pays in benefits, the policyholder can protect, or shelter, an equal dollar of assets if they ever exhaust their policy benefits and need to apply for Medicaid long-term care assistance. Under normal Medicaid rules in Texas, individuals must spend down assets to $2,000 before qualifying. A Partnership policy changes that math substantially.
For example, if a Texas Partnership policy pays $350,000 in benefits, the policyholder can protect $350,000 in assets — above and beyond the standard Medicaid allowances — when applying for Medicaid long-term care benefits. The Partnership Program also shields those protected assets from Medicaid Estate Recovery, the state's process of seeking repayment from estates after Medicaid benefits are paid.
"A Partnership Long-Term Care Insurance policy can be very powerful since even a small policy can still provide substantial asset protection. A family with more modest income and assets can easily afford a smaller partnership policy and preserve their estate for children and grandchildren while giving them access to their choice of quality care and, of course, peace of mind." — Matt McCann, CLTC.
Texas Partnership policies also include mandatory inflation protection and required consumer protections in accordance with state and federal guidelines.
McCann, licensed nationwide, often works with Texans across the state on long-term care planning, and frames the Partnership Program as one of the most important planning tools most Texans don't know exists.
"The Texas Partnership Program lets Texans own their own future. You add a Partnership Long-Term Care Insurance policy to your retirement plan and you're protecting your income, your assets, and your family — all at once. It is a retirement planning tool, not just an insurance product. It's a way for Texans to take control of one of the biggest risks of their lives, the need for long-term care." — Matt McCann, CLTC.
Long-term care is more than a cash flow problem. McCann puts it plainly.
"Yes, the money matters, and addressing the financial risk is critical. But long-term care is fundamentally a family issue. An LTC policy gives your loved ones the freedom to be family instead of caregivers." — Matt McCann, CLTC.
Planning Before a Crisis: The Window That Closes
LTC Insurance is medically underwritten, which means health plays a central role in eligibility and cost. The best time to apply is before a health condition develops that could limit options or increase premiums. Most specialists recommend that adults evaluate coverage in their mid-40s to mid-60s, when they are most likely to qualify for preferred rates.
"Most people I talk to know they should have done this sooner," McCann said. "The good news is that most of them still have options. But the window does close. The time to plan is now, while you're healthy and while the choices are still yours to make."
Quality Care Improves Quality of Life
Getting the best quality long-term care will improve your or your loved one's quality of life. Finding the proper help begins with knowing where to look. McCann points families to the LTC News Caregiver Directory, the largest database of caregivers and long-term care facilities in the country. Search by zip code to find adult day care, respite care, and other quality options close to home.
McCann says LTC News has teamed up with Amada Senior Care to offer free, no-obligation assistance in processing a Long-Term Care Insurance claim — File a Long-Term Care Insurance Claim.
About Matt McCann, CLTC
Matt McCann is a nationally licensed long-term care planning specialist with the Certified in Long-Term Care (CLTC). He works with consumers across the country on long-term care planning strategies, including the use of Partnership Long-Term Care Insurance policies.
Matt's approach is personal and pressure-free. McCann allows clients to consult by phone at their convenience while viewing his computer screen — ensuring a simple, convenient, and transparent experience. He guides families through their options at their own pace — no office visit required.
You can get free and accurate quotes from all the top companies — plus professional recommendations — by visiting Free and Accurate LTC Insurance Quotes.
Media Availability
McCann is a frequent media guest and speaker on issues related to aging, caregiving, retirement planning, health, and long-term care.
Contact McCann through his website for information.