At Sundale Senior Living, we believe that senior living should be filled with comfort, connection, and peace of mind, not financial stress. At Sundale, families get clarity first—what assisted living includes, what it costs, and the practical ways people pay.
While many families worry about the cost of Assisted Living, the reality is that today’s senior living communities often provide so much more value than aging in place at home.
With our vibrant communities in Huntsville, TX, and The Woodlands, TX, we can serve nearby areas like Conroe and Houston and make top tier care easy to enjoy through our flexible payment options and transparent pricing. Unsure about your options when it comes to paying for Assisted Living? Our expert team of advisors can walk through VA benefits, long-term care insurance, and potential tax deductions.
How Much Does Assisted Living Cost?
Many families have the same question: How much does Assisted Living cost every month? The national median in 2024 was $5,900 per month, up 10% from the previous year. Costs have risen across the board due to increases in wages, food, and utilities. While Texas typically falls below the national average, it has followed a similar upward trend.
At Sundale Senior Living in Huntsville and The Woodlands, we offer multiple apartment options and personalized care plans to match a range of budgets, often well below the national median.
It’s important to know our pricing is based on two parts:
- Base Rent: Covers housing, meals, housekeeping, activities, most utilities, and scheduled transportation.
- Level of Care: Determined through an initial care assessment (and reviewed regularly), this reflects the amount of personalized support a resident may need, such as medication management, mobility assistance, or daily living help.
This structure ensures you’re only paying for the care that’s actually needed.
Our advisors can walk you through your options and even provide same-day assessments to help determine a starting care level and estimated monthly cost.
What’s Included in the Cost of Assisted Living?
We understand how stressful it can be to navigate pricing—and no one likes surprise charges. At many communities, the base rate covers core services, while additional care or personal services are added based on need.
That’s why we go the extra mile to keep it simple and transparent.
At Sundale, every family receives:
- A one-page breakdown of what’s included and optional for your specific apartment type
- A sample first-month statement with base rent, any one-time fees, and potential care or service add-ons
- A clear explanation of our care-level model, including how and when care levels are reassessed and how those changes may affect pricing
At Sundale Senior Living, our Assisted Living costs are the same every month to give you the stability you need. Below you’ll find a transparent breakdown of what’s included in Assisted Living and what is an add-on at Sundale Senior Living communities:
| Included | Optional Add-on |
|---|---|
| Private, pet-friendly apartments | On-site beauty salon services |
| Chef-prepared meals served in the community dining room | Wearable emergency pendants |
| Daily programs, classes, and activities | Medication management |
| 24/7 care and support from trained team members | Escort to meals |
| Outdoor courtyards and common spaces | Additional laundry |
| Concierge services | Out-of-radius transportation |
| Transportation for medical appointments | |
| Housekeeping and laundry services | |
| Basic utilities |
The Cost of Assisted Living vs. Staying at Home
At first glance, it might seem more affordable to just age in place at home. However, when you add up costs like:
- Mortgage or rent
- Property taxes and HOA fees
- Utilities and internet
- Groceries
- Transportation
- Home maintenance and housekeeping services
- Entertainment
- In-home care and support
- Home security
- Modifications to homestead
You can see the true cost of aging in place. These costs are all separate and can add up quickly, not to mention varying from month to month. When you learn the true cost of aging in place, you may find that it exceeds the monthly cost of Assisted Living.
Not to mention, aging in places also lacks the safety, social connection, convenience, and support that you’d get in a senior living community like Sundale.
By choosing Sundale, you can consolidate your expenses into one predictable monthly payment that covers everything – get the stability and support you need without the stress of fluctuating or unexpected costs. In short, one month of Assisted Living costs at Sundale Senior Living offers far more than what aging in place at home ever could.
Predictability: When Fees Change and Why?
At Sundale, transparency is one of our promises to families. While monthly rates typically stay consistent, there are a few situations that may lead to a change, and we’ll always provide written notice and clear communication before anything changes.
1. Annual Base Rate Adjustments (once per year)
Like most senior living communities, we review our base rates annually. These adjustments help us continue providing exceptional care while keeping up with increases in caregiver wages, food costs, utilities, and insurance. In 2024, senior living costs rose more quickly than general inflation nationwide, driven largely by labor and inflation pressure, with projected year-over-year rate increases of approximately 3 to 4 percent.
Sundale’s Commitment to You: If a base rate change is coming, we’ll provide written notice well in advance, along with a clear explanation. Your notice will outline:
- Your apartment type
- Included services and any optional services
- The effective date of the change
- Who to contact with questions
(As required by Texas regulations, we maintain written policies about charges and give residents written notice before any changes take effect.)
Care Level Changes (only if care needs change)
If your loved one begins needing more help with daily activities like bathing, dressing, mobility, or medication management, we may recommend moving to a new care level. These changes ensure their safety and well-being, and they’re based on thoughtful, professional assessments.
Sundale’s Commitment to You: We’ll review any assessment with you first and provide:
- A written summary of care needs
- The proposed level of support
- The exact cost difference
- The effective date
This gives you time to ask questions and prepare before any changes take place. Rate changes based on care needs are never retroactive. They begin with the next billing cycle unless there’s an urgent safety concern, in which case we’ll still provide documentation in writing.
3. Optional Add-Ons (only if you choose them)
Some services are optional, such as:
- Medication management
- Escort to meals
- Additional laundry
- Out-of-radius transportation
If you request any of these, we’ll provide a written quote first and reflect them in your next statement. We believe in putting everything in writing so you can feel confident and informed.
Ways to Pay for Assisted Living
Many families become overwhelmed when trying to decide how they’ll cover Assisted Living costs. At Sundale Senior Living, there are more ways to pay for senior living than many people realize! Our expert team of advisors can walk you through all of your options and help you build a plan that works best for your individual situation.
Here are some of the ways our residents and their families choose to pay for senior living:
Explore Sundale Senior Living Communities
Sundale Senior Living makes covering Assisted Living costs manageable while ensuring our residents thrive with the best possible care and support. Explore our two beautiful communities in Texas, including:
