How Does Home Care Compare to Assisted Living or Skilled Nursing Facilities in Wilmington, NC?

When comparing long term care options, it’s important to look at both cost, the factors important to your family, and quality of life.

Full discloser, we are a home care company, so we are obviously passionate about helping seniors stay in their own homes. However we also understand that families have different needs and have to choose the long-term care option that best meets those needs.

Below you will find a breakdown of costs to help you evaluate the options, whether you are planning for the future or having to make a decision now due to a crisis such as a fall, diagnosis, stroke or hospitalization.

Please note that the below info is for an individual. For a couple, the cost will typically be above the below rates for both facility and home care, but not doubled.

Local Facility Costs (Wilmington, NC)

Based on Spring 2026 data:

• Assisted Living: ~ averages $5,200 – $5,355/month with higher end communities running $7,000+/month
• Nursing Home / Skilled Nursing: ~ averages $7,100/month (can be higher for private rooms)

Keep in mind: these are base rates. Facilities may add fees for higher care needs, medications, and other services.

Break-Even: When Is Home Care More Affordable?

For this comparison, we will use our standard rate for care in the Wilmington, NC area of $33.75/hour (16+ hours/week):

Note: These fees may be higher for higher care needs.

Compared to Assisted Living (~$5,300/month)

• Break-even: ~157 hours/month
• That’s about 5.2 hours per day

👉 If you need ~5 hours/day or less, home care is often more affordable than assisted living—while allowing you to remain in your own home with one-on-one care.

Compared to Skilled Nursing (~$7,100/month)

• Break-even: ~210 hours/month
• That’s about 7 hours per day

👉 If you need 7 hours/day or less, home care can still be less expensive than a skilled nursing facility—while giving you personalized attention in the comfort of home.

Other Factors to Consider

While facilities bundle housing and care together, there are important trade-offs:

• You must leave your home and adjust to a new environment.
• Care is shared among many residents (not one-on-one).
• Costs often increase after move-in based on care level.
• Less flexibility—you pay whether you use the care or not.

Why Many Families Choose Home Care First

• You get to stay in the comfort and familiarity of your own home.
• You only pay for the hours you actually need.
• You receive dedicated, one-on-one support.
• Care can scale up or down as needs change.
• You maintain independence, routines, and dignity.

The Bottom Line

In Wilmington, families find that home care is the more affordable option until care needs approach full-day support (6–8+ hours/day)—with the added benefit of staying at home and receiving personalized one-on-one care.

When care needs exceed 6 to 8 hours/day those families who still choose home care tend to choose it either because staying in their own home is a priority or because they prefer the one-on-one care which allows for a higher level of relationship and attention…or both.

To see exactly where your situation falls, see our pricing worksheet below and build a plan that fits your needs. (The below link will open an Excel spreadsheet. You may need to enable editing to enter your information. Only enter info into the yellow column, and the worksheet will calculate the estimated rate and cost.)

For more information, reach out to our team—we’re here to help every step of the way.