Local Ties Senior Advisors · Tom McCahan · Call or text (971) 610-0047 · localtiespdx.com
How much does memory care cost in Portland?
A typical month of memory care in the Portland area is about $8,650, with care included. Most places fall somewhere around $7,000 to $9,500.
Updated October 2026 · Tom McCahan, registered Oregon long-term care referral agent #2443
Memory care next to the other choices.
| Type of care | Typical month | Who it's for |
|---|---|---|
| Adult foster home | about $7,000most $5,500–$8,500 | Up to five people in a real house, with caregivers there day and night |
| Assisted living | about $6,900most $5,000–$8,000 | Your own apartment, with help with daily care and medications |
| Memory care | about $8,650most $7,000–$9,500 | A secure setting for dementia, with staff trained for it |
Prices are private pay in the Portland metro, last reviewed October 2026. They are my estimate from the state's own surveys, run by Portland State University for the Oregon Department of Human Services, brought up to date with current industry price data and the rates I've been quoted on my own tours. Survey figures are from 2024 and say so. Every place sets its own prices, so ask me for the real numbers near you.
Memory care runs about $1,750 a month more than regular assisted living in Portland. In the state's 2024 survey of assisted living, residential care and memory care, the average total in memory care was $8,189 a month in 2024, and memory care prices rose 59% from 2016 to 2024.
Why two places can be $2,000 apart.
- The level of care. Most places charge more as needs go up. Ask what each level costs, and what moves someone to the next one.
- Base rate versus the total. The number on the brochure is often not the bill. In the 2024 survey, the total people paid was about $1,000 a month more than the base rate.
- A private room or a shared one. Shared rooms cost less.
- Move-in fees. Many places charge a one-time community fee. Ask what it is, and if it comes back if the move doesn't work out.
- Yearly increases. Ask how much prices went up in each of the last three years.
Possible, and the hardest to find.
Oregon Medicaid can pay for memory care. But the state's rate for memory care in an assisted living building is well below private pay, so these beds are the hardest to find on Medicaid.
An adult foster home is often the better answer. In the state's 2024 survey of adult foster homes, 41% of residents had dementia. Some homes do this very well. How paying for care works →
Questions to ask.
- Who is on at night and on weekends, and how many people are they caring for?
- What happens if my family member's needs go up? Is there a point where you'd ask them to leave?
- What did your prices go up the last three years?
- Will you keep my family member if they go on Medicaid? After how long?
- What's on your state record? (I read it before we go. You can too, at ltclicensing.oregon.gov.)
Want the real numbers for places near you?
Call or text. The call is free, about 20 minutes, and I'll tell you what I know about the places in your area.