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Iowa Memory Care by the Numbers
What Memory Care Costs in Iowa
Memory care in Iowa costs about $6,900 a month, based on 2025 move-in prices, 3% above the U.S. figure of $6,690. That is $1,520 more than the Iowa assisted living median, the gap families pay for secure doors, more staff per resident and dementia training. After up to $3,845 a month in Aid & Attendance, a Iowa family would still need about $3,055 a month from income or savings.
| Type of care | Iowa per month | U.S. per month | Share up to $3,845 covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Memory care | $6,900 | $6,690 | 56% |
| Assisted living | $5,380 | $6,200 | 71% |
| In-home care (non-medical, 44 hrs/week) | $7,836 | $6,673 | 49% |
| Nursing home, semi-private room | $9,277 | $9,581 | 41% |
Iowa assisted living, in-home care and nursing home figures are CareScout 2025 medians. Each community prices memory care by apartment and care needs.
Related Patriot Angels guides
GuideHow to Pay for Memory CareComing soon
GuideDoes Medicaid Pay for Assisted Living and Memory Care?Coming soonCheck Iowa Aid & Attendance Eligibility for Memory Care
Memory care is paid, round-the-clock care, which is what Aid & Attendance is for. A Iowa veteran or surviving spouse living with dementia may qualify for up to $3,845 a month.
Prefer to talk it through? Call (844) 757-3047
Veterans in Iowa
Iowa has 160,571 veterans, 85,273 of them 65 or older (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024). About 62,100 Iowa residents 65 and older were living with Alzheimer’s dementia in 2020, and 80,000 family members provide unpaid dementia care, according to the Alzheimer’s Association. A spouse caring for a veteran with dementia at home is often the one who first calls us.
Patriot Angels Memory Care Partners in Iowa
Patriot Angels works with 20 Iowa memory care communities, and 18 of them also offer assisted living on the same campus.
| City | Partners | Also offer assisted living |
|---|---|---|
| Burlington | 2 | 2 |
| Fort Madison | 1 | 1 |
| Cedar Rapids | 1 | 0 |
| Council Bluffs | 1 | 0 |
| Norwalk | 1 | 1 |
| Cedar Falls | 1 | 1 |
| Ankeny | 1 | 1 |
| West Des Moines | 1 | 1 |
Operators with the most Iowa locations: Discovery Senior Living (9), Bickford Senior Living (5), Agemark Senior Living (4).
Featured Iowa Partners
How Iowa Regulates Memory Care
In Iowa, oversight of secured dementia units falls to Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing, which licenses the host community and sets the added rules on exit security, caregiver dementia training and awake night staff. State site
Under Iowa rules, a secured dementia unit can operate inside these license categories: Assisted Living Program (certified); Assisted living for persons with dementia. Ask which one the community holds and whether its dementia unit is listed on that license.
Before you tour, confirm: Iowa certifies assisted living programs for persons with dementia separately. Also ask how many caregivers are on the memory care floor at night and what dementia training each one completed.
To read a community’s survey and complaint history, search the DIAL licensing page for its name before you sign anything. Search reports
Iowa Programs That Help With Memory Care
Medicaid for dementia care
Elderly Waiver is the Iowa route Medicaid offers here. It may cover hands-on dementia care in a locked unit once a resident qualifies, but rarely the room itself, and not every memory care community takes it.
Aid & Attendance
Paid to the veteran or surviving spouse, so it can go toward a secure memory care unit at any private community in Iowa.
The family home
Once a veteran with dementia moves out, the Iowa home is often the biggest source of funds. Talk to us before you list it.
Find Memory Care in Your Iowa City
20 Iowa cities have a memory care page. Numbers show Patriot Angels partners.
Neighboring states: Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota.
Veteran Families We’ve Helped
Families looking at memory care in Iowa and across the country rate Patriot Angels 4.9 on Google (465 reviews). BBB A+ accredited. See all reviews
Iowa Memory Care Questions
How much does memory care cost in Iowa?
About $6,900 a month is typical in Iowa, based on 2025 move-in prices. Prices depend on the apartment and how much care is needed.
Can Aid & Attendance pay for memory care in Iowa?
Yes. A qualifying wartime veteran or surviving spouse can receive up to $3,845 a month and use it toward a Iowa memory care bill.
Who oversees memory care in Iowa?
Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing.
Does Iowa Medicaid cover memory care?
Partly. Elderly Waiver is the Iowa route Medicaid offers here. It may cover hands-on dementia care in a locked unit once a resident qualifies, but rarely the room itself, and not every memory care community takes it.
How many Patriot Angels memory care partners are in Iowa?
20 partner communities in 19 cities.
New to Memory Care? Start Here
For the memory care basics that apply in Iowa and every other state, start with the national guide.
Related Patriot Angels guides
GuideMemory Care and Assisted Living vs. Nursing HomeComing soon
GuideIs Memory Care Tax Deductible?Coming soon
GuideTypes of Senior Care ComparedComing soon
