The statistics are grim: America is aging fast, and many people don’t have the money to pay for the care and support they need as they age. According to a report from the U.S. Census Bureau in 2024, 15% of older adults in America, about 9.2 million people, were living in poverty.
In addition, Census Bureau data also suggests nearly half of all older Americans earn less than $30,000 per year during a period in their lives when their needs for health care and daily assistance usually peak.
This is concerning because poverty can have very real health consequences, finds an eye-opening study from the National Council on Aging and LeadingAge LTSS Center @UMass Boston. The October 2025 report notes that impoverished older adults die on average 9 years earlier than their wealthiest counterparts.
For many older adults, the idea of paying thousands a month for a luxury senior living community or a steep entrance fee for a continuing care retirement community is simply incomprehensible.
“Affordable housing for seniors is probably one of the most critical services for seniors at this time,” says Karla Radka, president and CEO of Senior Resource Alliance, an aging and disability resource center based in central Florida.
So what can cash-strapped or underresourced older adults do to find and afford a safe, supporting living environment in their golden years? Enter low-income senior housing.
[READ: How to Choose the Right Senior Living Facility: A Checklist]
What Is Low-Income Senior Housing?
Income-based senior living is housing for older adults where rent rates are based on the individual’s annual income. These more-affordable options are often subsidized by a government program.
A wide variety of senior living facilities and communities may offer income-based options, including:
— Independent living communities
— Public housing developments
“Income-based senior living can be a great solution for older adults seeking affordable housing,” says Debbi Czarnecki, senior vice president and senior living practice leader at Marsh McLennan Agency, the U.S.-based, middle-market brokerage of global insurance brokerage Marsh. It ensures they have access to safe and supportive housing, she adds.
In this step-by-step guide, we’ve done the legwork to help you find low-income senior housing and identify resources to help you afford this senior living option.
Step 1: Assess Your Needs
Taking stock of your current needs is a crucial first step to help you find the apartment that’s right for you. This means taking a hard look at your financial situation and your current health care needs. Consider:
— Your monthly income. What percentage of that income can you reasonably spend on housing?
— Are you still working or do you receive a pension or Social Security payments? What other sources of income can you rely on?
— Your current health needs. Do you have a chronic condition and if so, how much of your income do you spend on taking care of that issue?
— Your anticipated future health needs. Is your condition going to worsen in the near future, and how will that impact your financial situation?
— What other large expenses do you anticipate having in the near future?
— What other assets do you have? Do you have a retirement account, annuity or other financial resources you can tap into to help cover increasing health and housing needs as you age?
— Your current mobility status. Do you use a walker or a wheelchair, and how might that impact where you can live?
— Your care preferences. Would you prefer to live independently in an apartment or in a communal setting such as assisted living?
The answers to these questions can help guide your choices in the next step.
[Read: 7 Signs It’s Time to Move to a Senior Living Facility]
Step 2: Understand Income-Based Senior Housing Options
Income-based senior housing, such as a senior apartment, is designed to support people in a variety of situations, including:
— Low-income seniors who rely on fixed incomes and are generally dependent on Social Security or minimal wages
— Disabled seniors facing an extra financial burden
— Single seniors living alone and struggling with housing costs
— Seniors in transition, moving from homeownership to senior living or dealing with recent hardship
Individual age requirements for this type of housing varies by location and program, Czarnecki notes, and the minimum age is usually 55 to 62 years.
How much does low-income senior housing cost?
Low-income senior housing “typically has lower rent prices and stricter eligibility requirements than other types of affordable housing,” says Brandon Blakeley, a senior care specialist and cofounder of senior living platform Mirador.
The prices for income-based senior living vary widely based on several factors, including:
— Location
— Size of rental unit
— Local regulations and programs
— Level of care needed
Rent is usually calculated as a percentage of the individual’s income — often 30% — which makes it more manageable for those on a fixed income, and it may be significantly lower than the market rate in your area.
[READ: Does Medicare Pay for Assisted Living?]
Step 3: Research Federal and State Programs to Help With Housing Costs
There are several federal and state programs that provide senior housing assistance, and many senior living residences receive or accept local or federal government subsidies or waivers to cover some or all of the qualified individuals housing costs. Key programs include:
— Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers, which the federal government provides to subsidize some expenses for qualified individuals
— Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly program, which keeps housing costs at 30% of the adjusted income rate for eligible adults age 62 and older
— Low-income housing tax credits
— Project rental assistance contract
— Project-based housing choice voucher programs
“All communities have programs in which you can stitch together a low-income housing situation,” says H. Frances Reaves, an elder law attorney and founder of Parent Your Parents, a senior concierge services firm based in Miami.
Investigate at-home support options
If you need more hands-on care and assistance, but can’t afford an assisted living community, you may be eligible for at-home support through the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly. This joint Medicare and Medicaid program is available in 33 states across the U.S. and helps people meet their health care needs in the community instead of going to a nursing home or other care facility.
“This allows a senior to stay in their home and have a home health aide stop by two or three times a week to care for elderly people who cannot care for themselves,” Reaves says.
PACE typically offers funding for:
— Medical care
— Rehabilitation
— Home care
— Transportation
— Nutritious meals
All of these services are “designed to enhance quality of life,” notes Maria Zamora, president and CEO of the Center for Elders’ Independence, a PACE program serving Alameda and Contra Costa counties in the San Francisco East Bay.
[READ: How to Set Up Your Home for Aging in Place]
Step 4: Check if You Qualify for Low-Income Senior Housing
Income limits to qualify for low-income senior housing are typically calculated based on the median income for the county or metropolitan area where you live.
The Department of Housing and Urban Development annually determines and updates the area median income. AMI is the midpoint for income distribution in a specific region, which means that half of households in the area earn more and half earn less than that figure. This figure is used to determine eligibility for federal housing programs. The three levels of AMI based on income are:
— Very low income: At or below 50% AMI
— Low income: At or below 80% AMI
— Moderate income: At or below 120% AMI
Proving that your income is low enough for income-based housing can be a complex process and typically requires submitting various documents such as:
— Recent pay stubs
— A W-2 form
— 1099 forms
— Social Security statements
— Pension statements
— Tax returns
— Bank statements
Each state has its own method of eligibility screening, which means looking at your income and assets. In some states, food stamps, rental subsidies, your vehicle and gifts may be counted as income, reducing your chances of securing low-income housing.
Step 5: Determine How to Pay for Low-Income Senior Housing
There are variety of financial tools you can use to cover the costs of senior living if you don’t have a large pool of savings.
These include:
— Life insurance policies. Some policies can be cashed in early and used for living expenses and health care costs in senior living communities.
— Long-term care insurance. This type of insurance is specifically designed to help with health care expenses later in life. Long-term care insurance works best — and costs less — when purchased earlier in life, but there can be limitations depending on the plan.
— Reverse mortgage. For some seniors, selling their home back to the bank in installments with a reverse mortgage can free up working capital to pay for care.
— Veterans benefits. Veterans and their families may qualify for certain benefits that can help cover long-term care costs.
Outside of leveraging assets or using insurance and private funds to pay for senior living, older adults can also consider community resources.
Community groups and resources
Some churches, temples, mosques and other places of worship have volunteer groups that help older people. Similarly, community villages — typically groups of neighbors that band together to help one another — can also provide assistance, notes Howard Gleckman, author of the book “Caring for Our Parents,” and a non-resident fellow in the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center at the Washington, D.C.-based Urban Institute.
In Washington, D.C., for example, Capitol Hill Village provides volunteers to run errands, prepare meals, do light home maintenance and simple repairs, provide pet care and wait for a home repairman or a delivery for community members. CHV also organizes a variety of programs and services, ranging from volunteers calling seniors to check in a few times a week to providing public educational and entertainment programming.
Step 6: Find the Best Low-Income Housing Option Near You
While low-income housing can be a great solution for seniors who need help making ends meet, the demand outstrips the supply of affordable units, Radka says.
However, availability varies from town to town. You can start your search with U.S. News’ Best Senior Living Communities rating for facilities near you with affordable units for rent.
Get help with your search
Virtually every community has local resources and experts who can help you find affordable housing near you. You can try contacting:
— Your town’s senior center
— Your local Area Agency on Aging
— A social worker or senior care advisor who can help lead you to options that fit your needs.
The following nationwide resources may also help as you navigate the senior housing landscape:
— The HUD website. This executive department of the federal government supports community development and works to increase access to affordable housing free from discrimination. The website provides information and resources to help seniors find their way to an affordable home.
— The HUD hotline. Dialing 1-800-569-4287 will connect you with a local HUD-approved housing counseling agency that offers low or no-cost rental housing consultations.
— Local public housing agency. HUD also offers an online public housing search feature for public housing options and resources in your state.
— The HOPE Hotline. Offered by the Homeownership Preservation Foundation and GreenPath, two national nonprofits supporting sustainable homeownership, you can call 1-888-995-HOPE (4673) to access free renter counseling and education tailored for people struggling with housing concerns.
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Low-Income Senior Housing Options originally appeared on usnews.com
Update 10/13/25: This story was previously published at an earlier date and has been updated with new information.
