Updated August 24, 2026 · CensusDesk research
| Input | Number | Source |
|---|---|---|
| National median AL rate | $5,900 / month | Genworth CareScout Cost of Care Survey (2024) |
| Range across the states | $4,350 to $11,311 / month | Genworth CareScout Cost of Care Survey (2024) |
| Median length of stay | ~22 months | AHCA / NCAL industry data |
| One move-in, national median | ≈ $130,000 | $5,900 × 22 |
| One move-in, your state | ≈ $96,000 to $249,000 | state median × 22 |
Run it with your own rate and your own average stay. The point survives any reasonable inputs.
The same math in reverse: at the national median rate, an empty bed forgoes about $195 every day it sits. A bed that takes three months to fill cost you roughly $17,500 on the way, more than three years of most census software, and more than double a typical referral fee. Vacancy is the most expensive thing in the building, and it never appears as a line item.
Not for feeling good or bad. It is the yardstick for every census decision you make. A referral fee of $3,500 to $7,000 against a $130,000 resident can be rational, once. Paying it on every placement, forever, is a choice worth pricing out. Any tool, ad, or effort that reliably produces even one extra move-in a year pays for itself many times over. And responding to tonight’s inquiry within the hour is, per minute spent, the most valuable work anyone in your building will do this week.
CensusDesk builds this machine for independent communities: your branded site, the family assessment and Care Report, instant lead alerts, and follow-up that runs itself. See yours first.
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