Best places to open an assisted living home in Washington
The top markets for residential assisted living in Washington, ranked by demand versus supply — plus the cities where the homes are.
Updated July 2026
The top markets for assisted living in Washington right now are Grays Harbor, Jefferson, Grant counties — ranked by RAL Market Scout's opportunity score, which weighs 75+ demand and projected senior growth against current bed supply. Statewide there are 6,639 licensed assisted living homes serving 510,873 residents aged 75+, at a median cost of about $7,600/mo.
Licensed homes
6,639
state roster
Population 75+
510,873
ACS
Median AL cost
$7,600/mo
above the national median
Bed supply
42.5/1k
balanced supply
Top 10 markets for assisted living in Washington
RAL Market Scout's opportunity score blends 75+ demand and projected senior growth against current bed supply — a saturated market is scored down even when demand is high. Higher means more room for a new small home.
Grays Harbor County — opportunity 8.2/10 (Strong); 6,633 seniors 75+, growing 13.7%, with 11 licensed homes.
Jefferson County — opportunity 8.0/10 (Strong); 5,447 seniors 75+, growing 34.7%, with 6 licensed homes.
Grant County — opportunity 8.0/10 (Strong); 5,775 seniors 75+, growing 13.2%, with 34 licensed homes.
Thurston County — opportunity 7.9/10 (Strong); 22,053 seniors 75+, growing 24.6%, with 338 licensed homes.
Cowlitz County — opportunity 7.9/10 (Strong); 9,063 seniors 75+, growing 12.9%, with 50 licensed homes.
Whatcom County — opportunity 7.9/10 (Strong); 17,115 seniors 75+, growing 19.1%, with 42 licensed homes.
Kitsap County — opportunity 7.9/10 (Strong); 21,525 seniors 75+, growing 26.1%, with 93 licensed homes.
Clallam County — opportunity 7.8/10 (Strong); 10,250 seniors 75+, growing 13.6%, with 14 licensed homes.
Clark County — opportunity 7.8/10 (Strong); 33,132 seniors 75+, growing 25.0%, with 613 licensed homes.
Spokane County — opportunity 7.7/10 (Strong); 37,568 seniors 75+, growing 18.1%, with 671 licensed homes.
What are the top markets for assisted living in Washington?
The strongest Washington markets on RAL Market Scout's opportunity scoring are Grays Harbor, Jefferson, Grant, Thurston, Cowlitz counties — based on 75+ demand and projected senior growth versus current bed supply.
Which Washington city has the most assisted living homes?
Vancouver has the most, with 540 licensed assisted living homes (about 5,401 beds).
How much does assisted living cost in Washington?
The median assisted living cost in Washington is about $7,600 per month — above the national median.
How many assisted living homes are in Washington?
Washington has approximately 6,639 licensed assisted living homes serving 510,873 residents aged 75 and older.
See the full Washington picture
RAL Market Scout scores every county and ZIP in Washington on demand, supply gaps, and referral capacity — and builds a site-level report for any address you're evaluating.
Sources: Licensed-home and city counts from Washington state licensing rosters (RAL Market Scout data pipeline). 75+ population and growth from U.S. Census ACS. Bed supply from NIC MAP / state surveys. Cost figures are market medians. Data snapshot: 2026-07. Informational only — not legal, financial, or investment advice.