Childcare costs an average of $900 a month in the Kingsport-Bristol metro area, according to the Economic Policy Institute. It’s a few dollars cheaper in the Johnson City metro area. That makes sense. There a more children age 5 and under in Kingsport-Bristol than in the Johnson City area.
The average mortgage payment for a median-priced home in Sullivan Co. was $779 a month at the end of 2019, according to Attom Data Solutions. It was $842 a month in Washington Co.
The picture isn’t any prettier when rents are factored in. The median for a 3-bedroom rental in the region is $985 a month while the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s local current Fair Market Rent for a 3-bedroom rental is $983. Those numbers pale in comparison to what you’ll find in the for-rent ads.
Here’s the other side of this local cost of living challenge for families. Adult daycare costs dwarf child daycare costs. Locally, the median is a little over $2,000 a month, according to Genworth’s Costs of Care analysis for our area. And yes, the population of elders in the Tri-Cities is far greater than the number of children in the prime child-care ages. Current Census reports show there are 46,149 area residents 75 and older and 18,610 who are 5 or under. Although not all people in these age groups use adult or childcare services, the total is representative of the most likely population for those services. Back-of the envelope calculations show – on average – 25 local residents celebrate their 70th birthday every day. That trend will continue for a decade or so.
Here’s what the most current local median monthly cost of elder care services are:
In-home care
Homemaker and health aide services – $3,861.
Community and assisted living
Adult daycare – $2,080
Assisted living facility – $4,248
Nursing home facility
Semi-private room – $7,118
Private room – $7,422
In-home skilled nursing – $87.50 per visit.
Homemaker services provide help with household tasks that cannot be managed alone including things like cooking, cleaning, and running errands. The current annual increase was 7.14%.
Home health aide services include more extensive hands-on personal care, but not medical care. Current annual increase 4.6%.
Adult daycare is social and support services in a community-based setting. Various models are designed to offer socialization, supervision, and structured activities. Some programs may provide personal care, transportation, medical management, and meals. Current annual increase 4.2%.
Assisted living provides residential arrangements for personal care and health services. It may not be as extensive as a nursing home and is often an alternative to a nursing home or an intermediate level on long-term care. Current annual increase 1.3%.
Nursing home care is a higher level of supervision than assisted living. It includes personal care assistance, room and board, supervision, medication, therapies and rehabilitation, and on-side nursing care 24-hours a day. Current annual increase 1% for a semi-private room and 1.8% for private rooms.