Short answer
New York's 2025 CareScout non-medical caregiver median is $35/hour. At that rate, roughly 41 hours a week of in-home care costs about the same as the state's $7,110/month assisted living median -- past that point, a licensed community is often the less expensive option on paper.
When home usually wins
For a parent who needs help a few days a week, or overnight supervision only, in-home care is usually less expensive and keeps someone in a familiar place.
When a community usually wins
Once care needs push past roughly 40 hours a week, or require more than one caregiver can safely provide alone, a licensed assisted living community often costs less overall and adds staffing depth one hired caregiver cannot match.
Source: CareScout Cost of Care Survey
