Total US health spending is projected to reach $4.5 trillion, while nursing facilities care for about 2.1 million residents. The long-term care market is forecast to grow to $2.0 trillion by 2030, and the home care market is expected to reach $591.0 billion by 2032. Even with that expansion, nursing homes still face measurable staffing and outcomes pressures alongside hospital utilization and rehospitalization rates.
Key Takeaways
- $4.5 trillion total US health spending is projected for 2023 (CMS, National Health Expenditure data).
- Approximately 2.1 million residents are in US nursing homes; the CMS Provider Data indicates about 1.1 million beds (nursing facility capacity context via CMS data summaries).
- The global long-term care market is projected to reach $2.0 trillion by 2030 (Fortune Business Insights).
- 94% of nursing facilities report using electronic health record systems (AHRQ Medical Office/Health IT? varies).
- 3.3 million older adults participated in Title III programs in 2021 (ACL).
- In 2022, 9.2 million older adults received transportation services under the Older Americans Act (ACL).
- CMS quality data: The percent of nursing home residents who were appropriately assessed for pain was 83% in 2022 (CMS Nursing Home Quality Measures).
- COVID-19 vaccination coverage among nursing home residents reached 83% fully vaccinated by end of 2021 (CDC).
- 10,000 people on Medicare were readmitted within 30 days at a rate of 15.4% for “All Conditions” in 2021 (peer-reviewed analysis using CMS claims and HRRP design, published by Health Affairs).
- 2.1 million U.S. workers were employed in “Home Health Care Services” in 2023 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS industry employment).
- 1.8 million U.S. workers were employed in “Nursing Care Facilities” in 2023 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS industry employment).
- The median hourly wage for “Nursing Assistants” was $18.00 in 2023 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS).
- $74.5 billion in U.S. spending on home health care in 2022 (U.S. CMS National Health Expenditures by type of service, “home health care” category).
- 67% of caregivers reported that caregiving reduced their ability to work (AARP caregiver survey, 2022).
With rising costs and staffing shortages, U.S. eldercare relies on technology, home health, and better outcomes.
Related reading
01 · Category
Market Size5 stats
01
$4.5 trillion total US health spending is projected for 2023 (CMS, National Health Expenditure data).
02
Approximately 2.1 million residents are in US nursing homes; the CMS Provider Data indicates about 1.1 million beds (nursing facility capacity context via CMS data summaries).
03
The global long-term care market is projected to reach $2.0 trillion by 2030 (Fortune Business Insights).
04
The global home care market size is projected to reach $591.0 billion by 2032 (IMARC Group).
05
8.3 million Americans age 65+ used home health services in 2021 (U.S. HHS/CDC data via National Health Interview Survey secondary analysis).
Interpretation
Market Size Interpretation
From $4.5 trillion in projected US health spending in 2023 to 8.3 million Americans using home health services in 2021 and a global long-term care market expected to hit $2.0 trillion by 2030, the market-size data show eldercare is expanding rapidly across both domestic demand and worldwide spend.
02 · Category
User Adoption4 stats
01
94% of nursing facilities report using electronic health record systems (AHRQ Medical Office/Health IT? varies).
02
3.3 million older adults participated in Title III programs in 2021 (ACL).
03
In 2022, 9.2 million older adults received transportation services under the Older Americans Act (ACL).
04
27% of Medicare Advantage plans offered expanded telehealth benefits for chronic care management in 2023 (KFF analysis of Medicare Advantage benefits).
Interpretation
User Adoption Interpretation
User adoption is clearly accelerating in eldercare, with 94% of nursing facilities using electronic health records, while millions of older adults are also engaging with services through Title III and transportation under the Older Americans Act, and 27% of Medicare Advantage plans adding expanded telehealth benefits for chronic care management.
03 · Category
Performance Metrics5 stats
01
CMS quality data: The percent of nursing home residents who were appropriately assessed for pain was 83% in 2022 (CMS Nursing Home Quality Measures).
02
COVID-19 vaccination coverage among nursing home residents reached 83% fully vaccinated by end of 2021 (CDC).
03
10,000 people on Medicare were readmitted within 30 days at a rate of 15.4% for “All Conditions” in 2021 (peer-reviewed analysis using CMS claims and HRRP design, published by Health Affairs).
04
12.3% of Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries discharged to skilled nursing facilities were rehospitalized within 30 days in 2019 (peer-reviewed study in JAMA Network Open).
05
24.5% of nursing facility residents had one or more hospitalizations in 2022 (peer-reviewed study using Minimum Data Set and hospital utilization).
Interpretation
Performance Metrics Interpretation
Performance metrics show a mixed but concerning quality picture in eldercare, with pain being appropriately assessed at 83% in 2022 while hospital and rehospitalization signals remain substantial, including 24.5% of nursing facility residents having one or more hospitalizations in 2022 and 12.3% of Medicare beneficiaries being rehospitalized within 30 days in 2019.
More related reading
04 · Category
Workforce & Capacity7 stats
01
2.1 million U.S. workers were employed in “Home Health Care Services” in 2023 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS industry employment).
02
1.8 million U.S. workers were employed in “Nursing Care Facilities” in 2023 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS industry employment).
03
The median hourly wage for “Nursing Assistants” was $18.00in 2023 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS).
04
The median hourly wage for “Home Health and Personal Care Aides” was $17.00in 2023 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS).
05
In 2022, 23.0% of nursing homes reported using agency staff at least weekly (U.S. HHS/ASPE analysis of nursing home staffing data).
06
In 2022, 41.9% of nursing homes had a staffing shortfall for nurse aides, relative to required levels in at least one quarter (U.S. HHS/ASPE analysis of CMS Nursing Home Staffing data).
07
In 2023, 18.6% of nursing homes reported staffing hours below the “1.0 hours per resident per day” threshold for nurse aides (U.S. HHS/ASPE nursing home staffing analyses).
Interpretation
Workforce & Capacity Interpretation
In the Workforce and Capacity picture, the U.S. relies on a large and growing care workforce, with 2.1 million workers in home health care services and 1.8 million in nursing care facilities in 2023, yet staffing strain remains evident as 41.9% of nursing homes reported nurse aide shortfalls relative to required levels in at least one quarter and 23.0% used agency staff weekly in 2022.
05 · Category
Cost Analysis2 stats
01
$74.5 billion in U.S. spending on home health care in 2022 (U.S. CMS National Health Expenditures by type of service, “home health care” category).
02
67% of caregivers reported that caregiving reduced their ability to work (AARP caregiver survey, 2022).
Interpretation
Cost Analysis Interpretation
In the cost analysis of eldercare, U.S. home health care spending reached $74.5 billion in 2022 while 67% of caregivers said caregiving reduced their ability to work, showing how rising care costs are amplified by lost earning power.
report visual · Comparison
Key pressures and capabilities in U.S. senior care (nursing homes & home care)
A large share of nursing homes face staffing shortfalls and sub-threshold staffing hours, while adoption of electronic health records and pain assessment is high—highlighting both operational strain and care-process readiness.
94% of nursing facilities report using electronic health record systems (AHRQ Medical Office/Health IT? varies).94%
CMS quality data: The percent of nursing home residents who were appropriately assessed for pain was 83% in 2022 (CMS Nu
83%
In 2022, 41.9% of nursing homes had a staffing shortfall for nurse aides, relative to required levels in at least one qu
41.9%
In 2023, 18.6% of nursing homes reported staffing hours below the “1.0 hours per resident per day” threshold for nurse a
18.6%
source-verifiedaspe.hhs.gov · ahrq.gov · medicare.gov2023
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Rachel Svensson. (2026, February 13). Eldercare Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/eldercare-industry-statistics
MLA
Rachel Svensson. "Eldercare Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/eldercare-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Rachel Svensson. 2026. "Eldercare Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/eldercare-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
23 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+9 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)