CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — A new study shows Corpus Christi is the number one city in Texas for the most affordable assisted living facilities.
The state itself is fourth in the nation for that ranking.
If you're looking for a place for a loved one to live who needs a little extra help, you could be in the right place.
Corpus Christi is 18th in the nation but first in the state for most affordable assisted living.
Resident Diane McClure's mother is in assisted living.
"Mother had some new knees, she was in a more independent living facility that did not provide meals and things," McClure said. "She was driving, she developed some infections and was hospitalized for eight days and we were told by hospital staff that she needed more care than she was getting."
McClure and her mom decided Solstice Senior Living Corpus Christi was the place she wanted to live so that she could be closer to her daughter.
The new study, by Seniorly Today, shows the most affordable cities in Texas include Corpus Christi, which ranks number 18 In the nation costing $2,993 per month, and number 20 Frisco, just north of Dallas, costs $3,007 per month.
Katie Nowokunski with Solstice Senior Living Corpus Christi says the ranking is not surprising.
"We have communities all over Texas and compared to their pricing, ours is the lowest I would say," Nowokunski said. "We have apartments starting at $1,900 all inclusively a month so it does not surprise me. You get a lot of bang for your buck here in Corpus."
Also, researchers from the University of Chicago recently found that older adults who move into senior housing tend to live longer than their peers living at home. And according to the CDC, living alone is linked to a 50 percent higher risk of dementia, a 32 percent increased risk of stroke and a 29 percent increased risk of heart disease.
For McClure's mom, assisted living was special.
"It's like walking into your own home living room with the piano, she had a piano, with the piano here and she had a dining open and the seating area, very much like home."
According to those with the assisted living facility, as much as half of the seniors living in the Coastal Bend are in need of some kind of help to get along in their day to day lives.