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Independent Living in your area

Age-restricted apartments and campuses with dining, activities and light services, for adults who do not need daily hands-on care.

Quick answer

Minnesota regulates independent living under Minnesota Statutes Chapter 144G (or Chapter 144A for nursing homes).

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Independent living is housing, not care. Age-restricted apartments or cottages with dining, transportation, activities and maintenance handled — for adults who do not need help with daily activities.

Short answer

We list 33 verified independent living providers across your metro. Independent living is housing, not care.

Three things worth knowing first

  • Independent living is typically not licensed as a care facility, because no personal care is provided. Confirm for your state.
  • Several campuses combine independent living with assisted living or nursing on the same campus, so a resident can move between levels without leaving the community.
  • If help with daily activities is already needed, independent living is the wrong category, even when a community offers to arrange outside caregivers.
You can check any facility's record free. Use the free MDH Health Care Provider Directory and the Minnesota Assisted Living Report Card to check license status and inspection history. Read the full explanation →

Verified independent living across the region

We list 33 verified independent living providers across your metro. The full table with addresses and counties lives in the directory.

See all 33 in the directory →

Independent Living by city

Questions families ask

What's the difference between assisted living and memory care in Minnesota?

Assisted living (Minn. Stat. 144G.10, subd. 2(a)) provides housing plus health-related and supportive services for residents who need help with daily activities but not specialized dementia care. Memory care requires the separate 'assisted living facility with dementia care' license (subd. 2(b)), mandatory dementia-specific staff training (Minn. Stat. 144G.83), and a secured unit with a required written pre-admission disclosure (Minn. Stat. 325F.72).

What's the difference between the Elderly Waiver and Alternative Care in Minnesota?

The Elderly Waiver (EW) is a federal-state Medicaid HCBS waiver requiring the applicant to already be Medical Assistance eligible, while Alternative Care (AC) is a state-only-funded program (no federal match) for seniors who need EW-equivalent services but aren't yet financially MA-eligible. Both use a similar service array and cost cap and never pay room and board.

How does a nursing home differ from assisted living in Minnesota?

Nursing homes provide 24-hour skilled nursing care for residents with significant medical needs and are licensed and regulated separately from assisted living, with their own Nursing Home Report Card. Assisted living, licensed under Chapter 144G, serves residents who need help with daily activities and some health-related services but not continuous skilled nursing oversight, and is generally less expensive.

Independent living vs. assisted living vs. memory care — how do I know which one my parent needs?

Independent living is unlicensed housing with no care services; assisted living is a licensed setting (Chapter 144G) providing help with daily activities and some health services; memory care is the separately licensed 'assisted living facility with dementia care' category for residents needing secured, dementia-specific care. The right fit depends on a functional assessment of daily living needs, cognitive status, and safety risk, not just preference.

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