Only 20 percent of nursing home residents are private pay; most are destitute to the point that their care is covered by state Medicaid. Tennessee Medicaid pays a daily rate of $139.07 for level 1 care, while the average cost per day is about $147.

Care is a bit less expensive in Nashville, where the daily rate is $179. Both cities fall near the middle of the range. The most expensive nursing homes in the nation are in Alaska, where a bed costs $578 per day; the lowest is Shreveport, La., where it's $111.

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