Page 13 of Best Memory Care in North Carolina

Why trust this guide? Our editorial team analyzed 323 memory care providers in NC using NC Dept. of Health & Human Services (NCDHHS) data, inspection records, complaints, amenities, and facility-level details. How we rank memory care in NC
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We analyzed These are the providers in North Carolina our team has analyzed — not a count of every memory care provider in North Carolina. Home health and home care providers may be included if they specialize in memory care services.
323 providers
Other senior care options in North Carolina:

Compare Memory Care around North Carolina

Info below is compiled from the NC Dept. of Health & Human Services (NCDHHS), senior community websites & trusted data sources such as Walk Score & BBB.

Communities are listed from highest-ranked to lowest-ranked based on our methodology.

Care Types in This Table AL (Assisted Living): Housing with help for daily activities like bathing, dressing, and medication, without 24-hour skilled nursing. MC (Memory Care): Secured, specialized care for people living with Alzheimer's or dementia. RC (Respite Care): Short-term temporary care that gives family caregivers a break. IL (Independent Living): Community living with dining, activities, and transportation for active seniors who need little personal care.
City and state of the facility. Used for mapping and state-average comparisons.
Licensed bed capacity (maximum allowed). Not the same as how many beds are currently filled.
Indicates whether residents are allowed to have pets in the facility.
Third-party neighborhood walkability score (0–100). Convenience/context metric, not a healthcare quality measure.
Reported or derived occupancy for the facility—typically how fully licensed capacity is utilized. Compare across peers in the same market.
Better Business Bureau grade for the operating company. Reflects complaint handling and business practices, not clinical care quality.
NC DHSR Star Rating (0–4 stars). Issued by North Carolina's Division of Health Service Regulation based on annual facility inspections. Stars reflect overall compliance with state health and safety rules - 4 stars requires scores of 100+ on two consecutive annual inspections. Ratings can change between inspections if new violations or licensure actions occur.
DHSR Quality Score (/200). Each annual inspection starts at a base of 100 points. Facilities earn demerit points for violations and citations, and merit points for correcting issues, maintaining resident/family councils, sprinkler systems, and other quality programs. The "/200" display reflects the two most recent annual inspections combined - giving a longer-term view of compliance trends rather than a single snapshot.
A 0–100 score of a facility's regulatory inspection record, shown as a letter and compared with other facilities of the same kind in the same state. This is a proprietary Assisted Living Magazine grade. It is not a government rating. A dash means we have no inspection data for that facility.
Count of regulatory inspections in the reporting window. Higher volume can reflect more oversight visits, complaint-driven surveys, or routine licensure cycles.
Share of inspections that resulted in deficiencies, expressed as a percentage of total inspections in the window.
Housing or bed configuration options (e.g. studio, shared), often from facility-reported amenities and licensing details.
Forest Ridge
MC
AL
West Jefferson
60
Facility 60
NC AVG 76
Rank #161 / 252
No-
28.3%
Facility 28.3%
NC AVG 67.2%
Rank #139 / 152
-
105.50/200
Facility 105.50/200
NC AVG 91
Rank #2 / 217
A+14
57%
Facility 57%
NC AVG 64.9%
Rank #88 / 224
Studio / Suite
Magnolia Creek
MC
AL
RC
Winston-Salem (Crosslands)
117
Facility 117
NC AVG 76
Rank #32 / 252
No-
24.8%
Facility 24.8%
NC AVG 67.2%
Rank #144 / 152
A+
99.00/200
Facility 99.00/200
NC AVG 91
Rank #109 / 217
B+13
69%
Facility 69%
NC AVG 64.9%
Rank #88 / 224
-
Spring Arbor of Cary
MC
AL
Cary
80
Facility 80
NC AVG 76
Rank #102 / 252
Yes
35
Facility 35
NC AVG 35
Rank #138 / 300
--
95.50/200
Facility 95.50/200
NC AVG 91
Rank #136 / 217
A+8
38%
Facility 38%
NC AVG 64.9%
Rank #88 / 224
Studio / Cottage/ Alcove
Waltonwood Lake Boone
MC
AL
IL
Raleigh
68
Facility 68
NC AVG 76
Rank #134 / 252
Yes
61
Facility 61
NC AVG 35
Rank #33 / 300
60.3%
Facility 60.3%
NC AVG 67.2%
Rank #93 / 152
-
94.50/200
Facility 94.50/200
NC AVG 91
Rank #147 / 217
B+7
0%
Facility 0%
NC AVG 64.9%
Rank #88 / 224
-
Brookdale MacArthur Park
MC
AL
Cary (Carolina House Of Cary)
80
Facility 80
NC AVG 76
Rank #102 / 252
Yes
12
Facility 12
NC AVG 35
Rank #245 / 300
--
101.50/200
Facility 101.50/200
NC AVG 91
Rank #63 / 217
A-15
67%
Facility 67%
NC AVG 64.9%
Rank #88 / 224
Studio / Suite / 1 Bed
Brookdale Forest City
MC
AL
Forest City
76
Facility 76
NC AVG 76
Rank #113 / 252
Yes
16
Facility 16
NC AVG 35
Rank #229 / 300
--
101.00/200
Facility 101.00/200
NC AVG 91
Rank #77 / 217
B+15
67%
Facility 67%
NC AVG 64.9%
Rank #88 / 224
Studio / 1 Bed
Brookdale Morehead City
MC
AL
Morehead City (Spooners Creek East Harbor)
72
Facility 72
NC AVG 76
Rank #122 / 252
Yes
45
Facility 45
NC AVG 35
Rank #103 / 300
--
89.25/200
Facility 89.25/200
NC AVG 91
Rank #174 / 217
B+15
73%
Facility 73%
NC AVG 64.9%
Rank #88 / 224
Studio / Suite / 1 Bed
TerraBella Hillsborough
MC
AL
RC
Hillsborough
96
Facility 96
NC AVG 76
Rank #58 / 252
Yes
32
Facility 32
NC AVG 35
Rank #153 / 300
--
103.50/200
Facility 103.50/200
NC AVG 91
Rank #14 / 217
A-14
57%
Facility 57%
NC AVG 64.9%
Rank #88 / 224
-
Twelve Oaks
MC
AL
RC
Mount Airy
112
Facility 112
NC AVG 76
Rank #38 / 252
No
74
Facility 74
NC AVG 35
Rank #7 / 300
25.9%
Facility 25.9%
NC AVG 67.2%
Rank #143 / 152
-
90.75/200
Facility 90.75/200
NC AVG 91
Rank #169 / 217
C+18
0%
Facility 0%
NC AVG 64.9%
Rank #64 / 224
-
TerraBella Shelby
MC
AL
RC
Shelby (Brittain Village)
96
Facility 96
NC AVG 76
Rank #58 / 252
Yes
10
Facility 10
NC AVG 35
Rank #254 / 300
-C+
82.50/200
Facility 82.50/200
NC AVG 91
Rank #93 / 217
C17
59%
Facility 59%
NC AVG 64.9%
Rank #88 / 224
-

Rank badges are statewide and care-type specific: each memory care community is ranked against every other NC memory care community we track that reports that metric, not just the 323 on this page. See how we rank facilities

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Forest Ridge

151 Village Park Dr, West Jefferson, NC 28694
Overview of Forest Ridge

Residing in the serene community of West Jefferson, NC, the Forest Ridge is a trusted senior living community that provides assisted living and memory care services. A wide range of comfortable and spacious accommodations including private studios, shared suites, and studio deluxe are available. In terms of memory care, a program called Pathways to Discovery is thoughtfully designed for those with cognitive conditions like Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. This community also renders an emergency response system and 24/7 personalized care services.

The community is dedicated to providing top-notch amenities and services wherein residents can enjoy delightful and healthy meals and snacks daily, weekly housekeeping and laundry services, in-house maintenance services, and free transportation to all professional services. Participate in diverse social activities and wellness programs. With Forest Ridge, seniors are guaranteed a worthwhile living experience.

Contact Forest Ridge

Overview of Magnolia Creek

Dedicated to empowering seniors to live their best lives, Magnolia Creek in Multnomah County, Winston-Salem, NC, is an inspiring senior living community that offers assisted living, memory care, and respite care. The community offers an ideal blend of comfortable residence and exceptional health and personal care needed to live fully and comfortably. Residents enjoy compassionate care and assistance provided by a dedicated care team.

The community makes sure residents are provided with plenty of opportunities for an active and vibrant living experience with an array of fitness and wellness programs. Housekeeping and maintenance services are also offered to give residents plenty of time to enjoy their retirement life fully. With comprehensive services, friendly care team, and convenient amenities, residents at Magnolia Creek are able to live their lives fully and comfortably.

Contact Magnolia Creek

Overview of Spring Arbor of Cary

Discover a high-quality living experience with the Spring Arbor Senior Living located in Cary, NC providing assisted living, memory care, and respite care services. Residents can choose from a variety of spacious and inviting accommodations including a studio, cottage-large studio, one-bedroom, and alcove suites designed to ensure each resident’s comfort and well-being. Beautifully appointed indoor and outdoor spaces are also provided for residents to relax. With an expert and compassionate team, many services are created to meet the needs of the residents, including personalized care, medication management, fitness and wellness programs, and much more.

The community boasts a host of exceptional amenities that residents can enjoy such as appetizing and nourishing meals, a full-service beauty and barber salon, laundry facilities, and convenient transportation services. At Spring Arbor, seniors are guaranteed a welcoming environment where they can thrive and enjoy a blissful life.

Contact Spring Arbor of Cary

Waltonwood Lake Boone

3560 Horton Street Raleigh, Nc 27607, Raleigh, NC 27607
Overview of Waltonwood Lake Boone

Memory care, assisted living, and independent living are the three levels Waltonwood Lake Boone offers in Raleigh, NC. Independent living is private living with the community’s services attached, and no daily care included. Assisted living adds help with dressing, bathing, and medication.

A secured setting with supervision is what memory care means for a resident at risk of wandering. The building holds 68 beds. Because all three levels are at one address, more help can start without the person changing where they live.

Walking gets a score of 61 here, inside the somewhat walkable band. That changes what a visit can be, since family arriving for an afternoon can spend part of it on foot instead of back in the car. Pets are allowed, so an animal comes along with the person.

Contact Waltonwood Lake Boone

Overview of Brookdale MacArthur Park

Situated in Cary, NC, Brookdale MacArthur Park is a thriving senior living community, offering a warm and welcoming senior living community with both assisted living and memory care options. Residents can enjoy personalized care tailored to their needs, whether it’s assistance with daily tasks or engaging in purposeful memory care programs. The community features a selection of pet-friendly apartments with ample natural lighting and includes basic utilities and maintenance. Seniors will appreciate the vibrant social calendar and delicious meals in the elegant dining room, all while knowing that help is available 24/7 for any emergencies.

Brookdale MacArthur Park’s mission is to provide a nurturing environment where seniors can thrive. The community offers a range of amenities to enhance residents’ quality of life, including an emergency alert system, transportation, and a concierge service. Residents can relax in the fireside living room, enjoy the courtyard and garden, or socialize in the game room. The café/bistro and private dining room ensure every meal is a delightful experience, supporting both nutrition and social connections.

Contact Brookdale MacArthur Park

Overview of Brookdale Forest City

Brookdale Forest City, located in Forest City, NC, offers a tranquil yet convenient setting for seniors. The community provides both assisted living services and memory care for individuals living with memory loss. Residents can enjoy pet-friendly apartments filled with natural light, and they have the freedom to personalize their living spaces. With round-the-clock monitoring and assistance from a dedicated team, residents are guaranteed to receive assistance whenever they need it.

Fostering an active and engaging lifestyle, Brookdale Forest City offers a wealth of amenities, including a library, beauty/barber shop, therapy room, private dining room, and walking paths. Residents can relax in the fireside living room or on the porch, and stay connected with Wi-Fi access throughout the community. With beautifully landscaped grounds and a variety of programs and activities, Brookdale Grandon Farms offers a vibrant and supportive environment, making it an excellent choice for seniors.

Contact Brookdale Forest City

Overview of Brookdale Morehead City

Located in the coastal town of Morehead City, North Carolina, Brookdale Morehead City offers a welcoming community environment and personalized care services. The community provides assisted living and memory care amidst the beautiful background of North Carolina’s renowned beaches. Residents benefit from a full social calendar that encourages exploration of new hobbies and fosters friendships, along with personalized care assessments to ensure individual needs are met.

The dedicated team is available around the clock to respond promptly to any emergency, offering peace of mind to residents and their families. Amenities at Brookdale Morehead City include a library, beauty/barber shop, courtyard and garden spaces, a greenhouse for gardening enthusiasts, and accessible Wi-Fi throughout. Residents enjoy the comforts of a fireside living room, community kitchen, meeting rooms for social gatherings, and a screened lanai for outdoor relaxation. The beautifully landscaped grounds provide serene spaces for leisurely strolls and peaceful moments amidst nature.

Contact Brookdale Morehead City

TerraBella Hillsborough

1911 Orange Grove Rd, Hillsborough, NC 27278
Overview of TerraBella Hillsborough

Located in the historical community of Hillsborough, NC, Terra Bella Hillsborough is a one-of-a-kind senior living community offering assisted living and memory care. The community features cozy suites and elegant one-bedroom apartments for seniors to find solace in. With its exceptional care and assistance 24/7, residents keep their peace of mind and enjoy a maintenance-free lifestyle. Alongside its signature SHINE Memory Care program, the community provides various signature programs encompassing dining activities, activities, and transportation. To ensure seniors are in their best condition, the community provides fun and exciting activities. Moreover, meals that are served from breakfast to dinner are of the highest quality to cater to its residents’ dietary needs and preferences. Terra Bella Hillsborough is a pet-friendly community that provides its residents with local outings, live entertainment, and wellness classes in its wonderful amenities such as a private courtyard, a community garden, and scenic walking paths.

Contact TerraBella Hillsborough

Twelve Oaks

1297 Galax Trail Mount Airy, Nc 27030, Mount Airy, NC 27030
Overview of Twelve Oaks

Twelve Oaks in Mount Airy, NC, offers memory care and assisted living. Respite care rounds out the license. Bathing, medication management, and dressing are handled under assisted living, and a resident keeps their own apartment.

A setting kept secure, with staff watching inside it, is what memory care means for somebody at risk of wandering. Respite is the short stay a usual caregiver needs for travel or time for recovery.

All three together answer either a resident whose needs grow or a family caregiver wanting cover for a stretch. One hundred and twelve beds are on the license.

Medicaid is an accepted route, useful where a resident’s savings won’t cover a long stay. A 74 Walk Score is very walkable, and most errands can be handled without a vehicle.

Contact Twelve Oaks

TerraBella Shelby

1550 Charles Rd, Shelby, NC 28152
Overview of TerraBella Shelby

TerraBella Shelby is a quality senior living community burrowed in the quiet city of Shelby, NC, offering assisted living and memory care. The community features spacious apartments with a kitchenette, emergency call system, and natural light, ensuring a comfortable and safe living environment. With their person-centered memory care programs, residents living with Alzheimer’s and dementia are encouraged to nurture their current skills, engage in purposeful activities, and live an enriched life.

Committed to elevating its residents’ standard of living, TerraBella Shelby offers five exclusive senior lifestyle programs. From chef-prepared meals and a full schedule of activities to an all-encompassing approach to health and wellness, residents find everything they need right here. To make an even greater difference in how residents live each day, the community also offers various amenities, including a professional beauty salon and barber shop on-site, a lifetime veterans savings program, visiting physicians, local outings & excursions, and housekeeping services, making residents’ lives more at ease and carefree.

Contact TerraBella Shelby

Weighting overview

  • 35%
    Resident Experience
  • 25%
    Regulatory
  • 15%
    Visual Media
  • 10%
    Website
  • 10%
    Stability
  • 5%
    Environment
01

Resident & Family Experience 35%

The single largest share of every ranking. Aggregated review sentiment and volume from major platforms — the closest signal to real resident experience.

  • Includes
  • Review Sentiment
  • Review Volume
02

Regulatory & Safety Record 25%

State inspection records, citations, and complaint visits. We weight per-inspection rates more heavily than raw counts.

  • Includes
  • State Inspections
  • Citations/Inspection
  • % Inspections w/ Citations
  • Complaint Visits
  • Accreditations
  • BBB Rating
03

Visual Media & Transparency 15%

Communities that publish high-quality visuals give families a real preview. No photos or tours = a negative transparency signal.

  • Includes
  • Video Tours
  • Virtual Walkthroughs
  • Photo Quantity
  • Photo Quality
04

Website & Operator Transparency 10%

Site quality and whether the operator publishes basic accountability information — staff names, contact details, ownership.

  • Includes
  • Website Content
  • Mobile Usability
  • Staff Info Available
  • Owner Info Available
05

Community Stability 10%

Operational signals indicating whether a community is well-run and meeting demand.

  • Includes
  • Occupancy Rate
  • Bed Options
06

Environment & Pricing 5%

Walkability and pricing transparency. Walk Score is weighted higher for Independent Living than for Memory Care, where most residents do not leave unaccompanied.

  • Includes
  • Walk Score
  • Pricing Transparency
No paid rankings Communities cannot pay to influence placement.
How we're paid: If we help you find a community and you move in, that community may pay us a referral fee. This never affects where they rank or what you pay. Learn more
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Memory Care in North Carolina at a glance

Avg Walk Score: 35/ 100The average Walk Score across facilities in North Carolina. A third-party neighborhood walkability score (0–100) measuring convenience and context, not healthcare quality. Individual facilities can vary widely from this average.
National Average: 50/ 100
Avg No. of Beds: 76The average licensed bed capacity across facilities in North Carolina. Individual facilities can vary widely from this average.
National Average: 90
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Frequently Asked Questions about Memory Care in North Carolina

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

Assisted living in North Carolina supports residents with daily activities (bathing, dressing, medication management) while preserving independence. Memory care is a specialized form of assisted living for residents living with Alzheimer's or dementia, and adds 24/7 secured environments, dementia-trained staff, and structured routines designed to reduce confusion and wandering.

Does North Carolina Medicaid cover memory care?

North Carolina Medicaid does not directly pay room-and-board for memory care, but most states (including North Carolina) offer Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) waivers that can offset the cost of care services delivered inside a licensed community. Eligibility, waitlists, and covered services vary — check directly with the state Medicaid agency.

What is memory care?

Memory care is a specialized form of assisted living for residents living with Alzheimer's disease or other forms of dementia, with secured environments, dementia-trained staff, and routines built to reduce confusion and wandering.

How many memory care communities are listed on this page?

This page features 323 memory care communities in North Carolina. Use the filters and comparison tools above to compare ratings, amenities, and pricing.

How do I choose the right memory care community in North Carolina?

Start by matching the level of care offered to the resident's current and anticipated needs, then compare licensing status, staff-to-resident ratios, recent inspection results, and pricing. Tour at least two or three communities in North Carolina, talk to current residents and families, and confirm what is included in the base rate versus billed as add-on services.

What should I look for when visiting memory care communities in North Carolina?

Pay attention to staff interactions with residents, cleanliness and odor, food quality at meal times, the activity calendar, and how questions about pricing and care plans are answered. Ask to see the most recent state inspection report, the move-out / level-of-care-change policy, and a sample monthly bill that lists every fee.