The short answer: The Treasure Coast is really two assisted living markets. Port St. Lucie has 102 licensed facilities in our directory, and 92 of them are small residential homes with six or fewer beds. A few miles south and north, Stuart and Vero Beach are almost all larger communities with 50 beds or more. Which one fits your parent depends on how much care they need at night, because Florida rules for six-bed homes are different from the rules for larger buildings. This guide covers St. Lucie, Martin and Indian River counties.
How many assisted living facilities are on the Treasure Coast?
AssistedLivingFacility.com lists 149 licensed, active facilities across the three counties:
| City | Facilities | Licensed beds | 6 beds or fewer | 50 beds or more |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Port St. Lucie | 102 | 1,224 | 92 | 6 |
| Fort Pierce | 10 | 364 | 3 | 3 |
| Stuart | 8 | 820 | 0 | 7 |
| Jensen Beach | 3 | 371 | 0 | 3 |
| Vero Beach | 18 | 1,080 | 1 | 10 |
| Sebastian | 5 | 287 | 2 | 3 |
By county, St. Lucie County has 112 facilities with 1,588 beds, Martin County has 14 with 1,443 beds, and Indian River County has 23 with 1,367 beds. In other words, St. Lucie County has the most facilities, but Martin County, with a seventh as many, has almost as many beds.
Older residents make up a big share of the population. In 2025, people 65 and older were 24.9% of St. Lucie County, 33.6% of Martin County and 37.3% of Indian River County (Census Bureau county estimates). Port St. Lucie itself had 268,062 residents in July 2025, 21.8% of them 65 or older (Census QuickFacts). It added 9,131 people in a single year, the ninth-largest gain of any U.S. city (Census Bureau).
Why are so many Port St. Lucie facilities six-bed homes?
Florida law treats a licensed home for six or fewer residents as "a single-family unit" that can operate in a residential neighborhood without local zoning approval, as long as it is at least 1,000 feet from another such home (s. 419.001). Port St. Lucie's large grid of single-family streets suits that model, so most of its assisted living is in ordinary houses.
Small homes can be a great fit: fewer residents, the same faces every day, home-cooked meals and often lower prices. But the staffing rules differ, so ask the right questions. Our comparison of large and small facilities covers the trade-offs in more depth.
What staffing rules apply to a six-bed home?
Florida sets minimum staff hours by the number of residents (rule 59A-36.010):
| Residents | Minimum staff hours per week |
|---|---|
| 0–5 | 168 (one person around the clock) |
| 6–15 | 212 |
| 16–25 | 253 |
Every facility, of any size, must have at least one staff member "in the facility at all times when residents are in the facility," and someone with current first aid and CPR certification on site at all times. The big difference is at night. Only facilities with 17 or more residents must have "at least one staff member awake at all hours of the day and night." A six-bed home may legally have a caregiver who sleeps overnight.
That matters most for dementia. Under current law, a facility with fewer than 17 residents that advertises dementia care must either have an awake staff member at all hours or "have mechanisms in place to monitor and ensure the safety of the facility's residents" (s. 429.178). That will change. Florida's new memory care services license will require "at least one awake staff member to be on duty at all hours," with rules due by June 1, 2027 (SB 1404 summary). Until then, ask every home directly: Is someone awake here at 3 a.m.?
Smaller homes also follow "separate and distinct standards" for buildings of 16 beds or fewer, and anyone who can't get out unassisted in an emergency must live on the first floor (s. 429.41). Defibrillators are only required in facilities with 17 or more beds.
Which hospitals serve the Treasure Coast?
Each hospital below was checked against its own website in October 2026:
- Port St. Lucie: HCA Florida St. Lucie Hospital (282 beds), Cleveland Clinic Tradition Hospital, and the new Florida Coast Medical Center, which opened in September 2025 (Palm Beach Health Network).
- Fort Pierce: HCA Florida Lawnwood Hospital, a Level II trauma center.
- Stuart: Cleveland Clinic Martin North Hospital and Cleveland Clinic Martin South Hospital.
- Vero Beach and Sebastian: Cleveland Clinic Indian River Hospital and Orlando Health Sebastian River Hospital, formerly Sebastian River Medical Center (Orlando Health).
If your parent already sees Cleveland Clinic or HCA doctors, a facility near that system's hospital keeps appointments and records in one place.
What about hurricanes?
The whole Treasure Coast faces the Atlantic and the Indian River Lagoon, so check each facility's evacuation zone:
- St. Lucie County has an address lookup tool on its shelter and evacuation page.
- Martin County uses zones "AB, CD and E" (Martin County).
- Indian River County publishes an evacuation zone map.
Evacuating residents is the facility's job. Its emergency plan must cover evacuation transportation and sheltering arrangements (rule 59A-36.019). Every facility also needs backup power to keep temperatures "at or below 81 degrees Fahrenheit for a minimum of ninety-six (96) hours" (rule 59A-36.025). Here size matters again. Homes with 16 or fewer beds must store 48 hours of fuel on site, compared with 72 hours for larger facilities, and every facility must secure 96 hours of fuel once an emergency is declared. Ask a small home how it gets more fuel when roads are closed. Our hurricane questions guide has the full list.
Who can help locally?
- Area Agency on Aging of Palm Beach/Treasure Coast is the Aging and Disability Resource Center for Palm Beach, Martin, St. Lucie, Okeechobee and Indian River counties. Helpline: 1-866-684-5885 (AAA). It screens for Florida Medicaid's long-term care program. All three counties are in Medicaid Region G (s. 409.966).
- Council on Aging of St. Lucie, the county's lead agency for Community Care for the Elderly, runs Meals on Wheels, adult day care and respite care: (772) 336-8608 (COASL).
- Council on Aging of Martin County, Stuart: (772) 223-7800 (COA Martin).
- Senior Resource Association, Vero Beach, the lead agency for Indian River County: (772) 569-0760 (SRA). It also runs GoLine, a zero-fare bus service.
St. Lucie County's Area Regional Transit is "a fare-free" bus system serving Port St. Lucie and Fort Pierce, with paratransit for riders who qualify (St. Lucie County). For relatives flying in, note that Palm Beach International was renamed President Donald J. Trump International Airport, code DJT, in 2026 (airport FAQ).
How do we shortlist?
- Decide on size. For a six-bed home in a neighborhood, start with Port St. Lucie. For a larger community with a dining room and activities, look at Stuart, Vero Beach and Fort Pierce.
- Check licenses. A standard license alone means a move may be needed later. Our license types guide explains ECC and LNS.
- Read inspection reports. Florida must publish violations from the previous 60 months, searchable by facility name, city or ZIP code (s. 429.55). Our license check guide shows how.
- Ask about nights. Who is awake, and how is a resident who wanders kept safe?
- Tour with a checklist. Ours is here. If your parent may need Medicaid later, see our Medicaid guide.
