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ElderCareCosts
UPDATED AUG 2026 · DATA AS OF 2025

Cost of Assisted Living in California

Assisted living in California has a median $7,000/month (modeled range $6,682–$7,608), above the national median.

Figures are for a private one-bedroom unit, from the CareScout Cost of Care Survey 2025.

Median monthly price, California

$7,000/mo

Modeled range $6,682 – $7,608 how this range is derived

● California $7,000 ○ National median $6,230

Published survey median · 2025Estimate, not a quote
Download CSVEmail it to familyFree, no sign-in. This data is meant to travel.

City, state, and national

Medians with each area's position against the national figure. Bars are drawn to scale.

Assisted Living cost by area (2025)
AreaScaleMedianvs national
Los Angeles$6,906/mo+10.9%
San Diego$7,103/mo+14.0%
San Jose$7,574/mo+21.6%
San Francisco$7,234/mo+16.1%
Fresno$6,906/mo+10.9%
Sacramento$6,906/mo+10.9%
Long Beach$6,906/mo+10.9%
California (state median)$7,000/mo+12.4%
United States$6,230/moreference

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Open any city page for the full provider table. For example, assisted living in Los Angeles.

Differences between the cities in the table track local wages and housing costs, which is how the model adjusts the state median. Every figure is built from that one California median, not quoted by any one provider.

Assisted Living cost trend in California
2024: $6,860/mo; 2025: $7,000/mo$7k$8k$10k$6,8602024$7,0002025

The hourly math: staying home vs. moving

California in-home care runs about $40/hour. The crossover point is where families decide.

Home care hourly math vs. assisted living
Care at homeThe mathMonthlyvs assisted living $7,000
20 hours a week$40/hr × 20 hrs × 52 ÷ 12$3,467/mo−$3,533
32 hours a week$40/hr × 32 hrs × 52 ÷ 12$5,547/mo−$1,453
44 hours a week$40/hr × 44 hrs × 52 ÷ 12$7,627/mo+$627
Around-the-clock (24/7)$40/hr × 168 hrs × 52 ÷ 12$29,120/mo+$22,120

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Around 40 hours a week, home care crosses the assisted living median. Full-time and overnight care cost several times more.

Estimate your own number

Compare assisted living costs

Uses the published medians on this page; never a guessed number. Toggle units, compare two locations, and see an illustrative future projection.

California

$7,000/mo/mo

Based on 2025 survey data.

National median

$6,230/mo/mo

Need a different pair of places? Open the full cost calculator. Not sure which care type? Take the care quiz.

What can you afford?

Every family starts with a number. Here's what different monthly budgets realistically cover in California, grounded in local medians on this page.

Under $2,500/mo

Adult day, family care, or affordable senior housing

Adult day care in California runs about $2,037/mo at the median. Income-restricted affordable senior housing (HUD 202, USDA 515, LIHTC, state HFA) is often the real under-$2,500 path when eligibility fits. Check local listings and income caps with the property. Medicaid/waiver paths can stretch a tight budget when eligibility fits.
Affordable senior apartments →
$2,500 – $7,000/mo

Part-time home care or entry assisted living

Part-time home care often lands in this band (full survey month for in-home care is $7,627). Local assisted living median is $7,000/mo. Small homes can sit below that midpoint. Ask about waiver programs if Medicaid may apply.
Medicaid & waiver paths →
$7,000 – $11,000/mo

Assisted living with room to spare

Covers the California assisted living median ($7,000/mo) comfortably. Or near-full-time home care around the $7,627/mo survey month.
How families pay →
Over $11,000/mo

Nursing care or heavy home-care schedules

Nursing homes in California run about $12,167/mo at the median. Round-the-clock home care usually costs more. Compare before deciding.
How families pay →

How to pay for assisted living in California

Private pay (savings, income, home equity)Most common
The default payer for most families at the start, especially for assisted living and in-home care. Often combined with a second source once savings run low.
Long-term care insuranceCommon
Pays toward care costs if a policy was purchased in advance, usually years before care is needed. Policy terms (daily/monthly benefit caps, elimination periods) vary widely. Check the policy documents directly.
Medicaid (state-run, income- and asset-limited)Common
Covers nursing home care in every state, and many states offer Home & Community-Based Services (HCBS) waivers that extend Medicaid to assisted living or in-home care. Eligibility rules and waiver availability are state-specific.
VA Aid & Attendance (veterans and surviving spouses)Situational
An added benefit on top of a VA pension for eligible wartime veterans (or surviving spouses) who need help with daily activities. Requires meeting service, income, and care-need criteria.
MedicareNarrow eligibility
Does not cover long-term custodial care (help with daily living). It can cover short-term skilled nursing or home health following a qualifying hospital stay, under specific conditions.

If private pay is the plan, an advisor can match communities within that number at no cost. Sponsored

Medicaid and every admission will ask who can sign for your parent. Get the power of attorney done online. Sponsored

Long-Term Care Ombudsman

Office of the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman helps residents of nursing homes, assisted living, and similar settings in California resolve concerns about care and rights. Call 1-800-231-4024.

Official Ombudsman locator / program page

Source: State LTC Ombudsman.GOV

Medicaid HCBS / LTSS programs

Named programs below are from official state Medicaid agency pages. We list eligibility dollar amounts and wait lists only when a primary source is cited.

  • Assisted Living Waiver. Medi-Cal HCBS waiver administered by DHCS. Requires living in a Residential Care Facility for the Elderly (RCFE), an Adult Residential Care Facility (ARF), or subsidized public housing -- not a benefit for care in one's own home. Confirmed on the DHCS ALW page (2026-07-26).
  • Medi-Cal long-term services and supports (LTSS). State Medicaid / LTSS entry point (DHCS Medi-Cal). Use for HCBS pathway discovery alongside named waivers.
Source: State Medicaid program.GOV

Free national starting points. Official sites only; we do not scrape these directories.

How to cite this page

Cite this: According to ElderCareCosts' 2026 index, assisted living in California costs $7,000/month (median, 2025 data).

APA: ElderCareCosts Research. (2026). Assisted Living Cost in California (2025). ElderCareCosts. Retrieved November 1, 2026, from https://www.eldercarecosts.com/cost-of-care/assisted-living/california/

Chicago: ElderCareCosts Research. "Assisted Living Cost in California (2025)." ElderCareCosts. Last modified August 10, 2026. Accessed November 1, 2026. https://www.eldercarecosts.com/cost-of-care/assisted-living/california/.

These figures may be quoted and reproduced with attribution and a link back to this page. No permission needed. Methodology · Data sources · Who produces this · Corrections

Frequently asked questions

How much does assisted living cost in California?

Assisted living in California has a median $7,000/month (modeled range $6,682–$7,608). Figures are for a private one-bedroom unit, from the CareScout Cost of Care Survey 2025.

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Other care types in California

In-Home CareHome Health CareMemory CareIndependent LivingNursing HomesAdult Day CareContinuing Care Retirement Communities (CCRC)

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