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ElderCareCosts
UPDATED AUG 2026 · DATA AS OF 2025

Cost of In-Home Care in California

In-home care in California runs about $3,467/month at 20 hours a week, a typical starting tier for a new client. Full-time care at 44 hours a week (the survey standard) runs $7,627/month, above the national median.

Based on 2025 survey data.

Starting tier, California

$3,467/mo

About 20 hours a week: a common starting point for a new home-care client

Full-time care (44 hrs/week, survey standard)

$7,627/mo

Modeled range $7,281 – $8,290

● California $7,627 at 44 hrs/wk ○ National median $6,769 at 44 hrs/wk

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.

In-Home Care cost by area (2025)
AreaScaleMedianvs national
Los Angeles$7,525/mo+11.2%
San Diego$7,739/mo+14.3%
San Jose$8,253/mo+21.9%
San Francisco$7,882/mo+16.5%
Fresno$7,525/mo+11.2%
Sacramento$7,525/mo+11.2%
Long Beach$7,525/mo+11.2%
California (state median)$7,627/mo+12.7%
United States$6,769/moreference

Scroll for more →

Open any city page for the full provider table. For example, in-home care in Los Angeles.

Why is this number different on other sites? Other sites may use a different survey year, an average instead of a median, or a narrower sample of providers. Every figure on this page states its source and period so you can compare like with like. We don't yet publish a room-type/care-level breakdown for California; our cost model currently reports a single blended range.

What drives in home care cost in California?

  • Local wages. Direct-care staff pay tracks the state and metro labor market, and is usually the single biggest cost driver.
  • Real estate and cost of living. Facility rent/mortgage costs and general cost of living scale with the local market.
  • Level of care and staffing ratios. Higher acuity levels cost more due to required staffing ratios.
  • Room type. Private rooms/apartments cost more than shared rooms.
  • Regulation and licensing. States with stricter staffing or training requirements tend to run higher on average.
In-Home Care cost trend in California
2024: $7,764/mo; 2025: $7,627/mo$8k$9k$10k$7,7642024$7,6272025

Estimate your own number

Compare in home care costs

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

California

$3,467/mo/mo

Based on 2025 survey data.

National median

$3,077/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 and family caregiving are often part of the path under $2,500/mo in California. 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

Ask about waiver programs if Medicaid may apply.
Medicaid & waiver paths →
$7,000 – $11,000/mo

Assisted living with room to spare

This band typically covers full assisted living or substantial home care in California.
How families pay →
Over $11,000/mo

Nursing care or heavy home-care schedules

Higher budgets cover skilled nursing or heavy home-care schedules in California.
How families pay →

How to pay for in-home care in California

  1. 1. 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.

  2. 2. 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.

  3. 3. 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.

  4. 4. 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.

  5. 5. 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.

  6. Paid family caregiving (consumer-directed Medicaid)

    Some states let an eligible parent hire a family caregiver through a self-directed Medicaid option. See Can I get paid to care for my parent in California?

  7. This is general information, not financial or legal advice. Program rules vary by state and change over time. Confirm current eligibility with Medicaid.gov, the VA, or a licensed elder-law advisor.

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.

  • In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS). California's flagship in-home Medicaid (Medi-Cal) program: helps eligible low-income aged, blind, and disabled Californians pay for in-home personal care (bathing, meals, housekeeping) so they can stay in their own home instead of a facility. County-administered -- apply through your county IHSS office; no single statewide IHSS phone line is published on the official page. Confirmed on the CDSS IHSS 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, in-home care in California costs $7,627/month (median, 2025 data) at the 44-hour-a-week survey standard.

APA: ElderCareCosts Research. (2026). In-Home Care Cost in California (2025). ElderCareCosts. Retrieved September 17, 2026, from https://www.eldercarecosts.com/cost-of-care/in-home-care/california/

Chicago: ElderCareCosts Research. "In-Home Care Cost in California (2025)." ElderCareCosts. Last modified August 10, 2026. Accessed September 17, 2026. https://www.eldercarecosts.com/cost-of-care/in-home-care/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 in-home care cost in California?

About $3,467/month at 20 hours a week, a typical starting tier for a new client. Full-time care at 44 hours a week (the survey standard) runs a median $7,627/month (modeled range $7,281–$8,290). Based on 2025 survey data.

How is this estimate calculated?

We start from a published state or metro median, cited on this page, and adjust using local cost-of-living and wage data. We publish the methodology version alongside every figure.

Can I get the raw data?

Yes. Use the CSV download link on this page for a machine-readable file of the exact figures shown above.

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Browse by city in California

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Other care types in California

Home Health CareAssisted LivingMemory CareIndependent LivingNursing HomesAdult Day CareContinuing Care Retirement Communities (CCRC)

Trust & methodology

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