Memory Care in California. Cost & Providers

Cost of memory care in California

Median monthly price, California

$8,750/mo

Estimated range $8,400 – $9,100

● California $8,750 ○ National median $7,788

Source: Based on 2025 assisted living costs plus a memory care premium

Memory Care cost comparison (2025)
Memory Care	California	National
25th percentile	$8,400/mo	$6,861/mo
Median	$8,750/mo	$7,788/mo
75th percentile	$9,100/mo	$8,854/mo

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Source: Based on 2025 assisted living costs plus a memory care premium

Medicare generally does not cover long-term custodial care. Families usually combine private pay, long-term care insurance, VA Aid and Attendance, or a Medicaid waiver where they qualify. See paying for care and the state Medicaid guides.

California licensing & regulation

California Department of Social Services — Community Care Licensing Division (CCLD) licenses and inspects assisted living communities, including communities that offer memory care, in California. Before you sign anything, look up the community's license status and past complaints on the state's own site.

California Department of Social Services — Community Care Licensing Division (CCLD) (official state licensing agency)
Check a facility's license or complaint history
To report a concern or file a complaint, call 844-538-8766.

Medicaid & local resources in California

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.

Find your local ombudsman

Medicaid programs for care at home

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.

National helplines

Eldercare Locator · 800-677-1116
Free nationwide connection to local aging services.
211
Local health and human services referrals.
NCOA BenefitsCheckUp
Screen for benefits you may qualify for.
DIAL
ACL Disability Information and Access Line.
VA health benefits
Veterans health care and long-term care programs.

Cities in California

Don't see your city? Search for it, or start from the nearest larger one.

Licensed assisted living communities in California

California's public data download doesn't say which communities offer dementia care. These licensed assisted living communities are worth calling to ask.

Some of the licensed assisted living communities in California. Open a city page for the full local list.

Assisted Living · 6 beds · small / board & care · Union City, CA