2026 National Senior Care Cost Index • Updated with U.S. Census ACS & CMS Medicare Data Covering 51 States & DC • 29,639 Cities • 14,676 CMS Facilities
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2026 Senior Living & Nursing Home Costs in California

Compare monthly care rates across 1,239 cities and 1,165 CMS-certified nursing facilities in California.

2026 Medicaid Income Cap: $2,901/mo CMS Certified Facilities: 1,165 Avg. Home Value: $607,544
Assisted Living🏠
$8,300/mo
$99,600/year
+34% vs U.S. avg
Memory Care🧠
$10,130/mo
$121,560/year
+34% vs U.S. avg
Home Care (44h/wk)🤝
$8,940/mo
$46.88 per hour
+34% vs U.S. avg
Nursing Home (Semi)🏥
$12,830/mo
Private room: $14,460/mo
+34% vs U.S. avg

2026 Long-Term Care Financial & Runway Simulator

Models eldercare inflation, home equity liquidation fees (7%), income offsets & Medicaid spend-down rules.

1. Select Care Setting & Schedule
Assisted Living$8,300/mo
Memory Care$10,130/mo
Home Care$46.88/hr
Nursing Semi$12,830/mo
Nursing Priv$14,460/mo
Planning Horizon 3 Years (36 mos)
Average U.S. assisted living stay: 28–36 mos
Annual Care Inflation 4.0% / yr
Historical eldercare inflation: 3.5%–4.5%/yr
2. Monthly Income & Insurance Offsets
Social Security & Pension ($/mo)
LTC Insurance / VA Benefit ($/mo)
VA Aid & Attendance up to $2,358/mo
3. Capital & Home Equity Reserves
Liquid Savings & IRA ($)
Home Value / Equity ($) Net: $565k
Auto-deducts 7% realtor & closing costs
Total Projected Care Cost
$0
Year 1 → Year 3
Net Out-of-Pocket Gap
$0
Initial monthly shortfall: $0/mo
Annual Care Cost vs. Remaining Capital End Balance: $0
Annual Care Cost (Inflation-Adjusted) Remaining Net Capital
2026 Cost Crossover Analysis

Home Care vs. Assisted Living Break-Even Point in California

40.9 hrs/wk Break-even threshold

At California's average caregiver rate of $46.88/hr, hiring in-home care equals the $8,300/mo cost of Assisted Living at exactly 40.9 hours per week (~5.8 hrs/day).

Part-Time Care (15 hrs/wk) Crossover: 40.9 hrs/wk 24/7 Shifts (168 hrs/wk)
Home Care Cheaper 20 hrs/wk at Home
$4,063/mo

Saves $4,237/mo vs. Assisted Living (excludes home mortgage/utilities).

Full-Time Benchmark (44h/wk) 44 hrs/wk vs. Assisted Living
$8,938 vs. $8,300/mo

Full-time home care costs $638/mo more than Assisted Living (where meals & utilities are included).

Facility Cheaper 80+ hrs/wk (Day + Night)
$16,250/mo

Assisted Living saves $7,950/mo; Memory Care averages $10,130/mo.

Major Cities in California

Sorted by number of Medicare-certified care facilities and local market size.

City County Assisted Living Memory Care Nursing Home (Semi) Median Home Value CMS Facilities
Los Angeles Los Angeles $7,750/mo $9,460/mo $11,970/mo $783,300 78
Long Beach Los Angeles $7,750/mo $9,460/mo $11,970/mo $783,300 25
Sacramento Sacramento $7,260/mo $8,860/mo $11,220/mo $498,900 23
San Diego San Diego $8,890/mo $10,850/mo $13,740/mo $791,600 21
Fresno Fresno $5,660/mo $6,910/mo $8,740/mo $362,600 19
San Jose Santa Clara $10,230/mo $12,480/mo $15,810/mo $1,382,800 19
Oakland Alameda $10,050/mo $12,260/mo $15,540/mo $1,057,400 18
Riverside Riverside $7,590/mo $9,260/mo $11,730/mo $510,300 18
San Francisco San Francisco $10,230/mo $12,480/mo $15,810/mo $1,380,500 18
Hayward Alameda $10,050/mo $12,260/mo $15,540/mo $1,057,400 16
Anaheim Orange $9,770/mo $11,920/mo $15,090/mo $915,500 14
Stockton San Joaquin $7,070/mo $8,630/mo $10,930/mo $494,500 14
Glendale Los Angeles $7,750/mo $9,460/mo $11,970/mo $783,300 13
Pasadena Los Angeles $7,750/mo $9,460/mo $11,970/mo $783,300 13
El Cajon San Diego $8,890/mo $10,850/mo $13,740/mo $791,600 12
Santa Monica Los Angeles $7,750/mo $9,460/mo $11,970/mo $783,300 12
Torrance Los Angeles $7,750/mo $9,460/mo $11,970/mo $783,300 12
El Monte Los Angeles $7,750/mo $9,460/mo $11,970/mo $783,300 11
San Bernardino San Bernardino $7,080/mo $8,640/mo $10,930/mo $475,000 11
Bakersfield Kern $5,330/mo $6,500/mo $8,230/mo $310,600 10
Modesto Stanislaus $6,520/mo $7,950/mo $10,070/mo $426,600 9
Pomona Los Angeles $7,750/mo $9,460/mo $11,970/mo $783,300 9
Carmichael Sacramento $7,260/mo $8,860/mo $11,220/mo $498,900 8
Gardena Los Angeles $7,750/mo $9,460/mo $11,970/mo $783,300 8
La Mesa San Diego $8,890/mo $10,850/mo $13,740/mo $791,600 8
Redding Shasta $5,580/mo $6,810/mo $8,630/mo $347,200 8
Santa Ana Orange $9,770/mo $11,920/mo $15,090/mo $915,500 8
Escondido San Diego $8,890/mo $10,850/mo $13,740/mo $791,600 7
Fremont Alameda $10,050/mo $12,260/mo $15,540/mo $1,057,400 7
Fullerton Orange $9,770/mo $11,920/mo $15,090/mo $915,500 7
Hemet Riverside $7,590/mo $9,260/mo $11,730/mo $510,300 7
North Hollywood Los Angeles $7,750/mo $9,460/mo $11,970/mo $783,300 7
Norwalk Los Angeles $7,750/mo $9,460/mo $11,970/mo $783,300 7
Redlands San Bernardino $7,080/mo $8,640/mo $10,930/mo $475,000 7
San Gabriel Los Angeles $7,750/mo $9,460/mo $11,970/mo $783,300 7
San Leandro Alameda $10,050/mo $12,260/mo $15,540/mo $1,057,400 7
San Rafael Marin $10,230/mo $12,480/mo $15,810/mo $1,390,000 7
Santa Barbara Santa Barbara $8,420/mo $10,270/mo $13,010/mo $735,700 7
Santa Rosa Sonoma $8,740/mo $10,660/mo $13,510/mo $779,000 7
Whittier Los Angeles $7,750/mo $9,460/mo $11,970/mo $783,300 7
Garden Grove Orange $9,770/mo $11,920/mo $15,090/mo $915,500 6
Merced Merced $5,420/mo $6,610/mo $8,380/mo $368,400 6
Van Nuys Los Angeles $7,750/mo $9,460/mo $11,970/mo $783,300 6
Visalia Tulare $5,350/mo $6,530/mo $8,260/mo $303,000 6
Walnut Creek Contra Costa $10,050/mo $12,260/mo $15,530/mo $830,800 6
Alameda Alameda $10,050/mo $12,260/mo $15,540/mo $1,057,400 5
Alhambra Los Angeles $7,750/mo $9,460/mo $11,970/mo $783,300 5
Auburn Placer $8,820/mo $10,760/mo $13,640/mo $658,800 5
Berkeley Alameda $10,050/mo $12,260/mo $15,540/mo $1,057,400 5
Castro Valley Alameda $10,050/mo $12,260/mo $15,540/mo $1,057,400 5
Chico Butte $5,760/mo $7,030/mo $8,900/mo $408,700 5
Concord Contra Costa $10,050/mo $12,260/mo $15,530/mo $830,800 5
Covina Los Angeles $7,750/mo $9,460/mo $11,970/mo $783,300 5
Glendora Los Angeles $7,750/mo $9,460/mo $11,970/mo $783,300 5
Inglewood Los Angeles $7,750/mo $9,460/mo $11,970/mo $783,300 5
Lodi San Joaquin $7,070/mo $8,630/mo $10,930/mo $494,500 5
Napa Napa $9,060/mo $11,050/mo $13,990/mo $838,800 5
National City San Diego $8,890/mo $10,850/mo $13,740/mo $791,600 5
Orange Orange $9,770/mo $11,920/mo $15,090/mo $915,500 5
Petaluma Sonoma $8,740/mo $10,660/mo $13,510/mo $779,000 5
Porterville Tulare $5,350/mo $6,530/mo $8,260/mo $303,000 5
Reseda Los Angeles $7,750/mo $9,460/mo $11,970/mo $783,300 5
Rosemead Los Angeles $7,750/mo $9,460/mo $11,970/mo $783,300 5
Salinas Monterey $8,220/mo $10,030/mo $12,710/mo $723,100 5
West Covina Los Angeles $7,750/mo $9,460/mo $11,970/mo $783,300 5
Baldwin Park Los Angeles $7,750/mo $9,460/mo $11,970/mo $783,300 4
Bellflower Los Angeles $7,750/mo $9,460/mo $11,970/mo $783,300 4
Canoga Park Los Angeles $7,750/mo $9,460/mo $11,970/mo $783,300 4
Downey Los Angeles $7,750/mo $9,460/mo $11,970/mo $783,300 4
Duarte Los Angeles $7,750/mo $9,460/mo $11,970/mo $783,300 4
Fairfield Solano $8,640/mo $10,540/mo $13,350/mo $589,600 4
Granada Hills Los Angeles $7,750/mo $9,460/mo $11,970/mo $783,300 4
Grass Valley Nevada $6,970/mo $8,500/mo $10,760/mo $602,800 4
Lancaster Los Angeles $7,750/mo $9,460/mo $11,970/mo $783,300 4
Los Gatos Santa Clara $10,230/mo $12,480/mo $15,810/mo $1,382,800 4
Monterey Monterey $8,220/mo $10,030/mo $12,710/mo $723,100 4
Ontario San Bernardino $7,080/mo $8,640/mo $10,930/mo $475,000 4
Oxnard Ventura $9,290/mo $11,330/mo $14,360/mo $768,400 4
Palm Springs Riverside $7,590/mo $9,260/mo $11,730/mo $510,300 4
Pico Rivera Los Angeles $7,750/mo $9,460/mo $11,970/mo $783,300 4

California Senior Care FAQ (2026)

The statewide average for assisted living in California is $8,300 per month ($99,600 per year), compared to the U.S. national median of $6,200 per month.
In California, a semi-private room in a CMS-certified nursing home averages $12,830 per month, while a private room averages $14,460 per month.
For 2026, the standard individual monthly income limit for long-term care Medicaid in California is $2,901 per month.