Senior care costs by state › California
Cost of Senior Care in California (2026)
A nursing home semi-private room in California costs a median of $12,167 per month — 27% above the national median ($9,581). California ranks #36 of 50 states for nursing home costs, from most to least expensive. Figures below are medians from the CareScout Cost of Care Survey 2025.
California senior care costs at a glance
| Type of care | Median cost | Per year | Vs. national median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nursing home — semi-private room | $12,167 | $146,004 | 27% above the national median |
| Nursing home — private room | $15,178 | $182,136 | 41% above the national median |
| Assisted living community | $7,000 | $84,000 | 13% above the national median |
| Home care aide (hourly) | $40/hr | $7,627/mo at 44 hrs/wk | 14% above the national median |
| Adult day health care | $95/day | — | national median (state figure not published) |
Most families pay for care far longer than they expect: the average long-term care need lasts about 3 years, and roughly 1 in 5 people need care for more than 5 years. In California, five years in a nursing home (semi-private) adds up to about $730,020 before inflation.
Plan California care costs with your own numbers
Use the free calculator to project costs with inflation, a future start date and your current savings — for California or any other state.
Open the cost calculator →Will Medicaid pay for care in California?
Medicaid is the largest payer of long-term care in the U.S., but it has strict asset and income limits. See the 2026 limits for California, including spousal protections:
California Medicaid eligibility limits →Sources: CareScout (formerly Genworth) Cost of Care Survey 2025, state medians; national medians — nursing home semi-private $9,581/mo, private $10,798/mo, assisted living $6,200/mo, home care $35/hr, adult day care $95/day. Medians are planning benchmarks; actual prices vary by city and facility.