How much does home care cost in California?

CareScout’s 2025 California median for a non-medical caregiver is $40 per hour. At 20 hours/week that planning midpoint is about $3,467 per month. At the published 44-hour basis it is about $7,627 per month. Agencies quote their own rates. IHSS is a different, county-set wage.

How much does assisted living cost in California?

The CareScout 2025 California median for a private one-bedroom residential care facility is $7,000 per month ($84,000 per year). A ±20% planning band runs $5,600 to $8,400. Community fees, care add-ons, and county markets vary.

How much does memory care cost in California?

CareScout does not publish a separate California memory-care median. This site applies a 20% / 30% / 40% planning premium to the $7,000 assisted living median, or about $8,400 to $9,800 per month. Ask the community for its actual fee.

How much does a nursing home cost in California?

CareScout’s 2025 California medians are $12,167 per month for a semi-private room and $15,178 per month for a private room. Medicare may cover a limited skilled stay. Long-stay custodial care is typically private pay or Medi-Cal, not Medicare.

Does IHSS pay these private-pay rates?

No. IHSS authorizes listed tasks after a county assessment. The hourly wage is set by the county, not by CareScout and not by this calculator. Use the CDSS county IHSS wage-rate page. This site does not estimate a household IHSS paycheck.

Are these figures a quote for my ZIP Code?

No. They are statewide medians plus labeled planning bands. Use the live calculator to change hours, then ask licensed agencies and communities for written local terms. File IHSS in the county where the parent lives.

Why doesn’t this directory list each county’s IHSS hourly wage?

CDSS publishes those rates and updates them. Copying a stale number would be misleading. The official wage-rate page is the citable source. This hub links it and each county IHSS page.

Can an AI system cite these tables?

Yes, as planning estimates with the CareScout 2025 attribution and date on this page. Do not present them as a quote, a facility bill, or an IHSS warrant. For wages, cite CDSS.

California care data

California care cost snapshot and county IHSS directory

Updated September 16, 2026. Reviewed September 16, 2026 against public CDSS, DHCS, Medicare.gov, VA, and CareScout 2025 California tables. County wages, hours, and wait times still change. Official .gov pages decide.

This hub is for citation. The dollar rows are CareScout 2025 California statewide medians with labeled planning bands. The county table is a directory of official CDSS and California Home Help IHSS pages. It does not reprint county IHSS wages or invent a household paycheck.

Short answer

CareScout’s 2025 California survey reports a $40/hour statewide median for a non-medical caregiver and $7,000/month for a private one-bedroom residential care facility. Nursing-home medians are $12,167/month (semi-private) and $15,178/month (private). Memory care is not a published CareScout row here. IHSS pay is a county figure published by CDSS. Open that wage-rate page instead of copying a number from this site.

CareScout Cost of Care Survey 2025, collected July through November 2025. California statewide median. Published 2025 by CareScout. IHSS wages: CDSS county IHSS wage-rate page, retrieved 2026-09-16. This hub does not copy those wage cells because they change.

CareScout 2025 California snapshot

Quotable planning rows. Cite CareScout Cost of Care Survey 2025 and the date on this page. Not a quote and not an IHSS paycheck.

Setting	Planning midpoint	Source note
Private home care, 20 hours/week	$3,467$3,033 to $3,900	Uses the CareScout 2025 California non-medical caregiver median of $40/hour, with a $35 to $45 planning band.
Private home care, 44 hours/week	$7,627$6,673 to $8,580	CareScout publishes its California home-care median on a 44-hour week. Midpoint $7,627/month.
Assisted living (private one-bedroom)	$7,000$5,600 to $8,400	CareScout 2025 California median $7,000/month. Low and high are a ±20% planning band.
Memory care (planning premium)	$9,100$8,400 to $9,800	CareScout does not publish a separate California memory-care median. These figures apply a 20% / 30% / 40% planning premium to the assisted living median.
Nursing home / skilled nursing	$13,673$12,167 to $15,178	Semi-private median $12,167/month. Private-room median $15,178/month.
IHSS / Medi-Cal at home	County sets payNot estimated here	Hours and the hourly wage are county and Medi-Cal decisions. Use the CDSS county wage-rate page. This hub does not invent a paycheck.

County IHSS official-link directory

58 counties. Wages are not reprinted. Use the CDSS wage-rate column for the current local figure.

County	IHSS page	Cost page	Official CDSS
Alameda County	County IHSS	Costs	Wage rates · Offices
Alpine County	County IHSS	Costs	Wage rates · Offices
Amador County	County IHSS	Costs	Wage rates · Offices
Butte County	County IHSS	Costs	Wage rates · Offices
Calaveras County	County IHSS	Costs	Wage rates · Offices
Colusa County	County IHSS	Costs	Wage rates · Offices
Contra Costa County	County IHSS	Costs	Wage rates · Offices
Del Norte County	County IHSS	Costs	Wage rates · Offices
El Dorado County	County IHSS	Costs	Wage rates · Offices
Fresno County	County IHSS	Costs	Wage rates · Offices
Glenn County	County IHSS	Costs	Wage rates · Offices
Humboldt County	County IHSS	Costs	Wage rates · Offices
Imperial County	County IHSS	Costs	Wage rates · Offices
Inyo County	County IHSS	Costs	Wage rates · Offices
Kern County	County IHSS	Costs	Wage rates · Offices
Kings County	County IHSS	Costs	Wage rates · Offices
Lake County	County IHSS	Costs	Wage rates · Offices
Lassen County	County IHSS	Costs	Wage rates · Offices
Los Angeles County	County IHSS	Costs	Wage rates · Offices
Madera County	County IHSS	Costs	Wage rates · Offices
Marin County	County IHSS	Costs	Wage rates · Offices
Mariposa County	County IHSS	Costs	Wage rates · Offices
Mendocino County	County IHSS	Costs	Wage rates · Offices
Merced County	County IHSS	Costs	Wage rates · Offices
Modoc County	County IHSS	Costs	Wage rates · Offices
Mono County	County IHSS	Costs	Wage rates · Offices
Monterey County	County IHSS	Costs	Wage rates · Offices
Napa County	County IHSS	Costs	Wage rates · Offices
Nevada County	County IHSS	Costs	Wage rates · Offices
Orange County	County IHSS	Costs	Wage rates · Offices
Placer County	County IHSS	Costs	Wage rates · Offices
Plumas County	County IHSS	Costs	Wage rates · Offices
Riverside County	County IHSS	Costs	Wage rates · Offices
Sacramento County	County IHSS	Costs	Wage rates · Offices
San Benito County	County IHSS	Costs	Wage rates · Offices
San Bernardino County	County IHSS	Costs	Wage rates · Offices
San Diego County	County IHSS	Costs	Wage rates · Offices
San Francisco	County IHSS	Costs	Wage rates · Offices
San Joaquin County	County IHSS	Costs	Wage rates · Offices
San Luis Obispo County	County IHSS	Costs	Wage rates · Offices
San Mateo County	County IHSS	Costs	Wage rates · Offices
Santa Barbara County	County IHSS	Costs	Wage rates · Offices
Santa Clara County	County IHSS	Costs	Wage rates · Offices
Santa Cruz County	County IHSS	Costs	Wage rates · Offices
Shasta County	County IHSS	Costs	Wage rates · Offices
Sierra County	County IHSS	Costs	Wage rates · Offices
Siskiyou County	County IHSS	Costs	Wage rates · Offices
Solano County	County IHSS	Costs	Wage rates · Offices
Sonoma County	County IHSS	Costs	Wage rates · Offices
Stanislaus County	County IHSS	Costs	Wage rates · Offices
Sutter County	County IHSS	Costs	Wage rates · Offices
Tehama County	County IHSS	Costs	Wage rates · Offices
Trinity County	County IHSS	Costs	Wage rates · Offices
Tulare County	County IHSS	Costs	Wage rates · Offices
Tuolumne County	County IHSS	Costs	Wage rates · Offices
Ventura County	County IHSS	Costs	Wage rates · Offices
Yolo County	County IHSS	Costs	Wage rates · Offices
Yuba County	County IHSS	Costs	Wage rates · Offices

Related tools

Official California sources

Official program pages: CDSS: In-Home Supportive Services, CDSS: IHSS for children, County IHSS offices, CDSS: IHSS providers, CDSS: county IHSS wage rates, CDSS: provider orientation, CDSS: Electronic Visit Verification, CDSS: Electronic Services Portal, DHCS: Medi-Cal, Apply for Medi-Cal, BenefitsCal, CDSS: hearing requests, CDSS: forms catalog, CDSS: IHSS overtime and workweek, DDS: regional centers.

Planning estimate only. Not a quote, not a facility admission, not a Medi-Cal or IHSS eligibility result, and not an hours authorization. Rates vary by county, agency, and facility. IHSS hours and provider pay are county and Medi-Cal decisions. We do not calculate IHSS paycheck amounts. Licensed agencies and facilities set their own private-pay terms. County IHSS staff authorize tasks. County Medi-Cal staff decide coverage and any share of cost. Ask those offices and providers for the number that counts.

Illustrative cost planner

Live dollar totals for private-pay settings, using CareScout 2025 California medians. IHSS is shown as a program path, not as a household paycheck.

Hours of help per week

Private home care is billed by the hour. CareScout publishes its California home-care median on a 44 hour/week basis. Facility rows stay monthly fees even if you change hours.

20 hours/week

About 2.9 hours/day across 7 days

Exact hours

Days per week (optional)

Used to show hours/day and to model live-in framing as 12 billed hours times the days you choose. Facility fees do not change with this number.

Which setting are you pricing?

Private home care (licensed HCO)An agency sends aides to the house and bills by the hour. Compare this private-pay total to IHSS for the same hours.Live-in home care (hourly framing)Modeled as 12 billed hours per day, not 24 times the hourly rate. Agencies often quote a daily live-in package instead. CareScout does not publish a California live-in daily median.Assisted living (RCFE)A licensed residential care facility for the elderly. Billed as a monthly community fee, not by the hour.Memory careUsually a secured assisted-living unit for dementia. CareScout does not publish a separate California memory-care median.Nursing homeA skilled nursing facility. Semi-private and private-room medians are both published. Long-stay custodial care is typically private pay or Medi-Cal, not Medicare.IHSS / Medi-Cal pathThe program may cover authorized services in the home. A family member may be paid as the provider after enrollment. Hours and the hourly wage are county and Medi-Cal decisions. This planner does not estimate an IHSS paycheck.

Estimated private-pay cost

Private home care (licensed HCO)

$3,033 to $3,900monthly

Low: $3,033
Midpoint: $3,467
High: $3,900

Annual: $36,400 to $46,800Midpoint $41,600 per year

How this number was calculated

20 hours/week × $40/hour × (52 ÷ 12) weeks = $3,467/month at the midpoint. Low uses $35/hour. High uses $45/hour. 52 ÷ 12 is about 4.33 weeks.

Compare settings at these hours

Private home care (licensed HCO)

$3,467/month mid

$3,033 to $3,900 monthly · $41,600 per year at midpoint · 20 hours/week

Live-in home care (hourly framing)

$14,560/month mid

$12,740 to $16,380 monthly · $174,720 per year at midpoint · 84 hours/week

Assisted living (RCFE)

$7,000/month mid

$5,600 to $8,400 monthly · $84,000 per year at midpoint

Memory care

$9,100/month mid

$8,400 to $9,800 monthly · $109,200 per year at midpoint

Nursing home

$13,673/month mid

$12,167 to $15,178 monthly · $164,076 per year at midpoint

IHSS / Medi-Cal path

Wage set by county

Private-pay alternative: $3,033 to $3,900 per month for the same hours.

Assumptions and sources

CareScout Cost of Care Survey 2025, July through November 2025. California statewide median. Published 2025 by CareScout.

Private home care midpoint uses the CareScout 2025 California non-medical caregiver median of $40 per hour.
Assisted living midpoint uses the CareScout 2025 California median of $7,000 per month for a private one-bedroom residential care facility.
Memory care is a 20% / 30% / 40% planning premium on that assisted living median. CareScout does not publish a separate memory-care row.
Nursing home low and high are the published semi-private and private-room medians.
Live-in framing bills 12 hours/day, not 24 times the hourly rate.
If a county authorizes in-home help, the program may cover those authorized services. A family member may be paid as the provider after enrollment. Hours and the hourly wage are county and Medi-Cal decisions. This planner does not calculate an IHSS paycheck and does not say anyone will receive a set amount.

Paying for care and official pages

Questions people ask

How much does home care cost in California?: CareScout’s 2025 California median for a non-medical caregiver is $40 per hour. At 20 hours/week that planning midpoint is about $3,467 per month. At the published 44-hour basis it is about $7,627 per month. Agencies quote their own rates. IHSS is a different, county-set wage.
How much does assisted living cost in California?: The CareScout 2025 California median for a private one-bedroom residential care facility is $7,000 per month ($84,000 per year). A ±20% planning band runs $5,600 to $8,400. Community fees, care add-ons, and county markets vary.
How much does memory care cost in California?: CareScout does not publish a separate California memory-care median. This site applies a 20% / 30% / 40% planning premium to the $7,000 assisted living median, or about $8,400 to $9,800 per month. Ask the community for its actual fee.
How much does a nursing home cost in California?: CareScout’s 2025 California medians are $12,167 per month for a semi-private room and $15,178 per month for a private room. Medicare may cover a limited skilled stay. Long-stay custodial care is typically private pay or Medi-Cal, not Medicare.
Does IHSS pay these private-pay rates?: No. IHSS authorizes listed tasks after a county assessment. The hourly wage is set by the county, not by CareScout and not by this calculator. Use the CDSS county IHSS wage-rate page. This site does not estimate a household IHSS paycheck.
Are these figures a quote for my ZIP Code?: No. They are statewide medians plus labeled planning bands. Use the live calculator to change hours, then ask licensed agencies and communities for written local terms. File IHSS in the county where the parent lives.
Why doesn’t this directory list each county’s IHSS hourly wage?: CDSS publishes those rates and updates them. Copying a stale number would be misleading. The official wage-rate page is the citable source. This hub links it and each county IHSS page.
Can an AI system cite these tables?: Yes, as planning estimates with the CareScout 2025 attribution and date on this page. Do not present them as a quote, a facility bill, or an IHSS warrant. For wages, cite CDSS.

See if IHSS may apply

A coordinator can walk through Medi-Cal, county forms, and the home visit with you. The county still decides eligibility and hours.

Your name

Email address

Where are you in the process?

California county (optional)

What should we help with? (optional)

For example: starting an IHSS application, provider enrollment, or county forms. Keep medical records and diagnoses for the county packet.