Assisted Living Communities in Eureka, California

Based on fees in the 2024 Genworth Cost of Care Survey, seniors in Eureka expect assisted living expenses of around $5,400 per month, making local costs comparable to the national median and well below the state norm of $6,250. While costs in nearby Chico trend several hundred dollars lower at around $4,921, seniors in Santa Rosa and Napa anticipate higher monthly fees of roughly $7,250 and $7,488, respectively.

According to the Genworth 2020 Cost of Care Survey, the average cost of assisted living in Eureka is $4,500. While this is $500 less than the state average, it’s still $200 higher than the national average.

While many families use their own funds or personal assets to pay for assisted living, there are plenty of additional options to cover these costs. Some additional ways to finance assisted living costs include:

• Veterans Benefits
• Life Insurance Policy
• Long-Term Care Insurance
• Reverse Mortgage

For more information about different ways to finance assisted living, visit our Assisted Living in California page.

In Eureka, assisted living costs fall near $5,400, making this type of care more affordable than skilled nursing alternatives. For example, home health care agencies charge around an additional $1,275 per month for full-time services, and nursing homes set a baseline norm of approximately $12,167 for semi-private accommodations.

Assisted living facilities in Eureka and throughout California are monitored and licensed by the Senior Care Licensing Program, which is part of the California Department of Social Services. This program sends field staff to do regulatory inspections of residential care facilities for the elderly, such as assisted living residences, throughout the state.

• California exempts Social Security income from state income tax, which is highly beneficial to seniors in Eureka. While most other retirement benefits are taxed, only seniors with substantial incomes pay the highest income tax rate. California’s income tax ranges from 1% to 13.3% with the high end of that scale for millionaires.
• California’s combined state and local sales taxes average 8.82% but can be as high as 9.75%. Eureka’s seniors benefit from Humboldt County’s combined sales taxes being lower than 68.5% of other California cities and counties. Humboldt County’s rate is 7.75% and seniors won’t pay taxes on groceries and prescription drugs.
• Being up north, Eureka’s climate isn’t the typical California weather. It’s rainier with an average of 46 inches per year, compared to the statewide average of 22 inches and a national average of 38 inches. Winters are still mild, but Eureka sees a little snow, about an inch a year. Summers are extremely temperate with an average high of 66 degrees in the hottest month and a wintertime low of about 41 degrees in January. Overall, seniors benefit from weather that doesn’t get too hot or too cold.
• Unlike much of California, Eureka’s cost of living is 1% lower than the national average, making it one of the more affordable places to retire in the Golden State. While this doesn’t seem like much, it’s an amazing feat in California where the statewide cost of living is about 50% higher than the national average. In comparison, Santa Barbara, a popular retirement community, has a cost of living that’s 123% higher than the national average.
• Outdoorsy seniors in Eureka benefit from its consistently good air quality as indicated by the Environmental Protection Agency’s Air Quality Index. Eureka’s air quality is usually within the zero to 50 range, on a scale that runs to 500, which means it’s satisfactory and air pollution poses little to no risk to those spending time outdoors.