Memory Care Communities in San Marcos, California

Memory care units in San Marcos charge around $9,063 monthly, with local fees exceeding the state norm by approximately $1,250 and the nationwide median by roughly $2,375. Rates also track above care costs in nearby cities, including Los Angeles and Riverside, where baseline rates come in near $7,185 and $6,655, respectively.

Note: Residential memory care is usually offered in assisted living facilities, and in general, memory care rates tend to be 20-30% higher than assisted living rates. No national database currently tracks memory care costs in the United States, so we've estimated the monthly memory care costs listed below by adding 25% to the rates listed in Genworth's 2024 Cost of Care Survey.

In San Marcos, memory care residents pay approximately $9,063 per month.

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

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

For more information about different ways to finance memory care, visit our Memory Care in California page.

Memory care residents in San Marcos pay around $9,063 per month, which exceeds assisted living and home health care costs by approximately $1,815. Seniors pay comparatively affordable rates of about $6,864 for in-home care, but nursing homes charge considerably higher fees of around $11,558.

The California Department of Social Services, Senior Care Licensing Program oversees all memory care facilities in San Marcos and the rest of the state. It officially licenses them as residential care facilities for the elderly and requires them to follow regulations related to housing, staffing and care planning.

• California's income tax rate runs among the highest in the nation, and many seniors in San Marcos pay thousands of dollars to the state annually, depending on their retirement income sources. Fortunately, the state offers a full exemption for Social Security benefits and provides the senior income tax exemption, which supports seniors’ financial stability and helps them afford local memory care services.
• San Marcos doesn’t have its own hospital, but Palomar Medical Center Escondido sits within 3 miles of the city center, giving residents access to diverse services. This hospital serves as one of the largest in the country, with a 288-bed medical center, 44 emergency and trauma rooms and 11 operating rooms. While it doesn’t provide neurological care, its physicians provide referrals to local specialists who diagnose and treat dementia.
• San Marcos scores 154.9 points on a cost of living index, which runs about 55% over the national average and about 3% above the state norm. Fortunately, because the city sits in San Diego County, local and nearby facilities may accept the state-funded Assisted Living Waiver, which pays for eligible memory care services for qualified residents.
• Over the year, temperatures in San Marcos range from 45 to 81 degrees Fahrenheit, rarely falling below 39 degrees Fahrenheit or exceeding 88 degrees Fahrenheit. Conditions tend to be dry, with residents rarely experiencing noticeable humidity. The city gets about 12 inches of annual rainfall and virtually no snow. To help residents take advantage of the warm climate, many memory care facilities organize therapeutic outdoor activities, such as picnics and supervised walks.
• San Marcos ranks in the top half of U.S. communities, earning a score of 53 points on the AARP Livability Index. This score reflects senior-friendly factors, such as high access to grocery stores and parks, reliable public transportation and a low preventable hospitalization rate of 27.7 versus 38.2 nationally, making the city a practical option for prospective memory care residents.