Memory Care Directory: San Diego County

Last verified: October 2026 · Also see: Assisted living (all RCFEs) · Board and care homes

How many memory care communities are licensed in San Diego County?

366 active RCFEs in San Diego County carry a dementia approval on their CCLD record (65 of them also have an approved delayed-egress or secured-perimeter setup), with 14,602 licensed beds between them. 250 are six-bed homes and 53 are communities with 100 or more beds. The largest numbers are 107 in San Diego, 53 in Escondido, 28 in Oceanside, 24 in Vista, 21 in El Cajon, 19 in Poway.

A dementia approval tells you the facility may admit and keep residents with dementia under Title 22 dementia-care rules; it does not tell you how the unit is staffed. Ask how many residents live in the secured area, what dementia training caregivers have completed, and who decides when a resident's needs exceed what the license allows.

Featured operators (full profiles)

These larger, well-known communities have full profile pages with their CCLD license record, inspection and complaint history, local context and tour questions.

All memory care in San Diego County (A-Z)

What is the difference between assisted living and memory care in San Diego County?

Both are licensed in California as a Residential Care Facility for the Elderly (RCFE) by CDSS Community Care Licensing; memory care is RCFE care for people with dementia, which the CCLD record shows as a "983 - RCFE / Dementia" client-served approval and, for a locked or alarmed unit, a delayed-egress or secured-perimeter approval. There is no separate memory care license in California.

Who licenses assisted living and memory care in San Diego County?

The California Department of Social Services, Community Care Licensing Division (CCLD), licenses every RCFE under the Health and Safety Code (section 1569 et seq.) and Title 22 of the California Code of Regulations. San Diego County facilities are overseen by CCLD's Adult and Senior Care San Diego Regional Office, 7575 Metropolitan Dr., Suite 109, (619) 767-2300.

How do I check a San Diego RCFE's inspection and complaint record?

Click the CCLD record link on any listing. CCLD's Care Facility Search shows every visit date, each complaint with its allegation outcomes (substantiated, inconclusive, unsubstantiated), Type A and Type B citations, and the inspection reports themselves. Our full profiles summarize that record for the featured communities.

How much does memory care cost in San Diego in 2026?

Typical 2026 pricing in San Diego County is $5,200-$8,500 a month, with coastal La Jolla, Del Mar, Carlsbad and Encinitas at the top and East County and the South Bay lower. CCLD does not publish rates, so ask each facility for its written rate sheet and care-level fees.

How do I narrow this list to a real shortlist?

Filter by area or city, keep the facilities whose approvals match the care needed (dementia, hospice, non-ambulatory), then open each CCLD record. Or use the chat on this page: a San Diego Senior Advisor advisor will match needs, budget and location to a short list of licensed options with openings - free to families.