San Diego Senior AdvisorLocal senior care advisors
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616 CCLD-licensed assisted living and memory care facilities (RCFEs) across San Diego County, every one linked to its state record.
Last verified: October 2026
Every Residential Care Facility for the Elderly (RCFE) with an active CDSS Community Care Licensing license in San Diego County - 616 in all, from the state's own records: 196 in the city of San Diego and La Jolla, 89 in North County Coastal, 194 in North County Inland, 89 in East County and 48 in the South Bay and Coronado.
Every active RCFE in the county, from six-bed homes to continuing care campuses.
Browse all →366 with dementia approvalRCFEs whose CCLD record shows a dementia approval or secured perimeter.
Browse all →453 six-bed homesSmall residential RCFEs licensed for six or fewer residents.
Browse all →Because California law treats a licensed residential care home for six or fewer people as a residential use of a single-family house, so these homes can open in ordinary neighborhoods. 453 of the county's 616 RCFEs are licensed for six or fewer residents, while about 104 larger communities hold most of the beds.
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.
| Assisted living is... | Memory care is... | |
|---|---|---|
| Who it serves | Adults 60+ who need help with daily activities and medications but are safe in an open building | People with Alzheimer's or another dementia who may wander, exit-seek or need constant redirection |
| How the CCLD record shows it | RCFE license, client served "935 - Elderly" | "983 - RCFE / Dementia"; secured units also list delayed egress / secured perimeter |
| Building | Open doors; residents come and go | Delayed-egress doors or a secured perimeter approved by CCLD |
| It isn't... | A skilled nursing facility; no 24-hour licensed nurse is required | A nursing home; medical needs beyond RCFE limits still require a skilled nursing facility (licensed by CDPH, not CCLD) |
| Typical 2026 cost | $3,800-$6,500 a month | $5,200-$8,500 a month |
40 of the county's larger, best-known assisted living and memory care communities have full profile pages with the CCLD license record, inspection and complaint history, citations, local hospital context and tour questions. Every other licensed RCFE is listed with its license number, beds, phone and a link to its CCLD record.
Every listing comes from the California Department of Social Services (CDSS), Community Care Licensing Division (CCLD): the CDSS Community Care Licensing Facilities dataset (the bulk list of currently licensed facilities) joined to each facility's record in the CCLD Care Facility Search (status, first-licensed date, client-served approvals, visit dates, complaint outcomes and Type A / Type B citations). 616 active RCFE licenses in San Diego County are listed; pending applications, withdrawn applications and closed licenses are left out.
Registry data retrieved October 24, 2026; we re-pull it monthly. Last updated: October 24, 2026. Something out of date? Tell us on the contact page, or check the facility's live CCLD record from its listing.
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