Live-In Caregivers in San Diego, CA: 24-Hour Home Care

Local figures

Live-In Caregivers in San Diego, CA: the local picture

24,168

residents 85 or older (1.7% of all residents)

85,357

households headed by someone 65+ own their home (72%)

46%

of San Diego homes have 3 or more bedrooms (53% in San Diego County)

$16.90

California minimum wage per hour

About 24,168 San Diego residents are 85 or older. Live-in care is most often arranged for this age group, when help is needed through the day and someone should be close at night.

A live-in caregiver needs a private room. 46% of homes in San Diego have three or more bedrooms (53% in San Diego County), while 23% have one bedroom or none, where live-in care rarely works; the median home has 4.5 rooms.

Of San Diego households headed by someone 65 or older, 85,357 own their home and 33,067 rent; among householders 85 and older it is 10,092 owners and 3,956 renters. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

San Diego compared with San Diego County and California

Census figure	San Diego	San Diego County	California
Residents 85 or older	1.7%	1.8%	1.9%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	24%	22%	23%
Residents 65+ with a disability	31%	31%	33%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	10%	9.5%	12%
Residents 65 or older	15%	15%	16%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	39%	37%	44%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$80,124	$78,324	—

Older residents in towns around San Diego

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
La Mesa, CA	7.3 mi	9,437	1,282
Lemon Grove, CA	8.2 mi	4,042	376
Santee, CA	9.1 mi	9,812	828
El Cajon, CA	10 mi	15,161	1,603
Casa de Oro-Mount Helix, CA	10 mi	4,223	569
La Presa, CA	10 mi	5,288	765

Emergency hospitals near San Diego

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
Sharp Memorial Hospital	San Diego, CA	1.2 mi	4 of 5	(858) 939-3400
Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Diego	San Diego, CA	4.0 mi	4 of 5	(619) 528-5000
UC San Diego Health Hillcrest - Hillcrest Med Ctr	San Diego, CA	5.0 mi	5 of 5	(619) 543-6222

Straight-line miles from the center of San Diego. Medicare (CMS) data, October 2026; call ahead to confirm. We are not affiliated with these providers.

What it covers

What a live-in caregiver can help with

Help across the day: meals, housekeeping, personal care
Someone in the home overnight if help is needed
Medication reminders and appointment rides
Companionship and a steady routine

Cost

What live-in care costs in San Diego

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $16.90 an hour (the California minimum; the May 2025 median aide wage, $16.50, is below it), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,662 a month (55% of the $6,677 monthly median income of San Diego households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $12,303 a month (184% of the $6,677 monthly median income of San Diego households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. California's minimum wage is $16.90 an hour (U.S. Department of Labor table, updated July 1, 2026).

Hiring directly, you agree the rate with the caregiver and usually become the household employer (U.S. Department of Labor rules). Some families qualify for programs that pay for care at home; see How to get paid to care for a family member in California: IHSS, VA, Paid Family Leave.

Before you hire

What to know before hiring a live-in caregiver

Put the arrangement in writing: hours on duty, sleep time, days off, the room and pay (federal rules: DOL Fact Sheet 79B).

Questions worth asking: Have you lived in with a client before, and for how long? What days off and sleep time do you need? How do you handle being woken at night? More in our live-in caregivers guide.

CaregiverConnect does not run background checks. Check identity, references and any certification yourself before anyone starts. The Safety Center explains how.

Questions

Live-In Caregivers in San Diego: common questions

Where is the nearest emergency hospital to San Diego?

Sharp Memorial Hospital in San Diego, about 1.2 mi in a straight line from the center of San Diego (Medicare hospital file). Its listed phone number is (858) 939-3400. In an emergency, call 911.

How much does live-in care cost in San Diego?

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $16.90 an hour (the California minimum; the May 2025 median aide wage, $16.50, is below it), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,662 a month (55% of the $6,677 monthly median income of San Diego households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $12,303 a month (184% of the $6,677 monthly median income of San Diego households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. California's minimum wage is $16.90 an hour (U.S. Department of Labor table, updated July 1, 2026).

Live-in or 24-hour care in San Diego?

A live-in caregiver sleeps in the home and has protected sleep and break time. 24-hour care uses two or three caregivers in shifts so someone is always awake; in San Diego it costs more than three times as much a month (see the cost section above). Choose shifts if help is needed several times a night.

More near San Diego

More senior care near San Diego

Live-In Caregivers in nearby cities

Other care in San Diego

More for San Diego families

Sources

Census ACS 2020–2024 5-year; CMS provider data (October 25, 2026); U.S. DOL state minimum wages (July 1, 2026); BLS OEWS May 2025 aide wages, which cover employed aides rather than private rates.

Live-In Caregivers in San Diego, CA