Other senior care options in California:

Page 3 of Best Independent Living in California

Why trust this guide? Our editorial team analyzed 648 independent living communities in CA using CA Dept. of Social Services (CDSS) data, inspection records, complaints, amenities, and facility-level details. How we rank independent living in CA
Reviewed by
Last updated
Jul 2026
We analyzed
648 homes
Other senior care options in California:

Video Tour: Top-rated Independent Living facilities in California.

Watch this Video to see California's Top-rated Senior Communities
Avg Walk Score: 59/ 100The average Walk Score across facilities in California. A third-party neighborhood walkability score (0–100) measuring convenience and context, not healthcare quality. Individual facilities can vary widely from this average.
National Average: 50/ 100
Avg No. of Beds: 104The average licensed bed capacity across facilities in California. Individual facilities can vary widely from this average.
National Average: 90

Compare Independent Living around California

Info below is compiled from the CA Dept. of Social Services (CDSS), senior community websites & trusted data sources such as Walk Score & BBB.

Communities are listed from highest to lowest based on our ranking methodology.

Harrison Villa of Mt. San Antonio Gardens
IL
AL
MC
NH
SNF
Pomona
520
Facility 520
CA AVG 104
Rank #16 / 1646
No 45
94
Facility 94
CA AVG 81
Rank #212 / 1475
14
3
Facility 3
CA AVG 13
Rank #443 / 1388
0
Facility 0
CA AVG 3
Rank #1 / 1434
33
Facility 33
CA AVG 13
Rank #88 / 1504
84.0% -Congregational Homes, IncorporatedStudio
Vi at La Jolla Village
IL
AL
MC
NH
SNF
San Diego (University City)
783
Facility 783
CA AVG 104
Rank #5 / 1646
No
88
Facility 88
CA AVG 59
Rank #218 / 2058
84
Facility 84
CA AVG 81
Rank #732 / 1475
34
17
Facility 17
CA AVG 13
Rank #1057 / 1388
0
Facility 0
CA AVG 3
Rank #1 / 1434
28
Facility 28
CA AVG 13
Rank #155 / 1504
69.3% -Ccw La Jolla LLC, Cc La Jolla LLC, And Classic Res MgmtSuite / Penthouse / 1 Bed / 2 Bed
Vi at Palo Alto
IL
AL
MC
NH
SNF
Palo Alto
876
Facility 876
CA AVG 104
Rank #1 / 1646
No
80
Facility 80
CA AVG 59
Rank #416 / 2058
90
Facility 90
CA AVG 81
Rank #461 / 1475
24
10
Facility 10
CA AVG 13
Rank #846 / 1388
0
Facility 0
CA AVG 3
Rank #1 / 1434
21
Facility 21
CA AVG 13
Rank #362 / 1504
73.1% -Cc Palo Alto LLC And Classic Res. Mgmt. Ltd. Partner1 Bed / 2 Bed / 3 Bed
The Reutlinger Community
IL
AL
MC
NH
SNF
Danville
120
Facility 120
CA AVG 104
Rank #560 / 1646
No
30
Facility 30
CA AVG 59
Rank #1717 / 2058
86
Facility 86
CA AVG 81
Rank #649 / 1475
27
11
Facility 11
CA AVG 13
Rank #886 / 1388
1
Facility 1
CA AVG 3
Rank #478 / 1434
28
Facility 28
CA AVG 13
Rank #155 / 1504
65.0% A+Reutlinger Community, The And Eskaton Properties IncStudio / 1 Bed
Canterbury Woods
IL
AL
NH
SNF
Pacific Grove
190
Facility 190
CA AVG 104
Rank #180 / 1646
Yes
81
Facility 81
CA AVG 59
Rank #383 / 2058
91
Facility 91
CA AVG 81
Rank #408 / 1475
13
2
Facility 2
CA AVG 13
Rank #326 / 1388
1
Facility 1
CA AVG 3
Rank #478 / 1434
42
Facility 42
CA AVG 13
Rank #33 / 1504
72.6% A+Front Porch Communities And Services1 Bed / 2 Bed
The Terraces at San Joaquin Gardens a CCRC
IL
AL
MC
NH
SNF
Fresno
652
Facility 652
CA AVG 104
Rank #9 / 1646
Yes 57
88
Facility 88
CA AVG 81
Rank #563 / 1475
20
4
Facility 4
CA AVG 13
Rank #526 / 1388
2
Facility 2
CA AVG 3
Rank #724 / 1434
32
Facility 32
CA AVG 13
Rank #105 / 1504
57.2% A+Humangood & Humangood Norcal & Humangood Fresno-
Webster House
IL
AL
NH
SNF
Palo Alto (Crescent Park)
54
Facility 54
CA AVG 104
Rank #1116 / 1646
Yes
90
Facility 90
CA AVG 59
Rank #171 / 2058
94
Facility 94
CA AVG 81
Rank #212 / 1475
7
0
Facility 0
CA AVG 13
Rank #1 / 1388
0
Facility 0
CA AVG 3
Rank #1 / 1434
11
Facility 11
CA AVG 13
Rank #652 / 1504
90.7% -Front Porch Communities And Services1 Bed / 2 Bed
O‘Connor Woods
IL
AL
MC
NH
RC
SNF
Stockton (Sherwood Manor)
499
Facility 499
CA AVG 104
Rank #23 / 1646
Yes
22
Facility 22
CA AVG 59
Rank #1824 / 2058
94
Facility 94
CA AVG 81
Rank #212 / 1475
13
2
Facility 2
CA AVG 13
Rank #326 / 1388
0
Facility 0
CA AVG 3
Rank #1 / 1434
34
Facility 34
CA AVG 13
Rank #79 / 1504
0-O'connor Woods HousingStudio / 1 Bed / 2 Bed
University Retirement Community
IL
AL
HC
MC
NH
SNF
Davis (West Davis)
500
Facility 500
CA AVG 104
Rank #22 / 1646
No 54
91
Facility 91
CA AVG 81
Rank #408 / 1475
15
4
Facility 4
CA AVG 13
Rank #526 / 1388
1
Facility 1
CA AVG 3
Rank #478 / 1434
28
Facility 28
CA AVG 13
Rank #155 / 1504
0-Univer Retire Com At Davis/Pacific Retire Services1 Bed / 2 Bed / 3 Bed
The Vineyards – California Armenian Home
IL
AL
MC
NH
RESC
SNF
Fresno (Roosevelt)
412
Facility 412
CA AVG 104
Rank #27 / 1646
Yes
24
Facility 24
CA AVG 59
Rank #1795 / 2058
91
Facility 91
CA AVG 81
Rank #408 / 1475
18
8
Facility 8
CA AVG 13
Rank #759 / 1388
0
Facility 0
CA AVG 3
Rank #1 / 1434
41
Facility 41
CA AVG 13
Rank #36 / 1504
54.1% -California Home For The Aged IncStudio / 1 Bed / 2 Bed
Spring Lake Village
IL
NH
AL
MC
Santa Rosa (Melita)
679
Facility 679
CA AVG 104
Rank #8 / 1646
Yes
13
Facility 13
CA AVG 59
Rank #1924 / 2058
88
Facility 88
CA AVG 81
Rank #563 / 1475
14
6
Facility 6
CA AVG 13
Rank #652 / 1388
2
Facility 2
CA AVG 3
Rank #724 / 1434
40
Facility 40
CA AVG 13
Rank #42 / 1504
0A+Front Porch Communities And Services1 Bed / 2 Bed
Town & Country
IL
AL
MC
NH
SNF
Santa Ana (East Memory Lane)
328
Facility 328
CA AVG 104
Rank #45 / 1646
Yes 67
60
Facility 60
CA AVG 81
Rank #1332 / 1475
39
28
Facility 28
CA AVG 13
Rank #1237 / 1388
6
Facility 6
CA AVG 3
Rank #1157 / 1434
50
Facility 50
CA AVG 13
Rank #22 / 1504
32.9% A+Christian And Missionary Alliance-
Hillcrest Care
IL
AL
MC
NH
RESC
SNF
Arrowhead Farms
6
Facility 6
CA AVG 104
Rank #1319 / 1646
Yes
29
Facility 29
CA AVG 59
Rank #1732 / 2058
96
Facility 96
CA AVG 81
Rank #1 / 1475
5
0
Facility 0
CA AVG 13
Rank #1 / 1388
0
Facility 0
CA AVG 3
Rank #1 / 1434
19
Facility 19
CA AVG 13
Rank #423 / 1504
100.0% -Angelita Perez-
Bayshire Torrey Pines
IL
AL
MC
NH
SNF
San Diego (Carmel Valley)
125
Facility 125
CA AVG 104
Rank #525 / 1646
Yes
81
Facility 81
CA AVG 59
Rank #383 / 2058
95
Facility 95
CA AVG 81
Rank #123 / 1475
7
3
Facility 3
CA AVG 13
Rank #443 / 1388
0
Facility 0
CA AVG 3
Rank #1 / 1434
3
Facility 3
CA AVG 13
Rank #1234 / 1504
84.8% A+Hartfield Care LLC-
Ararat Gardens
IL
AL
NH
SNF
Glendale (Somerset)
175
Facility 175
CA AVG 104
Rank #234 / 1646
Yes
86
Facility 86
CA AVG 59
Rank #267 / 2058
75
Facility 75
CA AVG 81
Rank #964 / 1475
22
12
Facility 12
CA AVG 13
Rank #920 / 1388
4
Facility 4
CA AVG 3
Rank #1011 / 1434
3
Facility 3
CA AVG 13
Rank #1234 / 1504
46.3% -Ararat Home Of Los Angeles, IncStudio / 1 Bed / 2 Bed / Cottage
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La Vida Del Mar

850 Del Mar Downs Rd, Solana Beach, CA 92075
Overview of La Vida Del Mar

Explore an idyllic community with La Vida Del Mar located in Solana Beach, CA. The La Vida Del Mar is an inviting senior living community that offers independent living, assisted living, and integrated health care. Known for its coastal setting, this community stands out from the crowd. A variety of resort-style, pet-friendly, and spacious accommodations are available depending on their living terms.

Experience its exceptional amenities and services, including locally-sourced delightful meals fine dining experience on the patio at Calypso Restaurant, three-dimensional approach to wellness, pool activities, and local attraction trips. In addition, philanthropic opportunities, lifelong learning seminars, concerts and social happy hours, and arts and creative writing classes make every moment count in the living experience. Thus, seniors are assured of a reliving retirement with La Vida Del Mar.

Contact La Vida Del Mar

Baywood Court

21966 Dolores Street, Castro Valley, CA 94546
Overview of Baywood Court

Manjot Kaur manages Baywood Court, a 72-bed nursing home on Dolores Street in Castro Valley, California. The building has been open for 35 years and stays filled to about 72 percent capacity, so they usually have open rooms. Stays average around 79 days, a timeline that shows the daily schedule splits its time between temporary post-hospital rehab and intermediate residential care. For payments, the billing department handles accounts through private funds and standard Medicare.

The surrounding neighborhood relies heavily on cars, scoring just 25 out of 100 for walkability, so visitors will almost always need to drive to the property. On the floor, the nursing crew delivers an average of 5 hours and 35 minutes of hands-on care to each resident daily. This round-the-clock staffing includes registered nurses, vocational nurses, and aides who run physical therapy routines and respite stays. For daily life, the campus offers restaurant-style dining, a swimming pool, a hot tub, and vegetable gardens, alongside structured social hours and exercise sessions.

Older adults looking into local care options can call the front office to ask how the admissions process works or to check on current openings. The intake coordinator can also set up a time for visitors to walk through the therapy building and check out the outdoor gardens.

Contact Baywood Court

Overview of White Sands La Jolla – Luxury Senior Living

Sitting as the only beachfront retirement community in Olivetas Avenue, La Jolla, CA, White Sands La Jolla – Luxury Senior Living is a blissful senior living community that offers a variety of living options including assisted living, memory support, residential living, and skilled nursing. Boasting a wonderful community from the team to its residents, White Sands La Jolla ensures a joyful and worry-free residency within its grounds. Featuring a variety of floor plans including a studio suite, one-bedroom apartment, and two-bedroom apartments, that seniors may choose from.

White Sands La Jolla is a luxury senior living that promotes an unforgettable connection among its residents, providing fitness programs, scheduled outings, weekly lectures and discussions. The community serves different chef-prepared meals daily ensuring that its residents have contributed and satisfy their cravings and allergies. With beach access, White Sands La Jolla provides water’s edge dining, a Sand bistro, and a full-service beauty salon and barber Shop.

Contact White Sands La Jolla – Luxury Senior Living

Overview of Westmont of Culver City

Nestled in the neighborhood of Culver City, CA, Westmont of Culver City is a warm and welcoming senior living community that offers independent living, assisted living, and memory care options. Residents are offered their preferred accommodations with convenient features like full kitchens, emergency response systems, and housekeeping services for their comfort and convenience. Ensuring residents are well-cared for, the community provides the right amount of care and support without interfering with their independence.

Residents enjoy an array of amenities, including a bistro, fitness center, and theater, while a wide array of activities are organized to keep them active and entertained. The community also offers restaurant-style dining featuring healthy and delicious meals to ensure residents eat healthily. At Westmont of Culver City, residents have access to the necessities they need to stay comfortable.

Contact Westmont of Culver City

Reata Glen

2 Las Estrellas Loop, Mission Viejo, CA 92694
Overview of Reata Glen

Enjoy a peaceful time in the idyllic campus of Reata Glen in Las Estrellas Loop, Rancho Mission Viejo, CA, offering assisted living, memory care, and long-term care. The community features sophisticated and naturally lit accommodations to optimize comfort and convenience. With its commitment to improving seniors’ wellness, the community delivers top-notch care and assistance from a kind and highly skilled team.

Residents do not run out of things to do with meticulously curated classes and engaging clubs that highlight their interests and strengths. Eat well and feel your best with healthy and delightful meals that satisfy dietary needs and preferences. Reata Glen is great for a relaxing and active retirement with its campus filled with the perfect combination of serene amenities and a lively environment.

Contact Reata Glen

Redwood Terrace

710 West 13Th Avenue, Escondido, CA 92025
Overview of Redwood Terrace
Redwood Terrace is an apartment community located in Canby, Oregon. It offers spacious floor plans with amenities such as in-unit laundry, a fitness center, and a pet-friendly policy. Residents enjoy easy access to local shops, dining, parks, and entertainment.

Contact Redwood Terrace

Overview of The Grove Assisted Living
Groves Assisted Living is a senior living community in Tucson. It offers a wide range of excellent senior living and retirement communities and senior care options, including assisted living facilities. The trained, caring staff assists residents in enjoying their golden years in comfort and safety.

Contact The Grove Assisted Living

Overview of Oak Tree Lodge of Mt. San Antonio Gardens

Oak Tree Lodge, located inside Mt San Antonio Gardens’ campus in Pomona, CA, is a senior living community that offers assisted living services to its residents. Their accommodations feature attractive studio apartments, each with a private bath. Additionally, the homes are enhanced by welcoming common areas and courtyards with blossoming flowers and shady trees. At Oak Tree Lounge, residents are provided round-the-clock staff availability for assistance as needed. This includes escorting or mobility assistance, as well as assistance with regular daily activities.

The campus features a number of amenities. The picturesque grounds and raised garden beds, provides areas for meditation or relaxation, and the three meals provided daily and are prepared to accommodate personal taste and dietary requirements. Life enrichment activities are also available for residents to participate in, and are designed around shared interests of the residents.

Contact Oak Tree Lodge of Mt. San Antonio Gardens

Overview of Casa De Mañana

Perched above the Pacific Ocean in La Jolla, California, Casa De Mañana unfolds as a breathtaking retirement community that embraces its residents in the sunshine and the refreshing coastal salty breeze. With the ocean as its backdrop and La Jolla’s vibrant village just a block away, kindred spirits converge here to exchange ideas, share passions, and cultivate new experiences.

This multi-level retirement community seamlessly blends independent living and assisted living services. Each residence, whether oceanfront villas capturing sought-after sunset views or two-bedroom apartments with inviting patios for al fresco dining, celebrates the scenic setting uniquely. Casa De Mañana is an artful haven where the water sculpts the shore, and human connections flourish in an inviting and inspiring setting. At the heart of this community lies the Front Porch Family—a not-for-profit family of communities and partnerships dedicated to celebrating the spirit of the individual and the strength of the community.

Contact Casa de Mañana

Overview of The Glen at Scripps Ranch

Embrace a luxurious lifestyle in the hotel-style senior living community of The Glen at Scripps Ranch in San Diego, CA. The community strives to provide residents with a vacation-style living experience through its elegant accommodations, attractive amenities, and all-encompassing assisted living, memory care, and long-term care services. Residents can choose from an array of well-designed one-bedroom, two-bedroom, and three-bedroom layouts with convenient access to mainservices, such as telehealth services, physical, occupational, and speech therapies, and a vaccine clinic.

The community also takes care of residents’ apartment maintenance and other chores so they can enjoy more of the things they love to do. With a dedication to maintaining residents’ wellness and overall well-being, the community provides residents with plenty of fulfilling activities, fitness classes, and health lectures. Residents’ cravings and nutritional needs are always met with satisfaction with fresh, made-to-order meals, making their living experience more enjoyable and convenient.

Contact The Glen at Scripps Ranch

Weighting overview

  • 35%
    Resident Experience
  • 25%
    Regulatory
  • 15%
    Visual Media
  • 10%
    Website
  • 10%
    Stability
  • 5%
    Environment
01

Resident & Family Experience 35%

The single largest share of every ranking. Aggregated review sentiment and volume from major platforms — the closest signal to real resident experience.

  • Includes
  • Review Sentiment
  • Review Volume
02

Regulatory & Safety Record 25%

State inspection records, citations, and complaint visits. We weight per-inspection rates more heavily than raw counts.

  • Includes
  • State Inspections
  • Citations/Inspection
  • % Inspections w/ Citations
  • Complaint Visits
  • Accreditations
  • BBB Rating
03

Visual Media & Transparency 15%

Communities that publish high-quality visuals give families a real preview. No photos or tours = a negative transparency signal.

  • Includes
  • Video Tours
  • Virtual Walkthroughs
  • Photo Quantity
  • Photo Quality
04

Website & Operator Transparency 10%

Site quality and whether the operator publishes basic accountability information — staff names, contact details, ownership.

  • Includes
  • Website Content
  • Mobile Usability
  • Staff Info Available
  • Owner Info Available
05

Community Stability 10%

Operational signals indicating whether a community is well-run and meeting demand.

  • Includes
  • Occupancy Rate
  • Bed Options
06

Environment & Pricing 5%

Walkability and pricing transparency. Walk Score is weighted higher for Independent Living than for Memory Care, where most residents do not leave unaccompanied.

  • Includes
  • Walk Score
  • Pricing Transparency
No paid rankings Communities cannot pay to influence placement.
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Frequently Asked Questions about Independent Living in California

What is independent living?

Independent living communities are residential settings for active older adults — typically with private apartments or cottages, shared amenities (dining, fitness, activities), and no built-in medical care.

How many independent living communities are listed on this page?

This page features 648 independent living communities in California. Use the filters and comparison tools above to compare ratings, amenities, and pricing.

How do I choose the right independent living community in California?

Start by matching the level of care offered to the resident's current and anticipated needs, then compare licensing status, staff-to-resident ratios, recent inspection results, and pricing. Tour at least two or three communities in California, talk to current residents and families, and confirm what is included in the base rate versus billed as add-on services.

What should I look for when visiting independent living communities in California?

Pay attention to staff interactions with residents, cleanliness and odor, food quality at meal times, the activity calendar, and how questions about pricing and care plans are answered. Ask to see the most recent state inspection report, the move-out / level-of-care-change policy, and a sample monthly bill that lists every fee.