The 10 Best Assisted Living Facilities in Westminster, CA for 2023

Westminster is located at the northwest end of Orange County and has over 90,600 residents, including nearly 15,600 seniors aged 65 and older. The city has a welcoming atmosphere with fabulous year-round weather, plentiful parks and gorgeous green spaces for relaxing and a popular farmers market. Community activities keep retirees as busy as they want to be and without the traffic and congestion found in Orange County’s beach communities. However, the nearest beaches, Disneyland Resort and Knott’s Berry Farm are only a few miles away, which is perfect for seniors with visiting grandchildren.

Assisted living residences offer personalized supportive care, housekeeping services and maintenance-free living in a homelike setting that encourages continued independence. Seniors requiring minimal care benefit from living in a safe, secure and social environment. The average cost of assisted living in Westminster is $5,000 per month, which matches the state average but is slightly higher than the national median.

This guide provides seniors with more information on assisted living in Westminster, including comparisons of average assisted living costs with other California cities and alternate senior care options. It also provides some benefits and drawbacks of retiring in Westminster and free local resources for seniors.

The Senior Care Licensing Program, a division of the California Department of Social Services, licenses and monitors residential care facilities, including assisted living. Thirteen Senior Care Licensing Regional Offices located around California handle regulatory inspections and licensing in their areas. The Orange County Adult and Senior Care Regional Office is responsible for overseeing facilities in Westminster and throughout Orange County.

• Westminster’s climate earns a comfort index of 9.4 with 10 being the best, which means it’s one of the most comfortable places in California. Seniors enjoy 275 days of sunshine in Westminster with about 14 inches of rainfall annually and no snow. During the winter, nighttime temperatures that fall below freezing are extremely rare. Westminster also boasts eight comfortable months when temperatures range between 70 and 85 degrees, but humidity can be high in July and August.
• The cost of living in Westminster is higher than the national average by 62% and higher than the state average by about 12%. However, healthcare costs in Westminster are about 4% lower than the national average, and groceries cost 2% less than the state average.
• Retirement income is fully taxed in Westminster, except for Social Security benefits. The state also penalizes early withdrawals from retirement plans, annuities and IRAs, adding 2.5% on top of the federal penalty of 10%. California has some of the highest state income taxes nationwide, but the top rate is for millionaires. Rates are much lower for low-income and middle-income seniors.
• Sales taxes in California are also relatively high with an average combined rate of 8.82%. However, Orange County adds 0.25% to the state’s 6% rate and has a special sales tax rate of 1.5% for a total of 7.75% in Westminster. Orange County has a lower sales tax rate than 68.5% of other California cities and counties, plus prescriptions and groceries are tax-exempt.
• Violent crime in Westminster is much lower than the state and national averages. On a scale of one to 100, with one being lowest, Westminster is rated 14.7 compared to the nationwide rate of 22.7 and statewide rate of 25.2. However, Westminster’s property crime rate is slightly higher than the state and national averages.

According to Genworth’s Cost of Care Survey, the average cost of assisted living in Westminster is $5,000, which matches the statewide average. However, it’s $700 higher than the national average of $4,300.

Since Westminster’s average cost of assisted living is the same as the state rate, it’s lower than some California cities and higher than others. Bakersfield’s average cost of assisted living is $1,387 less at $3,613 per month, while Riverside’s average cost of $3,900 is lower by $1,100 per month. In contrast, the rate in Oxnard is higher by $845, while the average cost in Salinas is $7,100 per month, which is $2,100 more than the rate paid in Westminster. 

When comparing other types of senior care, adult day health care is generally the lowest-cost option. In Westminster, this type of care costs $1,647 per month. In-home care runs about $5,434 for homemaker and $5,529 for home health aide services. Nursing home care costs the most at an average of $8,060 for semiprivate rooms or $10,570 for private rooms.

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

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

For more information about different ways to finance assisted living, visit our Assisted Living in California page.