Palo Alto retirement and senior communities at a glance
Palo Alto's senior housing is almost all apartments in managed communities rather than age-restricted neighborhoods of owned homes. We did not find a 55+ community of owned single-family homes inside the city. What exists falls into three groups: life plan communities (also called continuing care retirement communities, or CCRCs), where you pay an entrance fee and a monthly fee for an apartment plus access to higher levels of care; rental senior communities with assisted living; and income-restricted senior apartments run by nonprofits. Figures below come from each community's own website, checked October 30, 2026.
| Community | Address | Type | Published starting cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Channing House | 850 Webster Street, downtown | Nonprofit life plan community | Ask: entrance fee not published |
| Arris by Channing House | Two blocks from Channing House | 13 residences linked to Channing House | Ask |
| Vi at Palo Alto | 620 Sand Hill Road, 94304 | Type A life plan community | Entrance fees from $1,516,500 |
| Moldaw Residences | 899 East Charleston Road, 94303 | Nonprofit CCRC | Entrance fees from $878,100; monthly from $5,890 |
| Webster House | 401 Webster Street, 94301 | Independent and assisted living, health center next door | Ask |
| Palo Alto Commons and The Avant | 4075 El Camino Way (Palo Alto Commons) | Independent living (The Avant), assisted living and memory care | Ask |
| Stevenson House | East Charleston Road | Affordable senior apartments, age 62+ | Income limits apply |
| Lytton Gardens | 656 Lytton Ave., 649 University Ave., 330 Everett Ave. | Affordable senior housing (CARING Housing Ministries) | Income limits apply |
Each Palo Alto senior community
Channing House, downtown Palo Alto
Channing House, at 850 Webster Street, describes itself as a not-for-profit life plan community, organized as a 501(c)(3) charitable corporation, with assisted living and skilled nursing on site. It does not publish its fees online. Its financial information page says the entrance fee is not refundable except in specific circumstances, that monthly fees are reviewed and usually adjusted each year by its board, and that some services, such as guest meals, guest rooms and underground parking, cost extra. It runs a wait list called the Advantage Club. Call (650) 327-0950 for current fees and availability.
Arris by Channing House
Arris is a small building two blocks from Channing House with 13 residences. Its two-bedroom homes range from 1,054 to 1,471 square feet, and a penthouse covers more than 3,600 square feet. Channing House says the building is LEED Platinum certified, pet-friendly and has EV chargers, and that Arris residents get access to Channing House's amenities and services. Ask how the contract and care access differ from a Channing House apartment.
Vi at Palo Alto, Sand Hill Road
Vi at Palo Alto, at 620 Sand Hill Road, calls itself a Type A CCRC, meaning the monthly fee is tied to the floor plan and does not rise if you move to its supportive or skilled care. It lists 15 floor plans from one bedroom to three bedrooms with a den. Entrance fees on its floor plans page start at $1,516,500 for an apartment of about 826 square feet and reach $8,956,000 for a 4,212-square-foot residence. Buyers choose a repayment option of 0%, 50% or 75% of the entrance fee. Vi says it is not sponsored by or affiliated with Stanford University. It holds California continuing care Certificate of Authority #213.
Moldaw Residences, East Charleston Road
Moldaw, at 899 East Charleston Road on the Taube Koret Campus, sits on 8.5 acres steps from the Oshman Family JCC, whose fitness center and programs residents can use. It is a nonprofit CCRC with an 85% refundable entrance fee plan. Its independent living page lists entrance fees from $878,100 and monthly fees from $5,890; its floor plans page lists one-bedroom apartments from $904,000 to $1,130,600 with monthly fees of $6,330 to $7,395, and three-bedroom apartments from $2,005,100 with a monthly fee from $12,975. Ask which price list is current. It says it is open to everyone.
Webster House, downtown
Webster House, at 401 Webster Street, is run by Front Porch, a nonprofit group of senior communities. It offers independent and assisted living, with skilled nursing at its health center next door at 437 Webster Street. It does not publish prices on its home page; contact its sales office at (650) 327-4333.
Palo Alto Commons and The Avant, El Camino Way
At 4075 El Camino Way, Palo Alto Commons provides assisted living and Alzheimer's and dementia care in studio, one- and two-bedroom apartments, while its sister community The Avant offers independent living. Palo Alto Commons does not publish prices, so ask for a written rate sheet, whether it charges a community fee on move-in and how care fees are assessed as needs change.
Stevenson House, East Charleston Road
Stevenson House provides affordable, independent housing for low-income seniors. Its minimum age is 62, and applicants must be able to look after themselves and their apartment and show proof of financial responsibility. It has 92 studios and 28 one-bedroom apartments in three low-rise buildings, each with a full kitchen and bath, from about 300 to 500 square feet. Income limits follow HUD's annual figures, and it accepts applications only when its wait list is open. Call the leasing office at (650) 494-1944.
Lytton Gardens, downtown
CARING Housing Ministries, the affordable housing arm of Front Porch, lists three Lytton Gardens buildings among its senior communities: Lytton Gardens at 656 Lytton Avenue, Lytton Gardens II at 649 University Avenue and Lytton Gardens IV at 330 Everett Avenue, all in ZIP 94301. The phone number for all three is (650) 617-7373. Front Porch says each affordable community gives applicants a resident selection plan setting out the age and income rules, and residents must re-certify each year.
The legal rules for 55+ and senior housing
Federal fair housing law and California's own senior housing statutes set strict conditions before a community may limit residents by age, and income-restricted buildings such as Stevenson House set their own minimum age in their admission rules. Life plan communities are also licensed and regulated under California's continuing care contract law, which is why Vi lists a Certificate of Authority number. Our guide to 55+ communities in California explains the rules, who may live with an older resident and how to check a community's status.
For a CCRC, read the continuing care contract and the community's annual report to the California Department of Social Services before you sign. Vi links its annual report filing from its website.
Costs of senior living in Palo Alto
Entrance fees and refunds. The entrance fee is the largest cost at a CCRC and is usually paid from the sale of a home. Compare the refund terms as carefully as the price: Channing House's fee is generally not refundable, Moldaw offers an 85% refundable plan and Vi offers 0%, 50% or 75% repayment options, with the fee set by both the floor plan and the repayment option you choose.
Monthly fees. Moldaw's published monthly fees start at $5,890 for independent living, and its assisted living starts at $11,950 a month and memory care at $11,800. Ask every community how often fees have risen in the last five years.
Selling your Palo Alto home to pay for it. Zillow's typical home value in Palo Alto was $3,592,240 in September 2026, and Redfin's median sale price $3,608,282 for the three months to September. Long-time owners may face capital gains tax well above the federal exclusion; see our capital gains guide. If you plan to buy a smaller home in California instead, owners 55 and older can transfer their Prop 13 tax base under Prop 19; see our Prop 19 guide.
Parcel tax exemption for owners who stay. If you stay in your Palo Alto house, Palo Alto Unified offers a parcel tax exemption to owners 65 or older who live in their single-family home. Apply by June 30 for the next tax year.
How to choose a senior community in Palo Alto
- Decide on the model. A life plan community trades a large entrance fee for future care at a predictable cost. A rental community keeps your capital but care fees can rise as needs change. Affordable senior apartments have income limits and wait lists.
- Get every fee in writing. Ask for the entrance fee, monthly fee, refund schedule, what happens if you move to assisted living or skilled nursing, and fee increases for the last five years.
- Read the contract and annual report. For a CCRC, read the continuing care contract and its annual filing with the state.
- Check wait lists early. Channing House runs a wait list club, and Stevenson House accepts applications only when its list is open.
- Visit more than once, including a meal, and talk with residents.
- Plan the house sale. Time the sale with the move-in date. Our featured Palo Alto agent handles downsizing sales, and our Palo Alto homes guide covers prices by ZIP.
If you are open to nearby cities, compare senior options in Los Altos and Mountain View, and read our statewide best places to retire in California guide.