How much does in-home care cost per hour?
- In-home care costs a national median of $35 per hour for a non-medical caregiver, a 3% rise from the prior year
- Skilled nursing delivered at home, called private duty nursing, costs far more at $90 per hour or about $160 per visit, a new line in the latest survey
- State rates in the table below range from a low near $25 per hour in Mississippi to a high of $44 in South Dakota
- Non-medical caregivers handle daily activities like bathing, dressing, meal preparation and companionship; they do not administer medication or perform clinical procedures
- Medicare does not cover ongoing non-medical home care or 24-hour care at home; it may cover certain part-time or intermittent home health services when the person meets Medicare’s requirements, such as being homebound and needing skilled nursing or therapy
The table below shows the median private-pay hourly rate in every state plus the District of Columbia. This dataset puts the national figure at $34 per hour, just below the $35 median cited above, because each survey samples providers differently.
| State |
Median hourly rate |
| United States (national) |
$34 |
| Alabama |
$26 |
| Alaska |
$37.50 |
| Arizona |
$36 |
| Arkansas |
$30 |
| California |
$38.50 |
| Colorado |
$40 |
| Connecticut |
$34 |
| Delaware |
$35 |
| District of Columbia |
$30 |
| Florida |
$31 |
| Georgia |
$31 |
| Hawaii |
$40 |
| Idaho |
$35 |
| Illinois |
$35 |
| Indiana |
$34 |
| Iowa |
$34 |
| Kansas |
$34 |
| Kentucky |
$33 |
| Louisiana |
$26 |
| Maine |
$40 |
| Maryland |
$35 |
| Massachusetts |
$39 |
| Michigan |
$33 |
| Minnesota |
$42 |
| Mississippi |
$25 |
| Missouri |
$33 |
| Montana |
$42 |
| Nebraska |
$34 |
| Nevada |
$34 |
| New Hampshire |
$41 |
| New Jersey |
$36 |
| New Mexico |
$32 |
| New York |
$35 |
| North Carolina |
$30 |
| North Dakota |
$35 |
| Ohio |
$34 |
| Oklahoma |
$30 |
| Oregon |
$40 |
| Pennsylvania |
$34 |
| Rhode Island |
$39 |
| South Carolina |
$32 |
| South Dakota |
$44 |
| Tennessee |
$32 |
| Texas |
$30 |
| Utah |
$35 |
| Vermont |
$43 |
| Virginia |
$35 |
| Washington |
$42 |
| West Virginia |
$28.50 |
| Wisconsin |
$35 |
| Wyoming |
$35.50 |
In-home care costs a national median of $35 per hour, while state rates range from about $25 in Mississippi to $44 in South Dakota.
How much does private or live-in home care cost?
- Hiring a caregiver privately is usually cheaper than going through an agency, with industry estimates near $300 per day for a direct hire versus $400 or more per day through an agency
- Agencies cost more because they handle background checks, training, workers compensation, payroll, taxes and backup coverage when a caregiver is sick
- A private hire lowers the rate but shifts employer liability to the family, including taxes and the risk of no coverage if the caregiver cannot work
- Live-in care uses a flat daily or monthly rate rather than an hourly one and is generally less expensive than round-the-clock shift care
These direct-hire and agency day-rate figures come from an industry guide rather than a national survey, so treat them as planning ranges rather than medians. We cover the live-in model in detail below.
Private hire may cost less than agency care, but agencies usually include screening, payroll, insurance and backup coverage.
How much does in-home care cost per month?
- At a $35 national median, care of 44 hours a week runs about $80,080 a year, or roughly $6,673 per month
- Most families pay far less because they buy only the hours they need; the monthly bill scales directly with the weekly schedule
- Using the $34 state-table rate, occasional 7-hour weekly help is about $1,031 a month, while 30 hours a week is about $4,416
- To estimate your own cost, multiply the hourly rate by weekly hours, then multiply by 4.33 for the average weeks in a month
| Typical schedule |
Hours per week |
Estimated monthly cost |
| Occasional help or companionship |
7 hours |
$1,031 |
| Part-time help with daily activities |
15 hours |
$2,208 |
| Regular weekday support |
30 hours |
$4,416 |
| Extensive in-home support |
44 hours |
$6,478 |
Monthly estimates in the table use the $34 national hourly rate; at the $35 median the 44-hour figure rises to about $6,673. Either way, heavy schedules can rival or exceed assisted living.
In-home care monthly costs scale with weekly hours, from about $1,031 for 7 hours a week to about $6,673 for 44 hours at the $35 median.
How much does a live-in caregiver cost?
- A live-in caregiver is priced on a flat daily or monthly rate, not by the hour, since the caregiver resides in the home and is not actively working every hour
- Industry estimates put live-in care at roughly $6,000 to $10,500 per month, depending on the level of support and the local market
- Live-in care is less expensive than 24/7 shift care, which staffs multiple caregivers around the clock
- The model fits seniors who need frequent help and overnight presence but not constant, fully awake supervision
Live-in rates vary widely and are not captured by a single national survey, so treat the monthly range as a planning guide. For families needing constant supervision, the 24/7 figures below are the better benchmark.
Live-in care generally costs about $6,000 to $10,500 per month and is less expensive than 24/7 shift care.
How much does 24/7 in-home care cost per month?
- Round-the-clock in-home care costs roughly $24,700 to $25,500 per month, with published 2026 estimates clustering near $24,733 at the low end and $25,479 at the high end
- It is the most expensive home care option because it staffs multiple caregivers in rotating shifts to stay awake and alert at all times
- At that price, 24/7 home care costs more than median memory care or nursing home rates, though the staffing models differ: home care provides dedicated in-home coverage, while residential settings spread staff across many residents
- For seniors who need constant supervision, a residential community may be a lower-cost option to weigh, depending on care needs, safety risks and the clinical situation; assisted living runs a national median near $6,200 per month
Round-the-clock in-home care can cost roughly $24,700 to $25,500 per month because it requires multiple caregivers working rotating shifts.
How much does a home health aide cost per hour?
- A home health aide now costs the same national median of $35 per hour as other non-medical caregivers in the latest survey
- The 2025 survey merged home health aide and homemaker pricing into one non-medical caregiver line, citing price convergence between the two roles
- A home health aide provides hands-on personal care such as bathing, dressing and mobility help, a step beyond companion or homemaker support
- In 2024, the last year reported separately, the home health aide median was about $77,792 a year at 44 hours a week, only slightly above homemaker pay
Because the two roles now price the same, families rarely save money by requesting one over the other. The distinction matters most for matching a caregiver’s skills to the senior’s needs, not the hourly bill.
A home health aide now costs the same $35 national hourly median as other non-medical caregivers, so role fit matters more than price difference.
How much does homemaker or companion care cost per hour?
- Homemaker or companion care costs about $35 per hour nationally, the same non-medical caregiver rate that now covers hands-on aides
- This care is hands-off; it includes companionship, light housekeeping, meal preparation and transportation, but no personal or medical care
- In 2024, homemaker services carried a slightly lower median near $75,504 a year at 44 hours a week before the rates converged
- About two-thirds of home care agencies now charge the same for hands-off and hands-on help, which is why the survey combined the two categories
For seniors who only need a few hours of companionship and chores each week, this is often the most affordable entry point into home care. See our research on family caregiver statistics for the unpaid-care context.
Companion and homemaker care costs about $35 per hour nationally, making it a practical option for seniors who need light support rather than personal or medical care.
This research is for informational purposes only and is not financial, legal or medical advice. Cost figures are medians that reset each year and vary by agency, schedule and location. Confirm current pricing directly with providers and verify benefit eligibility with the relevant agency.
Sources and additional resources
Source note: The $35 national hourly rate, the $90 private duty nursing rate and the $80,080 annual and $6,673 monthly figures come from the 2025 CareScout and Genworth Cost of Care Survey, based on 44 hours of care per week. The 3% year-over-year rise reflects that same survey.
The 50-state hourly table, the $34 national rate and the weekly-schedule monthly estimates come from A Place for Mom’s 2026 home care data. The two national figures differ ($34 versus $35) because each survey samples providers differently.
The 24/7 monthly range draws on A Place for Mom (about $24,733) and a U.S. News estimate republished by WTOP News (about $25,479). Direct-hire and agency day rates and the live-in monthly range come from SeniorSite’s live-in caregiver cost guide. The 2024 home health aide and homemaker medians come from the 2024 survey.
Raya’s Paradise provides assisted living, memory care, hospice support, short term respite care and in-home care across Southern California. Families weighing hourly help at home against a move can explore home care in Los Angeles and home care in Orange County to match the right level of support to a loved one’s needs.
