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How Much Do Home Care Agencies Charge Per Hour?
Date Updated: December 8, 2024
Written by:
Lauren Thomas is a seasoned writer that specializes in long-term care, with a special focus on dementia-related topics. She holds a degree in counseling and uses her knowledge and experience to create insightful content that gives seniors and families the information they need to make important care decisions.
Reviewed by:
Kristi Bickmann, a licensed Long-Term Care Specialist, represents top-rated "Traditional" & "Hybrid" LTC companies. Serving associations such as the American Nurses Association, she's a licensed insurance agent in 27 states. Specializing in insurance products for seniors, Kristi helps hundreds of families every year protect assets, retirement, and loved ones. She understands aging concerns firsthand, having assisted her own parents. Kristi ensures accuracy on topics about senior long-term care and its consequences.
Home care agencies charge approximately $30 per hour. This median in-home care rate comes from the 2024 Genworth Cost of Care Survey, reflecting typical home care costs nationwide. Many seniors need several hours of care daily, driving up care costs, but many communities offer programs to help seniors reduce out-of-pocket expenses.
What Do Home Care Agencies Provide?
Home care agencies provide nonmedical services to allow older adults to remain in their homes, even as they experience changes in their functional abilities. These agencies administer two types of care — companion care services and personal care assistance. Companion care, which includes meal and snack preparation, companionship and accompaniment to medical appointments, combats loneliness and isolation. Personal care assistance features services such as assistance with bathing and dressing to help clients maintain their comfort, health and dignity.
Depending on your needs, you may arrange daily in-home care services or schedule a caregiver to visit your home a few times per week or month. Many seniors hire private caregivers for full-time support, while others arrange services to prevent gaps in care when their regular family helpers are away.
What Do Seniors Pay for In-Home Care?
Nationally, the 2024 median hourly rate for in-home care equates to about $30, representing a 7% increase over rates in 2022. Depending on where you live, the fees you pay may differ considerably. For example, in Mississippi, the baseline rate runs half the national norm at approximately $15 per hour, but in Montana, typical rates come in at $50.
Within your state, fees may range significantly. In California, for example, where the baseline hourly rate aligns closely with the national norm at $36, fees range from $17 in Redding to $76 in Santa Maria. Knowing what to expect from local home care costs can help you create a realistic budget for long-term care.
How Can I Pay for Home Care?
Depending on your care needs, where you live and your financial situation, you have several options for paying for home care. In many states, Medicaid covers non medical in-home care services for qualified individuals, directly or through waivers. Alternatively, if you have long-term care insurance, you may pay for services through your policy. Reverse mortgages, annuities, veterans’ benefits and certain types of life insurance policies can also help you fund your care.
You may also reduce your home care expenses by receiving some services through local programs and nonprofit organizations. Many local organizations provide friendly visits, free or low-cost transportation services and home-delivered meals, reducing your reliance on private home care services. To learn about free and low-cost services in your area, refer to your city and state in our directory.