24-Hour Home Care in Mason City, IA: Round-the-Clock Care

Local figures

24-Hour Home Care in Mason City, IA: the local picture

4.0%

of residents 65+ have difficulty dressing or bathing (4.8% in Cerro Gordo County)

830

residents 85 or older (3.1% of all residents)

31%

of residents 65+ report a disability (31% in Cerro Gordo County)

$47,705

median yearly income of households headed by someone 65+

232 Mason City residents 65 or older have difficulty dressing or bathing (4.0%; 4.8% in Cerro Gordo County), and 1,075 have serious difficulty walking. Round-the-clock care is usually for people who need hands-on help at any hour.

About 830 residents are 85 or older (3.1% of the population).

If you are weighing home care against a nursing home, the nearest Medicare-certified ones are Good Shepherd Health Center in Mason City (0.5 mi) and Heritage Care And Rehabilitation Center in Mason City (1.0 mi).

Mason City compared with Cerro Gordo County and Iowa

Census figure	Mason City	Cerro Gordo County	Iowa
Residents 65+ with difficulty dressing or bathing	4.0%	4.8%	5.1%
Residents 65+ with serious difficulty walking	18%	18%	17%
Residents 65+ with serious difficulty remembering	5.6%	6.5%	5.8%
Residents 85 or older	3.1%	3.1%	2.3%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	33%	28%	31%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	8.6%	7.3%	8.4%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$47,705	$50,066	—

Older residents in towns around Mason City

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Self-care difficulty (65+)
Clear Lake, IA	8.8 mi	2,089	8.8%
Garner, IA	21 mi	916	5.4%
Osage, IA	22 mi	897	10%
Forest City, IA	23 mi	756	6.3%
Charles City, IA	27 mi	1,702	5.5%
Hampton, IA	28 mi	981	5.6%

Home health agencies serving Mason City

Agency	Office	Distance	CMS quality stars	Services listed	Phone
Mercyone Des Moines Home Care	Des Moines, IA	110 mi	4 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(515) 643-8383
Cerro Gordo County Department Of Public Health	Mason City, IA	0.3 mi	3.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, home health aides	(641) 421-9300
Family First Homecare Of Iowa	Urbandale, IA	108 mi	not rated	nursing, home health aides	(515) 280-2180

Nursing homes near Mason City (to compare)

Nursing home	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Certified beds	Phone
Good Shepherd Health Center	Mason City, IA	0.5 mi	1 of 5	170	(641) 424-1740
Heritage Care And Rehabilitation Center	Mason City, IA	1.0 mi	2 of 5	71	(641) 423-2121
I O O F Home And Community Therapy Center	Mason City, IA	1.2 mi	4 of 5	82	(641) 423-0428
Nora Springs Care Center	Nora Springs, IA	9.3 mi	3 of 5	50	(641) 749-5331

Straight-line miles from the center of Mason City. Medicare (CMS) data, October 2026; call ahead to confirm. We are not affiliated with these providers.

What it covers

What a 24-hour caregiver can help with

Someone awake and on duty at all hours
Personal care, meals and medication reminders through the day
Help at night without relying on one tired caregiver
Written handover notes between shifts

Cost

What 24-hour home care costs in Mason City

24-hour care is 168 paid hours a week. At $17.34 an hour (the Iowa median aide wage) that is about $12,624 a month in wages before any overtime, 318% of the $3,975 monthly median income of Mason City households headed by someone 65+. Rates are agreed with each caregiver. Iowa's minimum wage is $7.25 an hour (U.S. Department of Labor table, updated July 1, 2026).

Hiring directly, you agree the rate with the caregiver and usually become the household employer (U.S. Department of Labor rules). Some families qualify for programs that pay for care at home; see Medicaid programs for family caregivers: who can be paid, and the rules in 12 states.

Before you hire

What to know before hiring a 24-hour caregiver

24-hour care is the most hours a family can arrange at home, and the most costly. Each caregiver works a set shift, often two 12-hour or three 8-hour shifts a day, so nobody works all night after working all day. Minimum wage and overtime rules apply to each caregiver you employ directly; for workers who live in the home see DOL Fact Sheet 79B.

Questions worth asking: How do you hand over to the next caregiver? Can you work fixed shifts on the same days each week? Have you worked on a team caring for one client? More in our 24-hour home care guide.

CaregiverConnect does not run background checks. Check identity, references and any certification yourself before anyone starts. The Safety Center explains how.

Questions

24-Hour Home Care in Mason City: common questions

How much does 24-hour home care cost in Mason City?

24-hour care is 168 paid hours a week. At $17.34 an hour (the Iowa median aide wage) that is about $12,624 a month in wages before any overtime, 318% of the $3,975 monthly median income of Mason City households headed by someone 65+. Rates are agreed with each caregiver. Iowa's minimum wage is $7.25 an hour (U.S. Department of Labor table, updated July 1, 2026).

How many caregivers does 24-hour care take?

A week has 168 hours. If each caregiver works about 40 hours, that is four or five people, plus someone to cover sickness and holidays. Fewer caregivers means very long weeks for each of them.

More near Mason City

More senior care near Mason City

24-Hour Home Care in nearby cities

Other care in Mason City

More for Mason City families

Sources

Census ACS 2020–2024 5-year; CMS provider data (October 25, 2026); U.S. DOL state minimum wages (July 1, 2026); BLS OEWS May 2025 aide wages, which cover employed aides rather than private rates.

24-Hour Home Care in Mason City, IA