Adult Disability Care in Petal, MS: In-Home Support

Local figures

Disability Care for Adults in Petal, MS: the local picture

18%

of residents aged 18 to 64 have a disability (18% in Forrest County)

504

residents aged 18 to 64 have difficulty doing errands alone

2.7%

of households have no vehicle (7.1% in Forrest County)

7

Medicare-certified home health agencies list Petal ZIP codes in their service area

About 1,212 Petal residents aged 18 to 64 report a disability (18%; 18% in Forrest County).

504 of them have difficulty doing errands such as shopping or visiting a doctor alone, the kind of help a support caregiver gives.

2.7% of Petal households have no vehicle (7.1% in Forrest County); say in your posting if you need a caregiver who drives.

Petal compared with Forrest County and Mississippi

Census figure	Petal	Forrest County	Mississippi
Residents 18 to 64 with a disability	18%	18%	16%
Residents 18 to 64 with difficulty doing errands alone	7.4%	6.3%	5.3%
Households with no vehicle	2.7%	7.1%	6.3%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	4.2%	3.9%	4.3%
Residents 65+ with a disability	49%	47%	41%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	12%	14%	15%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$56,833	$49,275	—

Older residents in towns around Petal

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Disability (18 to 64)
Hattiesburg, MS	5.6 mi	6,399	17%
West Hattiesburg, MS	8.8 mi	709	12%
Ellisville, MS	17 mi	850	19%
Laurel, MS	24 mi	2,504	14%
Wiggins, MS	34 mi	598	23%
Columbia, MS	35 mi	1,375	22%

Home health agencies serving Petal

Agency	Office	Distance	CMS quality stars	Services listed	Phone
Adoration Home Health	Collins, MS	29 mi	4.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(601) 765-8316
Mississippi Homecare	Hattiesburg, MS	8.8 mi	3.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(601) 268-8450
Forrest General Home Care	Hattiesburg, MS	8.8 mi	3.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(601) 288-4344
Enhabit Home Health & Hospice	Hattiesburg, MS	8.8 mi	3.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(601) 268-0408
Mississippi Homecare Of Richton	Richton, MS	19 mi	3 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(601) 788-2912

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

What it covers

What a disability support caregiver can help with

Personal care, on the person’s terms
Cooking, shopping and housekeeping
Getting to work, school, appointments and activities
Keeping routines the person sets

Cost

What disability care for adults costs in Petal

At the Mississippi median aide wage of $11.47 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $994 a month in wages, which is 21% of the $4,736 monthly median income of Petal households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. Mississippi has no state minimum wage law, so the federal minimum of $7.25 an hour applies to employers covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act (U.S. Department of Labor).

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 disability support caregiver

Many state Medicaid programs let adults with disabilities direct their own care: they, or a representative, hire and supervise the caregiver.

Questions worth asking: Have you supported adults with a disability like mine (or my family member’s)? How do you support someone to do things themselves? Can you drive to work, school or day programs? More in our disability care for adults guide.

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

Questions

Disability Care for Adults in Petal: common questions

How much does disability care for adults cost in Petal?

At the Mississippi median aide wage of $11.47 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $994 a month in wages, which is 21% of the $4,736 monthly median income of Petal households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. Mississippi has no state minimum wage law, so the federal minimum of $7.25 an hour applies to employers covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act (U.S. Department of Labor).

Can an adult with a disability hire their own caregiver?

Yes. Many state Medicaid programs offer self-direction, where the person or a representative hires and supervises the caregiver. Our guide Medicaid programs for family caregivers: who can be paid, and the rules in 12 states covers Mississippi.

More near Petal

More senior care near Petal

Disability Care for Adults in nearby cities

Other care in Petal

More for Petal 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.

In-Home Support for Adults With Disabilities in Petal, MS