Companion Care in Jacksonville, TX for Seniors

Local figures

Companion Care in Jacksonville, TX: the local picture

1,988

residents 65 or older (14% of Jacksonville)

30%

of residents 65+ in households live alone (23% in Cherokee County)

30%

of residents 5+ speak a language other than English at home

12%

of households have no vehicle (6.5% in Cherokee County)

About 535 residents of Jacksonville aged 65 or older live alone, 30% of older residents in households (23% in Cherokee County). They are the people companion care is usually for: mostly independent, but on their own for long stretches of the day.

12% of Jacksonville households have no vehicle (6.5% in Cherokee County). A companion who drives can turn a week at home into appointments, shopping and visits.

Of the 1,988 Jacksonville residents aged 65 or older, 327 are 85 or older (16%). Before the first visit with someone in that oldest group, ask the family about hearing, eyesight, walking and any memory changes, so the visit is planned around them.

796 Jacksonville households headed by someone 65 or older own their home and 403 rent. A companion visiting a house may also help with mail, light chores and keeping an eye on things; in an apartment building, ask whether visitors sign in.

About 342 older Jacksonville residents (19%) live below the poverty line (12% in Cherokee County). For them, Medicaid home and community-based services or the local Area Agency on Aging may cover some companion or homemaker hours, depending on the state program; private pay is not the only route.

About 30% of Jacksonville residents aged 5 and over speak a language other than English at home. The most common are Spanish (3,830), Tagalog (43), other Indo-European languages (19). If the person you care for is more at ease in one of these languages, say so in your posting; many caregivers list the languages they speak.

Jacksonville compared with Cherokee County and Texas

Census figure	Jacksonville	Cherokee County	Texas
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	30%	23%	25%
Residents 65 or older	14%	18%	13%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	30%	20%	35%
Households with no vehicle	12%	6.5%	5.4%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	19%	12%	12%
Residents 65+ with a disability	30%	33%	35%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$33,393	$47,312	—

Older residents in towns around Jacksonville

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Live alone (65+)
Rusk, TX	13 mi	676	21%
Bullard, TX	13 mi	467	11%
Shadybrook, TX	14 mi	540	20%
Whitehouse, TX	18 mi	1,031	28%
Tyler, TX	25 mi	18,513	28%
Palestine, TX	26 mi	2,907	43%

Hospitals near Jacksonville (for rides to appointments)

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
UT Health East Texas Jacksonville Hospital	Jacksonville, TX	0.3 mi	not rated	(903) 541-5000
Christus Mother Frances Hospital- Jacksonville	Jacksonville, TX	0.3 mi	not rated	(903) 541-4500
UT Health East Texas Tyler Regional Hospital	Tyler, TX	25 mi	2 of 5	(903) 597-0351

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

What it covers

What a companion caregiver can help with

Conversation, cards, puzzles and shared hobbies
Walks and outings to the park, library or senior center
Company at meals, and help preparing them
Rides or escort to appointments, church and visits

Cost

What companion care costs in Jacksonville

At the Texas median aide wage of $11.65 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $1,010 a month in wages, which is 36% of the $2,783 monthly median income of Jacksonville households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. Texas'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 STAR+PLUS in Texas: using consumer directed services to pay a family caregiver.

Before you hire

What to know before hiring a companion caregiver

Isolation is a health risk, not only a mood. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine found that nearly one in four Americans aged 65 and older living in the community is socially isolated, and linked isolation to higher risks of dementia, heart disease and early death (2020 report).

Questions worth asking: What do you enjoy doing with the people you care for? Are you comfortable driving, and is your car insured for passengers? How do you handle a client who does not want company at first? More in our companion care guide.

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

Questions

Companion Care in Jacksonville: common questions

How many seniors live alone in Jacksonville?

About 535 residents aged 65 or older, 30% of older residents in households (Census ACS 2020–2024) (23% in Cherokee County).

How much does companion care cost in Jacksonville?

At the Texas median aide wage of $11.65 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $1,010 a month in wages, which is 36% of the $2,783 monthly median income of Jacksonville households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. Texas's minimum wage is $7.25 an hour (U.S. Department of Labor table, updated July 1, 2026).

What does a companion caregiver do in Jacksonville?

A companion keeps an older adult company and helps around the visit: conversation, activities, walks, meals, errands, rides and reminders. It suits someone who is mostly independent but lonely, or a family that wants someone to check in on weekdays.

More near Jacksonville

More senior care near Jacksonville

Companion Care in nearby cities

Other care in Jacksonville

More for Jacksonville 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.

Companion Care for Seniors in Jacksonville, TX