Home Health Aides in Petal, MS: Hire In-Home Help

Local figures

Home Health Aides in Petal, MS: the local picture

7

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

$11.47

median hourly wage of home care aides in Mississippi (BLS, May 2025)

1,713

residents 65 or older (15% of Petal)

49%

of residents 65+ report a disability (47% in Forrest County)

7 Medicare-certified home health agencies list Petal ZIP codes in their service area; the highest-rated are below, and 7 of those list home health aide services. Agency aides are usually part of care a doctor orders. For help beyond those visits, families hire an aide directly.

Home health and personal care aides in Mississippi earn a median $11.47 an hour (BLS, May 2025), with the middle half between $11.09 and $13.12.

Petal has about 1,713 residents aged 65 or older, 49% of whom report a disability.

Petal compared with Forrest County and Mississippi

Census figure	Petal	Forrest County	Mississippi
Residents 65+ with a disability	49%	47%	41%
Residents 65 or older	15%	14%	17%
Residents 85 or older	1.9%	1.2%	1.7%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	26%	28%	30%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	12%	14%	15%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	4.2%	3.9%	4.3%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$56,833	$49,275	—

Older residents in towns around Petal

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	65+ with a disability
Hattiesburg, MS	5.6 mi	6,399	45%
West Hattiesburg, MS	8.8 mi	709	50%
Ellisville, MS	17 mi	850	54%
Laurel, MS	24 mi	2,504	46%
Wiggins, MS	34 mi	598	57%
Columbia, MS	35 mi	1,375	59%

Medicare-certified 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
Deaconess Homecare- Region I	Laurel, MS	25 mi	3 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(601) 649-2231
Vitalcaring Group	Gulfport, MS	62 mi	3 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(228) 604-2155

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 home health aide can help with

Bathing, grooming, dressing and toileting
Transfers, walking and positioning
Meals and help with eating
Medication reminders

Cost

What home health aides 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 home health aide

Federal rules require home health aides who work for Medicare-certified agencies to complete at least 75 hours of training, including 16 hours of supervised practical training, or pass a competency evaluation (42 CFR 484.80). Many states add their own requirements.

Questions worth asking: Where did you train, and can I see the certificate? Have you worked for a home health agency? Which transfers and equipment are you trained on? More in our home health aides guide.

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

Questions

Home Health Aides in Petal: common questions

Which home health agencies serve Petal?

Medicare lists 7 certified agencies whose service area includes Petal ZIP codes. The highest-rated on Medicare’s quality stars include Adoration Home Health (4.5 of 5), Mississippi Homecare (3.5 of 5), Forrest General Home Care (3.5 of 5). Compare them on Medicare Care Compare.

How much does home health aides 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).

What is the difference between a home health aide and a CNA?

Both are trained in personal care. A certified nursing assistant (CNA) has passed a state exam and is on the state nurse aide registry, and often works in nursing homes and hospitals. A home health aide is trained for care in the home. Neither does skilled nursing.

More near Petal

More senior care near Petal

Home Health Aides 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.

Home Health Aides in Petal, MS