Live-In Caregivers in Allentown, PA: 24-Hour Home Care

Local figures

Live-In Caregivers in Allentown, PA: the local picture

2,375

residents 85 or older (1.9% of all residents)

5,945

households headed by someone 65+ own their home (55%)

55%

of Allentown homes have 3 or more bedrooms (68% in Lehigh County)

$7.25

Pennsylvania minimum wage per hour

About 2,375 Allentown residents are 85 or older. Live-in care is most often arranged for this age group, when help is needed through the day and someone should be close at night.

A live-in caregiver needs a private room. 55% of homes in Allentown have three or more bedrooms (68% in Lehigh County), while 22% have one bedroom or none, where live-in care rarely works; the median home has 5.3 rooms.

Of Allentown households headed by someone 65 or older, 5,945 own their home and 4,829 rent; among householders 85 and older it is 847 owners and 495 renters. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

Allentown compared with Lehigh County and Pennsylvania

Census figure	Allentown	Lehigh County	Pennsylvania
Residents 85 or older	1.9%	2.3%	2.4%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	34%	27%	30%
Residents 65+ with a disability	37%	30%	32%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	16%	8.5%	9.9%
Residents 65 or older	13%	18%	19%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	48%	26%	12%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$40,631	$58,170	—

Older residents in towns around Allentown

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Dorneyville, PA	2.5 mi	1,334	177
Fullerton, PA	2.6 mi	1,899	275
Emmaus, PA	4.2 mi	1,963	229
Catasauqua, PA	4.3 mi	946	123
Fountain Hill, PA	4.4 mi	904	311
Wescosville, PA	4.4 mi	1,267	213

Emergency hospitals near Allentown

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
Lehigh Valley Hospital	Allentown, PA	0.8 mi	4 of 5	(610) 402-8000
St Lukes Hospital	Bethlehem, PA	5.2 mi	5 of 5	(484) 526-4000
Lehigh Valley Hospital - Macungie	Macungie, PA	6.5 mi	not rated	(835) 215-5500

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

What it covers

What a live-in caregiver can help with

Help across the day: meals, housekeeping, personal care
Someone in the home overnight if help is needed
Medication reminders and appointment rides
Companionship and a steady routine

Cost

What live-in care costs in Allentown

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $14.14 an hour (the Pennsylvania median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,064 a month (90% of the $3,386 monthly median income of Allentown households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $10,294 a month (304% of the $3,386 monthly median income of Allentown households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Pennsylvania'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 live-in caregiver

Put the arrangement in writing: hours on duty, sleep time, days off, the room and pay (federal rules: DOL Fact Sheet 79B).

Questions worth asking: Have you lived in with a client before, and for how long? What days off and sleep time do you need? How do you handle being woken at night? More in our live-in caregivers guide.

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

Questions

Live-In Caregivers in Allentown: common questions

Where is the nearest emergency hospital to Allentown?

Lehigh Valley Hospital in Allentown, about 0.8 mi in a straight line from the center of Allentown (Medicare hospital file). Its listed phone number is (610) 402-8000. In an emergency, call 911.

How much does live-in care cost in Allentown?

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $14.14 an hour (the Pennsylvania median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,064 a month (90% of the $3,386 monthly median income of Allentown households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $10,294 a month (304% of the $3,386 monthly median income of Allentown households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Pennsylvania's minimum wage is $7.25 an hour (U.S. Department of Labor table, updated July 1, 2026).

Live-in or 24-hour care in Allentown?

A live-in caregiver sleeps in the home and has protected sleep and break time. 24-hour care uses two or three caregivers in shifts so someone is always awake; in Allentown it costs more than three times as much a month (see the cost section above). Choose shifts if help is needed several times a night.

More near Allentown

More senior care near Allentown

Live-In Caregivers in nearby cities

Other care in Allentown

More for Allentown 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.

Live-In Caregivers in Allentown, PA