Live-In Caregivers in Altoona, WI: 24-Hour Home Care

Local figures

Live-In Caregivers in Altoona, WI: the local picture

323

residents 85 or older (3.6% of all residents)

568

households headed by someone 65+ own their home (57%)

56%

of Altoona homes have 3 or more bedrooms (59% in Eau Claire County)

$7.25

Wisconsin minimum wage per hour

About 323 Altoona 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. 56% of homes in Altoona have three or more bedrooms (59% in Eau Claire County), while 14% have one bedroom or none, where live-in care rarely works; the median home has 5 rooms.

Of Altoona households headed by someone 65 or older, 568 own their home and 431 rent; among householders 85 and older it is 43 owners and 193 renters. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

Altoona compared with Eau Claire County and Wisconsin

Census figure	Altoona	Eau Claire County	Wisconsin
Residents 85 or older	3.6%	2.1%	2.1%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	33%	31%	30%
Residents 65+ with a disability	34%	29%	28%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	7.7%	7.2%	9.1%
Residents 65 or older	19%	17%	19%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	0.9%	6.7%	9.0%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$66,250	$58,282	—

Older residents in towns around Altoona

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Eau Claire, WI	3.0 mi	11,454	1,389
Lake Hallie, WI	6.4 mi	1,035	107
Chippewa Falls, WI	9.6 mi	3,042	510
Lake Wissota, WI	11 mi	640	130
Mondovi, WI	19 mi	634	121
Bloomer, WI	21 mi	783	104

Emergency hospitals near Altoona

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
Marshfield Medical Center - Eau Claire	Eau Claire, WI	2.6 mi	3 of 5	(715) 858-8100
Mayo Clinic Health System Eau Claire Hospital	Eau Claire, WI	4.4 mi	5 of 5	(715) 838-3311
Mayo Clinic Health System Oakridge	Osseo, WI	20 mi	not rated	(715) 597-3121

Straight-line miles from the center of Altoona. 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 Altoona

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $17.47 an hour (the Wisconsin median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,785 a month (69% of the $5,521 monthly median income of Altoona households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $12,718 a month (230% of the $5,521 monthly median income of Altoona households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Wisconsin'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 IRIS in Wisconsin: how a family member gets paid as a caregiver.

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 Altoona: common questions

Where is the nearest emergency hospital to Altoona?

Marshfield Medical Center - Eau Claire in Eau Claire, about 2.6 mi in a straight line from the center of Altoona (Medicare hospital file). Its listed phone number is (715) 858-8100. In an emergency, call 911.

How much does live-in care cost in Altoona?

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $17.47 an hour (the Wisconsin median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,785 a month (69% of the $5,521 monthly median income of Altoona households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $12,718 a month (230% of the $5,521 monthly median income of Altoona households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Wisconsin'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 Altoona?

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 Altoona 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 Altoona

More senior care near Altoona

Live-In Caregivers in nearby cities

Other care in Altoona

More for Altoona 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 Altoona, WI