Live-In Caregivers in Baxter, MN: 24-Hour Home Care

Local figures

Live-In Caregivers in Baxter, MN: the local picture

440

residents 85 or older (4.9% of all residents)

881

households headed by someone 65+ own their home (64%)

63%

of Baxter homes have 3 or more bedrooms (64% in Crow Wing County)

$11.41

Minnesota minimum wage per hour

About 440 Baxter 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. 63% of homes in Baxter have three or more bedrooms (64% in Crow Wing County), while 13% have one bedroom or none, where live-in care rarely works; the median home has 6 rooms.

Of Baxter households headed by someone 65 or older, 881 own their home and 495 rent; among householders 85 and older it is 67 owners and 225 renters. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

Baxter compared with Crow Wing County and Minnesota

Census figure	Baxter	Crow Wing County	Minnesota
Residents 85 or older	4.9%	3.0%	2.1%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	35%	29%	30%
Residents 65+ with a disability	26%	30%	28%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	9.3%	9.0%	8.8%
Residents 65 or older	23%	24%	17%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	1.8%	2.0%	12%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$56,313	$56,498	—

Older residents in towns around Baxter

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Brainerd, MN	3.8 mi	2,562	501
Breezy Point, MN	19 mi	656	18
Crosslake, MN	25 mi	1,012	168
Little Falls, MN	25 mi	2,345	429
Long Prairie, MN	38 mi	887	179
Wadena, MN	41 mi	803	185

Emergency hospitals near Baxter

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
Essentia Health St Joseph's Medical Center	Brainerd, MN	8.4 mi	3 of 5	(218) 829-2861
Cuyuna Regional Medical Center	Crosby, MN	18 mi	3 of 5	(218) 546-2300
Lakewood Health System	Staples, MN	23 mi	not rated	(218) 894-1515

Straight-line miles from the center of Baxter. 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 Baxter

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $18.45 an hour (the Minnesota median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,998 a month (85% of the $4,693 monthly median income of Baxter households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $13,432 a month (286% of the $4,693 monthly median income of Baxter households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Minnesota's minimum wage is $11.41 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 Baxter: common questions

Where is the nearest emergency hospital to Baxter?

Essentia Health St Joseph's Medical Center in Brainerd, about 8.4 mi in a straight line from the center of Baxter (Medicare hospital file). Its listed phone number is (218) 829-2861. In an emergency, call 911.

How much does live-in care cost in Baxter?

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $18.45 an hour (the Minnesota median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,998 a month (85% of the $4,693 monthly median income of Baxter households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $13,432 a month (286% of the $4,693 monthly median income of Baxter households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Minnesota's minimum wage is $11.41 an hour (U.S. Department of Labor table, updated July 1, 2026).

Live-in or 24-hour care in Baxter?

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 Baxter 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 Baxter

More senior care near Baxter

Live-In Caregivers in nearby cities

Other care in Baxter

More for Baxter 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 Baxter, MN