Live-In Caregivers in Big Stone Gap, VA: 24-Hour Home Care

Local figures

Live-In Caregivers in Big Stone Gap, VA: the local picture

80

residents 85 or older (1.5% of all residents)

472

households headed by someone 65+ own their home (87%)

82%

of Big Stone Gap homes have 3 or more bedrooms (77% in Wise County)

$12.77

Virginia minimum wage per hour

About 80 Big Stone Gap 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. 82% of homes in Big Stone Gap have three or more bedrooms (77% in Wise County); the median home has 5.6 rooms.

Of Big Stone Gap households headed by someone 65 or older, 472 own their home and 69 rent; among householders 85 and older it is 47 owners and 0 renters. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

Big Stone Gap compared with Wise County and Virginia

Census figure	Big Stone Gap	Wise County	Virginia
Residents 85 or older	1.5%	1.6%	1.7%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	30%	29%	27%
Residents 65+ with a disability	61%	54%	31%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	25%	16%	8.8%
Residents 65 or older	18%	20%	17%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	3.5%	1.9%	17%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$50,795	$35,825	—

Older residents in towns around Big Stone Gap

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Norton, VA	9.6 mi	761	135
Wise, VA	13 mi	514	0
Mount Carmel, TN	21 mi	1,272	107
Church Hill, TN	24 mi	1,706	173
Bloomingdale, TN	24 mi	2,040	138
Kingsport, TN	27 mi	13,132	1,347

Emergency hospitals near Big Stone Gap

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
Lonesome Pine Hospital	Big Stone Gap, VA	0.8 mi	4 of 5	(276) 523-3111
Lee County Community Hospital	Pennington Gap, VA	16 mi	not rated	(276) 299-5000
Whitesburg Arh Hospital	Whitesburg, KY	20 mi	3 of 5	(606) 633-3500

Straight-line miles from the center of Big Stone Gap. 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 Big Stone Gap

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $14.57 an hour (the Virginia median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,157 a month (75% of the $4,233 monthly median income of Big Stone Gap households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $10,607 a month (251% of the $4,233 monthly median income of Big Stone Gap households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Virginia's minimum wage is $12.77 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 Consumer directed care in Virginia: how relatives are paid to give care through CCC Plus.

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 Big Stone Gap: common questions

Where is the nearest emergency hospital to Big Stone Gap?

Lonesome Pine Hospital in Big Stone Gap, about 0.8 mi in a straight line from the center of Big Stone Gap (Medicare hospital file). Its listed phone number is (276) 523-3111. In an emergency, call 911.

How much does live-in care cost in Big Stone Gap?

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $14.57 an hour (the Virginia median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,157 a month (75% of the $4,233 monthly median income of Big Stone Gap households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $10,607 a month (251% of the $4,233 monthly median income of Big Stone Gap households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Virginia's minimum wage is $12.77 an hour (U.S. Department of Labor table, updated July 1, 2026).

Live-in or 24-hour care in Big Stone Gap?

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 Big Stone Gap 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 Big Stone Gap

More senior care near Big Stone Gap

Live-In Caregivers in nearby cities

Other care in Big Stone Gap

More for Big Stone Gap 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 Big Stone Gap, VA