Live-In Caregivers in Boulder Creek, CA: 24-Hour Home Care

Local figures

Live-In Caregivers in Boulder Creek, CA: the local picture

30

residents 85 or older (0.6% of all residents)

708

households headed by someone 65+ own their home (81%)

50%

of Boulder Creek homes have 3 or more bedrooms (51% in Santa Cruz County)

$16.90

California minimum wage per hour

About 30 Boulder Creek 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. 50% of homes in Boulder Creek have three or more bedrooms (51% in Santa Cruz County), while 14% have one bedroom or none, where live-in care rarely works; the median home has 5.3 rooms.

Of Boulder Creek households headed by someone 65 or older, 708 own their home and 165 rent; among householders 85 and older it is 30 owners and 0 renters. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

Boulder Creek compared with Santa Cruz County and California

Census figure	Boulder Creek	Santa Cruz County	California
Residents 85 or older	0.6%	2.1%	1.9%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	26%	26%	23%
Residents 65+ with a disability	22%	28%	33%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	6.1%	9.6%	12%
Residents 65 or older	30%	19%	16%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	11%	34%	44%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$61,719	$85,666	—

Older residents in towns around Boulder Creek

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Ben Lomond, CA	4.4 mi	1,476	59
Bonny Doon, CA	6.3 mi	714	32
Felton, CA	7.0 mi	811	36
Lexington Hills, CA	7.8 mi	277	8
Scotts Valley, CA	8.4 mi	2,784	682
Monte Sereno, CA	11 mi	1,030	157

Emergency hospitals near Boulder Creek

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
Dominican Hospital	Santa Cruz, CA	12 mi	4 of 5	(831) 462-7700
Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital	Hollister, CA	12 mi	not rated	(831) 637-5711
Good Samaritan Hospital	San Jose, CA	14 mi	2 of 5	(408) 559-2011

Straight-line miles from the center of Boulder Creek. 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 Boulder Creek

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $16.90 an hour (the California minimum; the May 2025 median aide wage, $16.50, is below it), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,662 a month (71% of the $5,143 monthly median income of Boulder Creek households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $12,303 a month (239% of the $5,143 monthly median income of Boulder Creek households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. California's minimum wage is $16.90 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 How to get paid to care for a family member in California: IHSS, VA, Paid Family Leave.

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 Boulder Creek: common questions

Where is the nearest emergency hospital to Boulder Creek?

Dominican Hospital in Santa Cruz, about 12 mi in a straight line from the center of Boulder Creek (Medicare hospital file). Its listed phone number is (831) 462-7700. In an emergency, call 911.

How much does live-in care cost in Boulder Creek?

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $16.90 an hour (the California minimum; the May 2025 median aide wage, $16.50, is below it), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,662 a month (71% of the $5,143 monthly median income of Boulder Creek households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $12,303 a month (239% of the $5,143 monthly median income of Boulder Creek households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. California's minimum wage is $16.90 an hour (U.S. Department of Labor table, updated July 1, 2026).

Live-in or 24-hour care in Boulder Creek?

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 Boulder Creek 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 Boulder Creek

More senior care near Boulder Creek

Live-In Caregivers in nearby cities

Other care in Boulder Creek

More for Boulder Creek 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 Boulder Creek, CA