Live-In Caregivers in Cajah's Mountain, NC

Local figures

Live-In Caregivers in Cajah's Mountain, NC: the local picture

55

residents 85 or older (2.0% of all residents)

168

households headed by someone 65+ own their home (82%)

60%

of Cajah's Mountain homes have 3 or more bedrooms (69% in Caldwell County)

$7.25

North Carolina minimum wage per hour

About 55 Cajah's Mountain 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. 60% of homes in Cajah's Mountain have three or more bedrooms (69% in Caldwell County); the median home has 5.5 rooms.

Of Cajah's Mountain households headed by someone 65 or older, 168 own their home and 38 rent; among householders 85 and older it is 27 owners and 0 renters. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

Cajah's Mountain compared with Caldwell County and North Carolina

Census figure	Cajah's Mountain	Caldwell County	North Carolina
Residents 85 or older	2.0%	2.1%	1.7%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	17%	30%	28%
Residents 65+ with a disability	44%	37%	33%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	14%	12%	11%
Residents 65 or older	15%	21%	17%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	10%	5.6%	13%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$39,000	$40,201	—

Older residents in towns around Cajah's Mountain

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Hudson, NC	2.8 mi	957	97
Gamewell, NC	3.6 mi	428	10
Lenoir, NC	4.0 mi	4,199	463
Sawmills, NC	4.1 mi	725	83
Valdese, NC	6.9 mi	1,207	309
Granite Falls, NC	7.3 mi	908	122

Emergency hospitals near Cajah's Mountain

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
Caldwell Memorial Hospital	Lenoir, NC	4.4 mi	3 of 5	(828) 757-5100
Blue Ridge Healthcare Hospitals, Inc	Morganton, NC	12 mi	4 of 5	(828) 580-5000
Frye Regional Medical Center	Hickory, NC	13 mi	2 of 5	(828) 322-6070

Straight-line miles from the center of Cajah's Mountain. 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 Cajah's Mountain

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $15.02 an hour (the North Carolina median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,254 a month (100% of the $3,250 monthly median income of Cajah's Mountain households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $10,935 a month (336% of the $3,250 monthly median income of Cajah's Mountain households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. North Carolina'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 Cajah's Mountain: common questions

Where is the nearest emergency hospital to Cajah's Mountain?

Caldwell Memorial Hospital in Lenoir, about 4.4 mi in a straight line from the center of Cajah's Mountain (Medicare hospital file). Its listed phone number is (828) 757-5100. In an emergency, call 911.

How much does live-in care cost in Cajah's Mountain?

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $15.02 an hour (the North Carolina median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,254 a month (100% of the $3,250 monthly median income of Cajah's Mountain households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $10,935 a month (336% of the $3,250 monthly median income of Cajah's Mountain households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. North Carolina'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 Cajah's Mountain?

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 Cajah's Mountain 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 Cajah's Mountain

More senior care near Cajah's Mountain

Live-In Caregivers in nearby cities

Other care in Cajah's Mountain

More for Cajah's Mountain 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.