Live-In Caregivers in Cape Girardeau, MO: 24-Hour Home Care

Local figures

Live-In Caregivers in Cape Girardeau, MO: the local picture

1,053

residents 85 or older (2.6% of all residents)

3,644

households headed by someone 65+ own their home (74%)

59%

of Cape Girardeau homes have 3 or more bedrooms (68% in Cape Girardeau County)

$15.00

Missouri minimum wage per hour

About 1,053 Cape Girardeau 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. 59% of homes in Cape Girardeau have three or more bedrooms (68% in Cape Girardeau County), while 13% have one bedroom or none, where live-in care rarely works; the median home has 5.5 rooms.

Of Cape Girardeau households headed by someone 65 or older, 3,644 own their home and 1,299 rent; among householders 85 and older it is 282 owners and 369 renters. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

Cape Girardeau compared with Cape Girardeau County and Missouri

Census figure	Cape Girardeau	Cape Girardeau County	Missouri
Residents 85 or older	2.6%	1.9%	2.0%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	38%	32%	30%
Residents 65+ with a disability	36%	33%	34%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	14%	11%	10%
Residents 65 or older	20%	18%	18%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	5.7%	3.6%	6.7%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$47,405	$49,089	—

Older residents in towns around Cape Girardeau

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Scott City, MO	6.0 mi	562	37
Jackson, MO	7.2 mi	2,688	318
Chaffee, MO	11 mi	540	126
Anna, IL	20 mi	999	108
Sikeston, MO	29 mi	3,549	377
Charleston, MO	30 mi	656	19

Emergency hospitals near Cape Girardeau

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
Mercy Hospital Southeast	Cape Girardeau, MO	0.9 mi	2 of 5	(573) 334-4822
Saint Francis Medical Center	Cape Girardeau, MO	2.2 mi	3 of 5	(573) 331-3000
Deaconess Illinois Union County	Anna, IL	22 mi	not rated	(618) 833-4511

Straight-line miles from the center of Cape Girardeau. 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 Cape Girardeau

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $15.90 an hour (the Missouri median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,445 a month (87% of the $3,950 monthly median income of Cape Girardeau households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $11,575 a month (293% of the $3,950 monthly median income of Cape Girardeau households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Missouri's minimum wage is $15.00 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 Services in Missouri: how a relative becomes a paid 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 Cape Girardeau: common questions

Where is the nearest emergency hospital to Cape Girardeau?

Mercy Hospital Southeast in Cape Girardeau, about 0.9 mi in a straight line from the center of Cape Girardeau (Medicare hospital file). Its listed phone number is (573) 334-4822. In an emergency, call 911.

How much does live-in care cost in Cape Girardeau?

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $15.90 an hour (the Missouri median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,445 a month (87% of the $3,950 monthly median income of Cape Girardeau households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $11,575 a month (293% of the $3,950 monthly median income of Cape Girardeau households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Missouri's minimum wage is $15.00 an hour (U.S. Department of Labor table, updated July 1, 2026).

Live-in or 24-hour care in Cape Girardeau?

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 Cape Girardeau 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 Cape Girardeau

More senior care near Cape Girardeau

Live-In Caregivers in nearby cities

Other care in Cape Girardeau

More for Cape Girardeau 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 Cape Girardeau, MO