Live-In Caregivers in Cary, IL: 24-Hour Home Care

Local figures

Live-In Caregivers in Cary, IL: the local picture

206

residents 85 or older (1.1% of all residents)

1,407

households headed by someone 65+ own their home (92%)

81%

of Cary homes have 3 or more bedrooms (73% in McHenry County)

$15.00

Illinois minimum wage per hour

About 206 Cary 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. 81% of homes in Cary have three or more bedrooms (73% in McHenry County); the median home has 7 rooms.

Of Cary households headed by someone 65 or older, 1,407 own their home and 125 rent; among householders 85 and older it is 108 owners and 27 renters. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

Cary compared with McHenry County and Illinois

Census figure	Cary	McHenry County	Illinois
Residents 85 or older	1.1%	1.6%	2.0%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	22%	25%	30%
Residents 65+ with a disability	22%	28%	32%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	6.9%	6.0%	10%
Residents 65 or older	14%	16%	17%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	12%	16%	24%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$71,611	$70,816	—

Older residents in towns around Cary

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Fox River Grove, IL	2.1 mi	637	15
Lake in the Hills, IL	4.1 mi	2,884	145
Lake Barrington, IL	4.1 mi	1,797	485
Crystal Lake, IL	4.6 mi	6,053	618
Algonquin, IL	5.2 mi	4,502	551
Island Lake, IL	5.2 mi	1,111	103

Emergency hospitals near Cary

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
Mercyhealth Hospital & Physician Clinic-Crystal La	Crystal Lake, IL	4.4 mi	not rated	(792) 220-5500
Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital	Barrington, IL	6.7 mi	5 of 5	(847) 381-9600
Northwestern Medicine Mchenry	Mchenry, IL	8.5 mi	5 of 5	(815) 344-5000

Straight-line miles from the center of Cary. 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 Cary

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $18.30 an hour (the Illinois median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,965 a month (66% of the $5,968 monthly median income of Cary households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $13,322 a month (223% of the $5,968 monthly median income of Cary households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Illinois'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 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 Cary: common questions

Where is the nearest emergency hospital to Cary?

Mercyhealth Hospital & Physician Clinic-Crystal La in Crystal Lake, about 4.4 mi in a straight line from the center of Cary (Medicare hospital file). Its listed phone number is (792) 220-5500. In an emergency, call 911.

How much does live-in care cost in Cary?

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $18.30 an hour (the Illinois median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,965 a month (66% of the $5,968 monthly median income of Cary households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $13,322 a month (223% of the $5,968 monthly median income of Cary households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Illinois'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 Cary?

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 Cary 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 Cary

More senior care near Cary

Live-In Caregivers in nearby cities

Other care in Cary

More for Cary 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 Cary, IL