Live-In Caregivers in Cedar Rapids, IA: 24-Hour Home Care

Local figures

Live-In Caregivers in Cedar Rapids, IA: the local picture

3,198

residents 85 or older (2.3% of all residents)

11,774

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

60%

of Cedar Rapids homes have 3 or more bedrooms (66% in Linn County)

$7.25

Iowa minimum wage per hour

About 3,198 Cedar Rapids 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 Cedar Rapids have three or more bedrooms (66% in Linn County), while 12% have one bedroom or none, where live-in care rarely works; the median home has 5.6 rooms.

Of Cedar Rapids households headed by someone 65 or older, 11,774 own their home and 2,844 rent; among householders 85 and older it is 1,329 owners and 734 renters. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

Cedar Rapids compared with Linn County and Iowa

Census figure	Cedar Rapids	Linn County	Iowa
Residents 85 or older	2.3%	2.1%	2.3%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	32%	29%	31%
Residents 65+ with a disability	28%	27%	30%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	7.1%	6.5%	8.4%
Residents 65 or older	17%	17%	18%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	9.3%	7.1%	9.1%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$57,459	$61,583	—

Older residents in towns around Cedar Rapids

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Fairfax, IA	5.7 mi	400	34
Hiawatha, IA	6.4 mi	1,068	123
Marion, IA	7.3 mi	7,523	710
Robins, IA	7.9 mi	476	43
Mount Vernon, IA	13 mi	497	38
Solon, IA	14 mi	469	95

Emergency hospitals near Cedar Rapids

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
Mercy Medical Center - Cedar Rapids	Cedar Rapids, IA	3.1 mi	4 of 5	(319) 398-6011
St Lukes Hospital	Cedar Rapids, IA	3.9 mi	4 of 5	(319) 369-7211
Virginia Gay Hospital	Vinton, IA	22 mi	4 of 5	(319) 472-6200

Straight-line miles from the center of Cedar Rapids. 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 Cedar Rapids

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $17.34 an hour (the Iowa median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,757 a month (78% of the $4,788 monthly median income of Cedar Rapids households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $12,624 a month (264% of the $4,788 monthly median income of Cedar Rapids households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Iowa'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 Cedar Rapids: common questions

Where is the nearest emergency hospital to Cedar Rapids?

Mercy Medical Center - Cedar Rapids in Cedar Rapids, about 3.1 mi in a straight line from the center of Cedar Rapids (Medicare hospital file). Its listed phone number is (319) 398-6011. In an emergency, call 911.

How much does live-in care cost in Cedar Rapids?

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $17.34 an hour (the Iowa median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,757 a month (78% of the $4,788 monthly median income of Cedar Rapids households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $12,624 a month (264% of the $4,788 monthly median income of Cedar Rapids households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Iowa'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 Cedar Rapids?

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 Cedar Rapids 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 Cedar Rapids

More senior care near Cedar Rapids

Live-In Caregivers in nearby cities

Other care in Cedar Rapids

More for Cedar Rapids 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 Cedar Rapids, IA