Live-In Caregivers in Central City, NE: 24-Hour Home Care

Local figures

Live-In Caregivers in Central City, NE: the local picture

68

residents 85 or older (2.2% of all residents)

323

households headed by someone 65+ own their home (86%)

65%

of Central City homes have 3 or more bedrooms (70% in Merrick County)

$15.00

Nebraska minimum wage per hour

About 68 Central City 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. 65% of homes in Central City have three or more bedrooms (70% in Merrick County), while 10% have one bedroom or none, where live-in care rarely works; the median home has 6.1 rooms.

Of Central City households headed by someone 65 or older, 323 own their home and 52 rent; among householders 85 and older it is 33 owners and 11 renters. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

Central City compared with Merrick County and Nebraska

Census figure	Central City	Merrick County	Nebraska
Residents 85 or older	2.2%	2.7%	2.0%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	33%	30%	31%
Residents 65+ with a disability	45%	38%	32%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	2.4%	10%	9.2%
Residents 65 or older	21%	22%	17%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	1.9%	2.9%	13%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$69,306	$54,511	—

Older residents in towns around Central City

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Aurora, NE	17 mi	976	161
Grand Island, NE	23 mi	7,806	1,163
St. Paul, NE	25 mi	697	172
York, NE	27 mi	1,607	213
Columbus, NE	40 mi	4,324	787
Hastings, NE	41 mi	4,646	523

Emergency hospitals near Central City

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
Merrick Medical Center	Central City, NE	0.6 mi	not rated	(308) 946-3015
Memorial Hospital	Aurora, NE	18 mi	not rated	(402) 694-3171
Annie Jeffrey Memorial County Health Center	Osceola, NE	24 mi	not rated	(402) 747-2031

Straight-line miles from the center of Central City. 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 Central City

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $17.38 an hour (the Nebraska median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,766 a month (65% of the $5,776 monthly median income of Central City households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $12,653 a month (219% of the $5,776 monthly median income of Central City households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Nebraska'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 Central City: common questions

Where is the nearest emergency hospital to Central City?

Merrick Medical Center in Central City, about 0.6 mi in a straight line from the center of Central City (Medicare hospital file). Its listed phone number is (308) 946-3015. In an emergency, call 911.

How much does live-in care cost in Central City?

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $17.38 an hour (the Nebraska median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,766 a month (65% of the $5,776 monthly median income of Central City households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $12,653 a month (219% of the $5,776 monthly median income of Central City households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Nebraska'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 Central City?

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 Central City 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 Central City

More senior care near Central City

Live-In Caregivers in nearby cities

Other care in Central City

More for Central City 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 Central City, NE