Chatham, Illinois

Live-In Caregivers in Chatham, IL

A caregiver who lives in the home, for someone who needs help across the day and a person nearby at night. Post what you need in Chatham for free and hire a caregiver directly, with no agency mark-up.

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Local figures

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

191
residents 85 or older (1.3% of all residents)
1,010
households headed by someone 65+ own their home (90%)
76%
of Chatham homes have 3 or more bedrooms (64% in Sangamon County)
$15.00
Illinois minimum wage per hour

About 191 Chatham 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. 76% of homes in Chatham have three or more bedrooms (64% in Sangamon County), while 5.4% have one bedroom or none, where live-in care rarely works; the median home has 6.2 rooms.

Of Chatham households headed by someone 65 or older, 1,010 own their home and 115 rent; among householders 85 and older it is 145 owners and 0 renters. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

Chatham compared with Sangamon County and Illinois

Census figureChathamSangamon CountyIllinois
Residents 85 or older1.3%2.2%2.0%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone31%34%30%
Residents 65+ with a disability35%31%32%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)3.7%8.0%10%
Residents 65 or older12%19%17%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home5.7%4.8%24%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+$87,713$65,003—

Older residents in towns around Chatham

TownDistanceResidents 65+Residents 85+
Auburn, IL7.3 mi70682
Pawnee, IL8.0 mi43052
Springfield, IL8.5 mi22,5742,646
Rochester, IL10 mi721139
Virden, IL12 mi52897
Riverton, IL14 mi604189

Emergency hospitals near Chatham

Hospital with an emergency departmentTownDistanceCMS overall ratingPhone
St Johns HospitalSpringfield, IL9.2 mi2 of 5(217) 544-6464
Memorial Medical CenterSpringfield, IL11 mi3 of 5(217) 788-3000
Taylorville Memorial HospitalTaylorville, IL23 mi2 of 5(217) 824-3331

Straight-line miles from the center of Chatham. 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 Chatham

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 (54% of the $7,309 monthly median income of Chatham 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 (182% of the $7,309 monthly median income of Chatham 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 Chatham: common questions

Where is the nearest emergency hospital to Chatham?

St Johns Hospital in Springfield, about 9.2 mi in a straight line from the center of Chatham (Medicare hospital file). Its listed phone number is (217) 544-6464. In an emergency, call 911.

How much does live-in care cost in Chatham?

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 (54% of the $7,309 monthly median income of Chatham 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 (182% of the $7,309 monthly median income of Chatham 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 Chatham?

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 Chatham 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.

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.

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