Live-In Caregivers in Chester, SC: 24-Hour Home Care

Local figures

Live-In Caregivers in Chester, SC: the local picture

69

residents 85 or older (1.3% of all residents)

490

households headed by someone 65+ own their home (79%)

57%

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

$7.25

South Carolina minimum wage per hour

About 69 Chester 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. 57% of homes in Chester have three or more bedrooms (73% in Chester County); the median home has 5.4 rooms.

Of Chester households headed by someone 65 or older, 490 own their home and 131 rent; among householders 85 and older it is 52 owners and 7 renters. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

Chester compared with Chester County and South Carolina

Census figure	Chester	Chester County	South Carolina
Residents 85 or older	1.3%	1.6%	1.8%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	37%	30%	27%
Residents 65+ with a disability	40%	33%	33%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	24%	17%	11%
Residents 65 or older	15%	19%	19%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	1.5%	2.2%	8.4%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$31,892	$39,348	—

Older residents in towns around Chester

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Lesslie, SC	19 mi	419	14
Rock Hill, SC	20 mi	10,904	1,199
York, SC	20 mi	1,186	103
Newport, SC	21 mi	937	0
Union, SC	23 mi	1,667	292
India Hook, SC	24 mi	674	32

Emergency hospitals near Chester

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
Musc Health Chester Medical Center	Chester, SC	0.7 mi	not rated	(803) 581-3151
Piedmont Medical Center	Rock Hill, SC	20 mi	2 of 5	(803) 329-1234
Union Medical Center	Union, SC	23 mi	not rated	(864) 301-2000

Straight-line miles from the center of Chester. 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 Chester

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $14.48 an hour (the South Carolina median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,137 a month (118% of the $2,658 monthly median income of Chester households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $10,541 a month (397% of the $2,658 monthly median income of Chester households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. South Carolina has no state minimum wage law, so the federal minimum of $7.25 an hour applies to employers covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act (U.S. Department of Labor).

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 Chester: common questions

Where is the nearest emergency hospital to Chester?

Musc Health Chester Medical Center in Chester, about 0.7 mi in a straight line from the center of Chester (Medicare hospital file). Its listed phone number is (803) 581-3151. In an emergency, call 911.

How much does live-in care cost in Chester?

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $14.48 an hour (the South Carolina median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,137 a month (118% of the $2,658 monthly median income of Chester households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $10,541 a month (397% of the $2,658 monthly median income of Chester households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. South Carolina has no state minimum wage law, so the federal minimum of $7.25 an hour applies to employers covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act (U.S. Department of Labor).

Live-in or 24-hour care in Chester?

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 Chester 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 Chester

More senior care near Chester

Live-In Caregivers in nearby cities

Other care in Chester

More for Chester 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 Chester, SC