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

Local figures

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

359

residents 85 or older (1.5% of all residents)

2,139

households headed by someone 65+ own their home (88%)

78%

of Chester homes have 3 or more bedrooms (82% in Chesterfield County)

$12.77

Virginia minimum wage per hour

About 359 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. 78% of homes in Chester have three or more bedrooms (82% in Chesterfield County); the median home has 6.4 rooms.

Of Chester households headed by someone 65 or older, 2,139 own their home and 278 rent; among householders 85 and older it is 236 owners and 28 renters. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

Chester compared with Chesterfield County and Virginia

Census figure	Chester	Chesterfield County	Virginia
Residents 85 or older	1.5%	1.5%	1.7%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	27%	24%	27%
Residents 65+ with a disability	29%	29%	31%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	8.7%	6.4%	8.8%
Residents 65 or older	15%	16%	17%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	12%	14%	17%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$66,439	$74,566	—

Older residents in towns around Chester

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Bellwood, VA	3.7 mi	1,079	81
Meadowbrook, VA	5.9 mi	3,595	289
Enon, VA	6.4 mi	655	75
Colonial Heights, VA	6.6 mi	3,364	492
Bensley, VA	6.6 mi	566	44
Ettrick, VA	7.2 mi	732	114

Emergency hospitals near Chester

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
Henrico Doctors' Hospital	Richmond, VA	8.0 mi	4 of 5	(804) 289-4500
John Randolph Medical Center	Hopewell, VA	8.8 mi	3 of 5	(804) 541-1600
Cjw Medical Center	Richmond, VA	12 mi	4 of 5	(804) 483-0000

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 $14.57 an hour (the Virginia median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,157 a month (57% of the $5,537 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 $10,607 a month (192% of the $5,537 monthly median income of Chester households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Virginia's minimum wage is $12.77 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 Consumer directed care in Virginia: how relatives are paid to give care through CCC Plus.

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?

Henrico Doctors' Hospital in Richmond, about 8.0 mi in a straight line from the center of Chester (Medicare hospital file). Its listed phone number is (804) 289-4500. 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 $14.57 an hour (the Virginia median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,157 a month (57% of the $5,537 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 $10,607 a month (192% of the $5,537 monthly median income of Chester households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Virginia's minimum wage is $12.77 an hour (U.S. Department of Labor table, updated July 1, 2026).

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, VA