Live-In Caregivers in Costa Mesa, CA: 24-Hour Home Care

Local figures

Live-In Caregivers in Costa Mesa, CA: the local picture

1,993

residents 85 or older (1.8% of all residents)

5,330

households headed by someone 65+ own their home (62%)

44%

of Costa Mesa homes have 3 or more bedrooms (57% in Orange County)

$16.90

California minimum wage per hour

About 1,993 Costa Mesa 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. 44% of homes in Costa Mesa have three or more bedrooms (57% in Orange County), while 23% have one bedroom or none, where live-in care rarely works; the median home has 4.4 rooms.

Of Costa Mesa households headed by someone 65 or older, 5,330 own their home and 3,220 rent; among householders 85 and older it is 676 owners and 386 renters. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

Costa Mesa compared with Orange County and California

Census figure	Costa Mesa	Orange County	California
Residents 85 or older	1.8%	2.2%	1.9%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	28%	20%	23%
Residents 65+ with a disability	32%	29%	33%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	8.6%	10%	12%
Residents 65 or older	13%	16%	16%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	37%	46%	44%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$78,700	$84,615	—

Older residents in towns around Costa Mesa

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Fountain Valley, CA	3.8 mi	11,640	1,680
Newport Beach, CA	4.9 mi	20,259	3,179
Santa Ana, CA	5.2 mi	35,609	4,676
Huntington Beach, CA	5.7 mi	37,904	4,289
Midway City, CA	6.9 mi	1,391	235
Tustin, CA	7.4 mi	10,353	1,155

Emergency hospitals near Costa Mesa

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian	Newport Beach, CA	3.3 mi	5 of 5	(949) 764-4624
Memorialcare Orange Coast Medical Center	Fountain Valley, CA	3.8 mi	4 of 5	(714) 378-7000
Coastal Communities Hospital	Santa Ana, CA	4.1 mi	1 of 5	(714) 754-5454

Straight-line miles from the center of Costa Mesa. 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 Costa Mesa

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $16.90 an hour (the California minimum; the May 2025 median aide wage, $16.50, is below it), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,662 a month (56% of the $6,558 monthly median income of Costa Mesa households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $12,303 a month (188% of the $6,558 monthly median income of Costa Mesa households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. California's minimum wage is $16.90 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 How to get paid to care for a family member in California: IHSS, VA, Paid Family Leave.

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 Costa Mesa: common questions

Where is the nearest emergency hospital to Costa Mesa?

Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian in Newport Beach, about 3.3 mi in a straight line from the center of Costa Mesa (Medicare hospital file). Its listed phone number is (949) 764-4624. In an emergency, call 911.

How much does live-in care cost in Costa Mesa?

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $16.90 an hour (the California minimum; the May 2025 median aide wage, $16.50, is below it), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,662 a month (56% of the $6,558 monthly median income of Costa Mesa households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $12,303 a month (188% of the $6,558 monthly median income of Costa Mesa households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. California's minimum wage is $16.90 an hour (U.S. Department of Labor table, updated July 1, 2026).

Live-in or 24-hour care in Costa Mesa?

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 Costa Mesa 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 Costa Mesa

More senior care near Costa Mesa

Live-In Caregivers in nearby cities

Other care in Costa Mesa

More for Costa Mesa 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 Costa Mesa, CA