Live-In Caregivers in Cross Plains, WI: 24-Hour Home Care

Local figures

Live-In Caregivers in Cross Plains, WI: the local picture

87

residents 85 or older (2.1% of all residents)

334

households headed by someone 65+ own their home (78%)

68%

of Cross Plains homes have 3 or more bedrooms (55% in Dane County)

$7.25

Wisconsin minimum wage per hour

About 87 Cross Plains 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. 68% of homes in Cross Plains have three or more bedrooms (55% in Dane County), while 12% have one bedroom or none, where live-in care rarely works; the median home has 6.4 rooms.

Of Cross Plains households headed by someone 65 or older, 334 own their home and 94 rent; among householders 85 and older it is 28 owners and 46 renters. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

Cross Plains compared with Dane County and Wisconsin

Census figure	Cross Plains	Dane County	Wisconsin
Residents 85 or older	2.1%	1.7%	2.1%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	45%	30%	30%
Residents 65+ with a disability	37%	24%	28%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	1.4%	6.0%	9.1%
Residents 65 or older	14%	15%	19%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	2.4%	12%	9.0%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$55,000	$72,639	—

Older residents in towns around Cross Plains

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Middleton, WI	7.1 mi	3,967	404
Mount Horeb, WI	8.7 mi	1,173	293
Verona, WI	10 mi	2,158	442
Madison, WI	11 mi	36,240	4,039
Waunakee, WI	11 mi	2,292	264
Sauk City, WI	12 mi	646	139

Emergency hospitals near Cross Plains

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
Madison Va Medical Center	Madison, WI	10 mi	5 of 5	(608) 256-1901
University Of WI Hospitals & Clinics Authority	Madison, WI	12 mi	5 of 5	(608) 263-6400
Ssm Health St Mary's Hospital - Madison	Madison, WI	13 mi	4 of 5	(608) 251-6100

Straight-line miles from the center of Cross Plains. 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 Cross Plains

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $17.47 an hour (the Wisconsin median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,785 a month (83% of the $4,583 monthly median income of Cross Plains households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $12,718 a month (277% of the $4,583 monthly median income of Cross Plains households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Wisconsin's minimum wage is $7.25 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 IRIS in Wisconsin: how a family member gets paid as a caregiver.

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 Cross Plains: common questions

Where is the nearest emergency hospital to Cross Plains?

Madison Va Medical Center in Madison, about 10 mi in a straight line from the center of Cross Plains (Medicare hospital file). Its listed phone number is (608) 256-1901. In an emergency, call 911.

How much does live-in care cost in Cross Plains?

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $17.47 an hour (the Wisconsin median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,785 a month (83% of the $4,583 monthly median income of Cross Plains households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $12,718 a month (277% of the $4,583 monthly median income of Cross Plains households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Wisconsin's minimum wage is $7.25 an hour (U.S. Department of Labor table, updated July 1, 2026).

Live-in or 24-hour care in Cross Plains?

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 Cross Plains 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 Cross Plains

More senior care near Cross Plains

Live-In Caregivers in nearby cities

Other care in Cross Plains

More for Cross Plains 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 Cross Plains, WI