Live-In Caregivers in DeFuniak Springs, FL

Local figures

Live-In Caregivers in DeFuniak Springs, FL: the local picture

143

residents 85 or older (2.2% of all residents)

479

households headed by someone 65+ own their home (74%)

72%

of DeFuniak Springs homes have 3 or more bedrooms (76% in Walton County)

$15.00

Florida minimum wage per hour

About 143 DeFuniak Springs 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. 72% of homes in DeFuniak Springs have three or more bedrooms (76% in Walton County), while 7.2% have one bedroom or none, where live-in care rarely works; the median home has 5.4 rooms.

Of DeFuniak Springs households headed by someone 65 or older, 479 own their home and 171 rent; among householders 85 and older it is 62 owners and 0 renters. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

DeFuniak Springs compared with Walton County and Florida

Census figure	DeFuniak Springs	Walton County	Florida
Residents 85 or older	2.2%	1.4%	2.6%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	36%	23%	25%
Residents 65+ with a disability	52%	28%	31%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	15%	9.0%	12%
Residents 65 or older	16%	20%	21%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	5.1%	8.5%	31%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$36,250	$67,531	—

Older residents in towns around DeFuniak Springs

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Freeport, FL	14 mi	820	112
Niceville, FL	25 mi	3,016	354
Miramar Beach, FL	26 mi	3,412	393
Bonifay, FL	26 mi	958	140
Geneva, AL	27 mi	1,109	70
Crestview, FL	28 mi	3,222	450

Emergency hospitals near DeFuniak Springs

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
North Walton Doctors Hospital	Defuniak Springs, FL	1.0 mi	not rated	(850) 920-2065
North Okaloosa Medical Center	Crestview, FL	22 mi	3 of 5	(850) 689-8100
HCA Florida Twin Cities Hospital	Niceville, FL	25 mi	5 of 5	(850) 678-4131

Straight-line miles from the center of DeFuniak Springs. 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 DeFuniak Springs

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $16.25 an hour (the Florida median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,521 a month (117% of the $3,021 monthly median income of DeFuniak Springs households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $11,830 a month (392% of the $3,021 monthly median income of DeFuniak Springs households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Florida's minimum wage rose to $15.00 an hour on September 30, 2026, under Article X, Section 24 of the Florida Constitution.

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 take care of a family member in Florida: SMMC LTC and the PDO.

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 DeFuniak Springs: common questions

Where is the nearest emergency hospital to DeFuniak Springs?

North Walton Doctors Hospital in Defuniak Springs, about 1.0 mi in a straight line from the center of DeFuniak Springs (Medicare hospital file). Its listed phone number is (850) 920-2065. In an emergency, call 911.

How much does live-in care cost in DeFuniak Springs?

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $16.25 an hour (the Florida median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,521 a month (117% of the $3,021 monthly median income of DeFuniak Springs households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $11,830 a month (392% of the $3,021 monthly median income of DeFuniak Springs households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Florida's minimum wage rose to $15.00 an hour on September 30, 2026, under Article X, Section 24 of the Florida Constitution.

Live-in or 24-hour care in DeFuniak Springs?

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 DeFuniak Springs 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 DeFuniak Springs

More senior care near DeFuniak Springs

Live-In Caregivers in nearby cities

Other care in DeFuniak Springs

More for DeFuniak Springs 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.