Live-In Caregivers in Des Moines, IA: 24-Hour Home Care

Local figures

Live-In Caregivers in Des Moines, IA: the local picture

3,313

residents 85 or older (1.6% of all residents)

13,326

households headed by someone 65+ own their home (73%)

50%

of Des Moines homes have 3 or more bedrooms (60% in Polk County)

$7.25

Iowa minimum wage per hour

About 3,313 Des Moines 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. 50% of homes in Des Moines have three or more bedrooms (60% in Polk County), while 17% have one bedroom or none, where live-in care rarely works; the median home has 5.1 rooms.

Of Des Moines households headed by someone 65 or older, 13,326 own their home and 4,903 rent; among householders 85 and older it is 1,419 owners and 843 renters. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

Des Moines compared with Polk County and Iowa

Census figure	Des Moines	Polk County	Iowa
Residents 85 or older	1.6%	1.5%	2.3%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	40%	32%	31%
Residents 65+ with a disability	36%	31%	30%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	11%	7.5%	8.4%
Residents 65 or older	13%	14%	18%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	22%	15%	9.1%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$48,181	$59,099	—

Older residents in towns around Des Moines

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Pleasant Hill, IA	5.7 mi	2,222	146
Windsor Heights, IA	5.7 mi	985	125
Carlisle, IA	7.1 mi	523	135
Saylorville, IA	7.5 mi	705	17
Norwalk, IA	7.6 mi	2,002	380
Altoona, IA	8.6 mi	3,684	311

Emergency hospitals near Des Moines

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
Unitypoint Health - Des Moines Iowa Methodist Medi	Des Moines, IA	1.2 mi	3 of 5	(515) 343-1000
Mercyone Des Moines Medical Center	Des Moines, IA	2.4 mi	1 of 5	(515) 247-4436
Broadlawns Medical Center	Des Moines, IA	2.4 mi	3 of 5	(515) 282-2200

Straight-line miles from the center of Des Moines. 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 Des Moines

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $17.34 an hour (the Iowa median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,757 a month (94% of the $4,015 monthly median income of Des Moines households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $12,624 a month (314% of the $4,015 monthly median income of Des Moines households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Iowa'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 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 Des Moines: common questions

Where is the nearest emergency hospital to Des Moines?

Unitypoint Health - Des Moines Iowa Methodist Medi in Des Moines, about 1.2 mi in a straight line from the center of Des Moines (Medicare hospital file). Its listed phone number is (515) 343-1000. In an emergency, call 911.

How much does live-in care cost in Des Moines?

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $17.34 an hour (the Iowa median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,757 a month (94% of the $4,015 monthly median income of Des Moines households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $12,624 a month (314% of the $4,015 monthly median income of Des Moines households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Iowa'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 Des Moines?

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 Des Moines 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 Des Moines

More senior care near Des Moines

Live-In Caregivers in nearby cities

Other care in Des Moines

More for Des Moines 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 Des Moines, IA