Dodge Center, Minnesota

Live-In Caregivers in Dodge Center, MN

A caregiver who lives in the home, for someone who needs help across the day and a person nearby at night. Post what you need in Dodge Center for free and hire a caregiver directly, with no agency mark-up.

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Local figures

Live-In Caregivers in Dodge Center, MN: the local picture

44
residents 85 or older (1.5% of all residents)
200
households headed by someone 65+ own their home (86%)
69%
of Dodge Center homes have 3 or more bedrooms (78% in Dodge County)
$11.41
Minnesota minimum wage per hour

About 44 Dodge Center 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. 69% of homes in Dodge Center have three or more bedrooms (78% in Dodge County), while 7.3% have one bedroom or none, where live-in care rarely works; the median home has 6.2 rooms.

Of Dodge Center households headed by someone 65 or older, 200 own their home and 32 rent; among householders 85 and older it is 33 owners and 0 renters. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

Dodge Center compared with Dodge County and Minnesota

Census figureDodge CenterDodge CountyMinnesota
Residents 85 or older1.5%1.7%2.1%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone21%25%30%
Residents 65+ with a disability24%26%28%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)5.3%6.6%8.8%
Residents 65 or older15%16%17%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home11%6.1%12%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+$43,393$58,301—

Older residents in towns around Dodge Center

TownDistanceResidents 65+Residents 85+
Kasson, MN5.2 mi1,037123
Byron, MN11 mi849104
Pine Island, MN16 mi558104
Rochester, MN19 mi19,9803,236
Owatonna, MN19 mi5,174770
Zumbrota, MN20 mi925229

Emergency hospitals near Dodge Center

Hospital with an emergency departmentTownDistanceCMS overall ratingPhone
Mayo Clinic Hospital RochesterRochester, MN18 mi5 of 5(507) 255-5123
Owatonna HospitalOwatonna, MN19 mi5 of 5(507) 451-3850
Olmsted Medical CenterRochester, MN23 mi4 of 5(507) 288-3443

Straight-line miles from the center of Dodge Center. 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 Dodge Center

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $18.45 an hour (the Minnesota median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,998 a month (111% of the $3,616 monthly median income of Dodge Center households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $13,432 a month (371% of the $3,616 monthly median income of Dodge Center households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Minnesota's minimum wage is $11.41 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 Dodge Center: common questions

Where is the nearest emergency hospital to Dodge Center?

Mayo Clinic Hospital Rochester in Rochester, about 18 mi in a straight line from the center of Dodge Center (Medicare hospital file). Its listed phone number is (507) 255-5123. In an emergency, call 911.

How much does live-in care cost in Dodge Center?

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $18.45 an hour (the Minnesota median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,998 a month (111% of the $3,616 monthly median income of Dodge Center households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $13,432 a month (371% of the $3,616 monthly median income of Dodge Center households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Minnesota's minimum wage is $11.41 an hour (U.S. Department of Labor table, updated July 1, 2026).

Live-in or 24-hour care in Dodge Center?

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 Dodge Center 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 Dodge Center

More senior care near Dodge Center

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.

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