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

Local figures

Live-In Caregivers in Emmetsburg, IA: the local picture

228

residents 85 or older (6.3% of all residents)

425

households headed by someone 65+ own their home (68%)

64%

of Emmetsburg homes have 3 or more bedrooms (69% in Palo Alto County)

$7.25

Iowa minimum wage per hour

About 228 Emmetsburg 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. 64% of homes in Emmetsburg have three or more bedrooms (69% in Palo Alto County), while 17% have one bedroom or none, where live-in care rarely works; the median home has 5.8 rooms.

Of Emmetsburg households headed by someone 65 or older, 425 own their home and 198 rent; among householders 85 and older it is 113 owners and 31 renters. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

Emmetsburg compared with Palo Alto County and Iowa

Census figure	Emmetsburg	Palo Alto County	Iowa
Residents 85 or older	6.3%	4.2%	2.3%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	47%	40%	31%
Residents 65+ with a disability	38%	31%	30%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	7.5%	7.6%	8.4%
Residents 65 or older	26%	22%	18%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	1.9%	3.7%	9.1%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$46,250	$53,365	—

Older residents in towns around Emmetsburg

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Estherville, IA	21 mi	1,332	187
Algona, IA	23 mi	1,383	342
Spencer, IA	24 mi	2,495	423
Milford, IA	28 mi	802	47
Spirit Lake, IA	30 mi	1,217	284
Humboldt, IA	36 mi	1,089	235

Emergency hospitals near Emmetsburg

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
Palo Alto County Hospital	Emmetsburg, IA	0.5 mi	not rated	(712) 852-5500
Avera Holy Family Hospital	Estherville, IA	21 mi	2 of 5	(712) 362-2631
Kossuth Regional Health Center	Algona, IA	23 mi	1 of 5	(515) 295-2451

Straight-line miles from the center of Emmetsburg. 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 Emmetsburg

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 (97% of the $3,854 monthly median income of Emmetsburg 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 (328% of the $3,854 monthly median income of Emmetsburg 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 Emmetsburg: common questions

Where is the nearest emergency hospital to Emmetsburg?

Palo Alto County Hospital in Emmetsburg, about 0.5 mi in a straight line from the center of Emmetsburg (Medicare hospital file). Its listed phone number is (712) 852-5500. In an emergency, call 911.

How much does live-in care cost in Emmetsburg?

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 (97% of the $3,854 monthly median income of Emmetsburg 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 (328% of the $3,854 monthly median income of Emmetsburg 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 Emmetsburg?

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 Emmetsburg 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 Emmetsburg

More senior care near Emmetsburg

Live-In Caregivers in nearby cities

Other care in Emmetsburg

More for Emmetsburg 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 Emmetsburg, IA