Live-In Caregivers in Fergus Falls, MN: 24-Hour Home Care

Local figures

Live-In Caregivers in Fergus Falls, MN: the local picture

884

residents 85 or older (6.2% of all residents)

1,735

households headed by someone 65+ own their home (75%)

53%

of Fergus Falls homes have 3 or more bedrooms (66% in Otter Tail County)

$11.41

Minnesota minimum wage per hour

About 884 Fergus Falls 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. 53% of homes in Fergus Falls have three or more bedrooms (66% in Otter Tail County), while 17% have one bedroom or none, where live-in care rarely works; the median home has 5.5 rooms.

Of Fergus Falls households headed by someone 65 or older, 1,735 own their home and 579 rent; among householders 85 and older it is 267 owners and 223 renters. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

Fergus Falls compared with Otter Tail County and Minnesota

Census figure	Fergus Falls	Otter Tail County	Minnesota
Residents 85 or older	6.2%	3.2%	2.1%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	38%	26%	30%
Residents 65+ with a disability	40%	28%	28%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	6.5%	8.4%	8.8%
Residents 65 or older	26%	25%	17%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	2.6%	4.6%	12%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$47,455	$53,778	—

Older residents in towns around Fergus Falls

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Pelican Rapids, MN	20 mi	444	108
Breckenridge, MN	24 mi	667	231
Wahpeton, ND	26 mi	1,557	158
Barnesville, MN	30 mi	359	57
Perham, MN	32 mi	872	193
Detroit Lakes, MN	38 mi	2,539	376

Emergency hospitals near Fergus Falls

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
Prairie Ridge Hospital And Health Services	Elbow Lake, MN	21 mi	not rated	(218) 685-7300
St Francis Medical Center	Breckenridge, MN	23 mi	not rated	(218) 643-3000
Perham Health	Perham, MN	32 mi	3 of 5	(218) 347-4500

Straight-line miles from the center of Fergus Falls. 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 Fergus Falls

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 (101% of the $3,955 monthly median income of Fergus Falls 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 (340% of the $3,955 monthly median income of Fergus Falls 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 Fergus Falls: common questions

Where is the nearest emergency hospital to Fergus Falls?

Prairie Ridge Hospital And Health Services in Elbow Lake, about 21 mi in a straight line from the center of Fergus Falls (Medicare hospital file). Its listed phone number is (218) 685-7300. In an emergency, call 911.

How much does live-in care cost in Fergus Falls?

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 (101% of the $3,955 monthly median income of Fergus Falls 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 (340% of the $3,955 monthly median income of Fergus Falls 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 Fergus Falls?

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 Fergus Falls 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 Fergus Falls

More senior care near Fergus Falls

Live-In Caregivers in nearby cities

Other care in Fergus Falls

More for Fergus Falls 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 Fergus Falls, MN