Live-In Caregivers in Fitchburg, MA: 24-Hour Home Care

Local figures

Live-In Caregivers in Fitchburg, MA: the local picture

745

residents 85 or older (1.8% of all residents)

2,510

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

48%

of Fitchburg homes have 3 or more bedrooms (60% in Worcester County)

$15.00

Massachusetts minimum wage per hour

About 745 Fitchburg 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. 48% of homes in Fitchburg have three or more bedrooms (60% in Worcester County), while 17% have one bedroom or none, where live-in care rarely works; the median home has 5.1 rooms.

Of Fitchburg households headed by someone 65 or older, 2,510 own their home and 1,172 rent; among householders 85 and older it is 287 owners and 226 renters. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

Fitchburg compared with Worcester County and Massachusetts

Census figure	Fitchburg	Worcester County	Massachusetts
Residents 85 or older	1.8%	1.9%	2.2%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	33%	27%	29%
Residents 65+ with a disability	40%	32%	30%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	16%	10%	11%
Residents 65 or older	14%	17%	18%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	32%	22%	25%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$43,618	$61,599	—

Older residents in towns around Fitchburg

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Leominster, MA	6.1 mi	8,479	1,270
Gardner, MA	8.9 mi	4,135	584
Ayer, MA	12 mi	473	19
Winchendon, MA	13 mi	672	36
Baldwinville, MA	13 mi	375	36
Clinton, MA	14 mi	1,142	90

Emergency hospitals near Fitchburg

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
Umass Memorial Healthalliance Hospitals	Leominster, MA	6.0 mi	3 of 5	(978) 466-2000
Heywood Hospital -	Gardner, MA	9.1 mi	2 of 5	(978) 632-3420
Nashoba Valley Medical Center	Ayer, MA	12 mi	not rated	(978) 784-9000

Straight-line miles from the center of Fitchburg. 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 Fitchburg

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $19.67 an hour (the Massachusetts median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $4,262 a month (117% of the $3,635 monthly median income of Fitchburg households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $14,320 a month (394% of the $3,635 monthly median income of Fitchburg households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Massachusetts's minimum wage is $15.00 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 Fitchburg: common questions

Where is the nearest emergency hospital to Fitchburg?

Umass Memorial Healthalliance Hospitals in Leominster, about 6.0 mi in a straight line from the center of Fitchburg (Medicare hospital file). Its listed phone number is (978) 466-2000. In an emergency, call 911.

How much does live-in care cost in Fitchburg?

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $19.67 an hour (the Massachusetts median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $4,262 a month (117% of the $3,635 monthly median income of Fitchburg households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $14,320 a month (394% of the $3,635 monthly median income of Fitchburg households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Massachusetts's minimum wage is $15.00 an hour (U.S. Department of Labor table, updated July 1, 2026).

Live-in or 24-hour care in Fitchburg?

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 Fitchburg 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 Fitchburg

More senior care near Fitchburg

Live-In Caregivers in nearby cities

Other care in Fitchburg

More for Fitchburg 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 Fitchburg, MA