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

Local figures

Live-In Caregivers in Fort Dodge, IA: the local picture

723

residents 85 or older (2.9% of all residents)

2,264

households headed by someone 65+ own their home (74%)

52%

of Fort Dodge homes have 3 or more bedrooms (58% in Webster County)

$7.25

Iowa minimum wage per hour

About 723 Fort Dodge 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. 52% of homes in Fort Dodge have three or more bedrooms (58% in Webster County), while 14% have one bedroom or none, where live-in care rarely works; the median home has 5.6 rooms.

Of Fort Dodge households headed by someone 65 or older, 2,264 own their home and 810 rent; among householders 85 and older it is 262 owners and 170 renters. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

Fort Dodge compared with Webster County and Iowa

Census figure	Fort Dodge	Webster County	Iowa
Residents 85 or older	2.9%	2.8%	2.3%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	45%	40%	31%
Residents 65+ with a disability	28%	28%	30%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	11%	9.6%	8.4%
Residents 65 or older	19%	20%	18%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	6.2%	4.9%	9.1%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$43,944	$44,701	—

Older residents in towns around Fort Dodge

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Humboldt, IA	15 mi	1,089	235
Eagle Grove, IA	18 mi	653	99
Webster City, IA	19 mi	1,463	451
Clarion, IA	27 mi	539	146
Boone, IA	35 mi	2,272	257
Jefferson, IA	36 mi	1,307	231

Emergency hospitals near Fort Dodge

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
Trinity Regional Medical Center	Fort Dodge, IA	0.3 mi	2 of 5	(515) 573-3101
Humboldt County Memorial Hospital	Humboldt, IA	15 mi	not rated	(515) 332-4200
Van Diest Medical Center	Webster City, IA	18 mi	5 of 5	(515) 832-9400

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

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 (103% of the $3,662 monthly median income of Fort Dodge 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 (345% of the $3,662 monthly median income of Fort Dodge 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 Fort Dodge: common questions

Where is the nearest emergency hospital to Fort Dodge?

Trinity Regional Medical Center in Fort Dodge, about 0.3 mi in a straight line from the center of Fort Dodge (Medicare hospital file). Its listed phone number is (515) 573-3101. In an emergency, call 911.

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

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 (103% of the $3,662 monthly median income of Fort Dodge 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 (345% of the $3,662 monthly median income of Fort Dodge 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 Fort Dodge?

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 Fort Dodge 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 Fort Dodge

More senior care near Fort Dodge

Live-In Caregivers in nearby cities

Other care in Fort Dodge

More for Fort Dodge 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 Fort Dodge, IA