Live-In Caregivers in Foster City, CA: 24-Hour Home Care

Local figures

Live-In Caregivers in Foster City, CA: the local picture

1,004

residents 85 or older (3.1% of all residents)

2,472

households headed by someone 65+ own their home (79%)

50%

of Foster City homes have 3 or more bedrooms (54% in San Mateo County)

$16.90

California minimum wage per hour

About 1,004 Foster City 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. 50% of homes in Foster City have three or more bedrooms (54% in San Mateo County), while 21% have one bedroom or none, where live-in care rarely works; the median home has 4.6 rooms.

Of Foster City households headed by someone 65 or older, 2,472 own their home and 665 rent; among householders 85 and older it is 423 owners and 147 renters. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

Foster City compared with San Mateo County and California

Census figure	Foster City	San Mateo County	California
Residents 85 or older	3.1%	2.5%	1.9%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	23%	21%	23%
Residents 65+ with a disability	33%	28%	33%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	7.9%	9.0%	12%
Residents 65 or older	18%	18%	16%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	55%	46%	44%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$106,367	$103,766	—

Older residents in towns around Foster City

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
San Mateo, CA	3.3 mi	17,563	2,991
Redwood City, CA	4.0 mi	11,387	1,543
Belmont, CA	4.2 mi	3,813	593
San Carlos, CA	4.6 mi	4,894	610
Hillsborough, CA	5.9 mi	2,262	220
Burlingame, CA	6.4 mi	4,983	884

Emergency hospitals near Foster City

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
San Mateo Medical Center	San Mateo, CA	3.2 mi	not rated	(650) 573-2222
Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Redwood City	Redwood City, CA	6.2 mi	4 of 5	(650) 299-2000
Peninsula Medical Center	Burlingame, CA	6.4 mi	5 of 5	(650) 696-5400

Straight-line miles from the center of Foster City. 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 Foster City

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $16.90 an hour (the California minimum; the May 2025 median aide wage, $16.50, is below it), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,662 a month (41% of the $8,864 monthly median income of Foster City households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $12,303 a month (139% of the $8,864 monthly median income of Foster City households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. California's minimum wage is $16.90 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 How to get paid to care for a family member in California: IHSS, VA, Paid Family Leave.

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 Foster City: common questions

Where is the nearest emergency hospital to Foster City?

San Mateo Medical Center in San Mateo, about 3.2 mi in a straight line from the center of Foster City (Medicare hospital file). Its listed phone number is (650) 573-2222. In an emergency, call 911.

How much does live-in care cost in Foster City?

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $16.90 an hour (the California minimum; the May 2025 median aide wage, $16.50, is below it), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,662 a month (41% of the $8,864 monthly median income of Foster City households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $12,303 a month (139% of the $8,864 monthly median income of Foster City households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. California's minimum wage is $16.90 an hour (U.S. Department of Labor table, updated July 1, 2026).

Live-in or 24-hour care in Foster City?

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 Foster City 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 Foster City

More senior care near Foster City

Live-In Caregivers in nearby cities

Other care in Foster City

More for Foster City 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 Foster City, CA