Live-In Caregivers in French Island, WI: 24-Hour Home Care

Local figures

Live-In Caregivers in French Island, WI: the local picture

31

residents 85 or older (0.7% of all residents)

442

households headed by someone 65+ own their home (85%)

57%

of French Island homes have 3 or more bedrooms (58% in La Crosse County)

$7.25

Wisconsin minimum wage per hour

About 31 French Island 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. 57% of homes in French Island have three or more bedrooms (58% in La Crosse County), while 7.0% have one bedroom or none, where live-in care rarely works; the median home has 5.6 rooms.

Of French Island households headed by someone 65 or older, 442 own their home and 76 rent; among householders 85 and older it is 20 owners and 0 renters. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

French Island compared with La Crosse County and Wisconsin

Census figure	French Island	La Crosse County	Wisconsin
Residents 85 or older	0.7%	2.4%	2.1%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	16%	30%	30%
Residents 65+ with a disability	29%	32%	28%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	12%	9.7%	9.1%
Residents 65 or older	21%	18%	19%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	3.5%	6.7%	9.0%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$56,579	$55,379	—

Older residents in towns around French Island

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
La Crosse, WI	3.0 mi	8,794	1,227
La Crescent, MN	3.0 mi	1,204	155
Onalaska, WI	3.5 mi	3,955	708
Holmen, WI	7.8 mi	1,556	373
West Salem, WI	9.1 mi	975	123
Caledonia, MN	20 mi	618	61

Emergency hospitals near French Island

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
Mayo Clinic Health System-Franciscan Medical Center Inc	La Crosse, WI	4.7 mi	5 of 5	(608) 785-0940
Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center	La Crosse, WI	4.7 mi	4 of 5	(608) 782-7300
Mayo Clinic Hlth Systm Franciscan Hlthcare Sparta	Sparta, WI	23 mi	not rated	(608) 269-2132

Straight-line miles from the center of French Island. 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 French Island

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $17.47 an hour (the Wisconsin median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,785 a month (80% of the $4,715 monthly median income of French Island households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $12,718 a month (270% of the $4,715 monthly median income of French Island households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Wisconsin'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 IRIS in Wisconsin: how a family member gets paid as a caregiver.

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 French Island: common questions

Where is the nearest emergency hospital to French Island?

Mayo Clinic Health System-Franciscan Medical Center Inc in La Crosse, about 4.7 mi in a straight line from the center of French Island (Medicare hospital file). Its listed phone number is (608) 785-0940. In an emergency, call 911.

How much does live-in care cost in French Island?

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $17.47 an hour (the Wisconsin median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,785 a month (80% of the $4,715 monthly median income of French Island households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $12,718 a month (270% of the $4,715 monthly median income of French Island households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Wisconsin'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 French Island?

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 French Island 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 French Island

More senior care near French Island

Live-In Caregivers in nearby cities

Other care in French Island

More for French Island 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 French Island, WI