Live-In Caregivers in Houghton Lake, MI: 24-Hour Home Care

Local figures

Live-In Caregivers in Houghton Lake, MI: the local picture

250

residents 85 or older (4.3% of all residents)

1,165

households headed by someone 65+ own their home (89%)

56%

of Houghton Lake homes have 3 or more bedrooms (61% in Roscommon County)

$13.73

Michigan minimum wage per hour

About 250 Houghton Lake 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. 56% of homes in Houghton Lake have three or more bedrooms (61% in Roscommon County), while 8.3% have one bedroom or none, where live-in care rarely works; the median home has 4.6 rooms.

Of Houghton Lake households headed by someone 65 or older, 1,165 own their home and 151 rent; among householders 85 and older it is 147 owners and 16 renters. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

Houghton Lake compared with Roscommon County and Michigan

Census figure	Houghton Lake	Roscommon County	Michigan
Residents 85 or older	4.3%	3.1%	2.1%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	34%	28%	29%
Residents 65+ with a disability	43%	36%	32%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	7.4%	8.9%	9.9%
Residents 65 or older	34%	35%	19%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	0.9%	1.4%	10%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$47,567	$50,715	—

Older residents in towns around Houghton Lake

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
St. Helen, MI	17 mi	913	81
Gladwin, MI	25 mi	781	123
Clare, MI	33 mi	769	116
Cadillac, MI	34 mi	2,207	375
Skidway Lake, MI	36 mi	584	52
Kalkaska, MI	37 mi	544	139

Emergency hospitals near Houghton Lake

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
Mymichigan Medical Center Gladwin	Gladwin, MI	23 mi	not rated	(989) 426-9286
Munson Healthcare Grayling Hospital	Grayling, MI	26 mi	3 of 5	(989) 348-5461
Mymichigan Medical Center West Branch	West Branch, MI	26 mi	5 of 5	(989) 345-3660

Straight-line miles from the center of Houghton Lake. 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 Houghton Lake

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $16.83 an hour (the Michigan median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,646 a month (92% of the $3,964 monthly median income of Houghton Lake households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $12,252 a month (309% of the $3,964 monthly median income of Houghton Lake households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Michigan's minimum wage is $13.73 an hour (U.S. Department of Labor table, updated July 1, 2026), rising to $15.00 on January 1, 2027.

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 Houghton Lake: common questions

Where is the nearest emergency hospital to Houghton Lake?

Mymichigan Medical Center Gladwin in Gladwin, about 23 mi in a straight line from the center of Houghton Lake (Medicare hospital file). Its listed phone number is (989) 426-9286. In an emergency, call 911.

How much does live-in care cost in Houghton Lake?

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $16.83 an hour (the Michigan median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,646 a month (92% of the $3,964 monthly median income of Houghton Lake households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $12,252 a month (309% of the $3,964 monthly median income of Houghton Lake households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Michigan's minimum wage is $13.73 an hour (U.S. Department of Labor table, updated July 1, 2026), rising to $15.00 on January 1, 2027.

Live-in or 24-hour care in Houghton Lake?

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 Houghton Lake 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 Houghton Lake

More senior care near Houghton Lake

Live-In Caregivers in nearby cities

Other care in Houghton Lake

More for Houghton Lake 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 Houghton Lake, MI