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

Local figures

Live-In Caregivers in Indianola, IA: the local picture

461

residents 85 or older (2.9% of all residents)

1,369

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

62%

of Indianola homes have 3 or more bedrooms (75% in Warren County)

$7.25

Iowa minimum wage per hour

About 461 Indianola 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. 62% of homes in Indianola have three or more bedrooms (75% in Warren County), while 9.5% have one bedroom or none, where live-in care rarely works; the median home has 5.7 rooms.

Of Indianola households headed by someone 65 or older, 1,369 own their home and 480 rent; among householders 85 and older it is 148 owners and 124 renters. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

Indianola compared with Warren County and Iowa

Census figure	Indianola	Warren County	Iowa
Residents 85 or older	2.9%	2.5%	2.3%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	42%	33%	31%
Residents 65+ with a disability	29%	31%	30%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	9.2%	8.0%	8.4%
Residents 65 or older	18%	17%	18%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	2.9%	2.9%	9.1%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$53,253	$58,661	—

Older residents in towns around Indianola

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Norwalk, IA	11 mi	2,002	380
Carlisle, IA	11 mi	523	135
Des Moines, IA	15 mi	27,045	3,313
Pleasant Hill, IA	17 mi	2,222	146
West Des Moines, IA	17 mi	10,723	1,394
Windsor Heights, IA	18 mi	985	125

Emergency hospitals near Indianola

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
Unitypoint Health - Des Moines Iowa Methodist Medi	Des Moines, IA	16 mi	3 of 5	(515) 343-1000
Mercyone Des Moines Medical Center	Des Moines, IA	17 mi	1 of 5	(515) 247-4436
Broadlawns Medical Center	Des Moines, IA	17 mi	3 of 5	(515) 282-2200

Straight-line miles from the center of Indianola. 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 Indianola

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 (85% of the $4,438 monthly median income of Indianola 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 (284% of the $4,438 monthly median income of Indianola 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 Indianola: common questions

Where is the nearest emergency hospital to Indianola?

Unitypoint Health - Des Moines Iowa Methodist Medi in Des Moines, about 16 mi in a straight line from the center of Indianola (Medicare hospital file). Its listed phone number is (515) 343-1000. In an emergency, call 911.

How much does live-in care cost in Indianola?

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 (85% of the $4,438 monthly median income of Indianola 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 (284% of the $4,438 monthly median income of Indianola 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 Indianola?

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 Indianola 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 Indianola

More senior care near Indianola

Live-In Caregivers in nearby cities

Other care in Indianola

More for Indianola 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 Indianola, IA