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

Local figures

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

475

residents 85 or older (1.9% of all residents)

1,881

households headed by someone 65+ own their home (76%)

70%

of Johnston homes have 3 or more bedrooms (60% in Polk County)

$7.25

Iowa minimum wage per hour

About 475 Johnston 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. 70% of homes in Johnston have three or more bedrooms (60% in Polk County), while 9.3% have one bedroom or none, where live-in care rarely works; the median home has 6.6 rooms.

Of Johnston households headed by someone 65 or older, 1,881 own their home and 587 rent; among householders 85 and older it is 65 owners and 101 renters. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

Johnston compared with Polk County and Iowa

Census figure	Johnston	Polk County	Iowa
Residents 85 or older	1.9%	1.5%	2.3%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	32%	32%	31%
Residents 65+ with a disability	24%	31%	30%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	4.4%	7.5%	8.4%
Residents 65 or older	15%	14%	18%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	12%	15%	9.1%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$69,087	$59,099	—

Older residents in towns around Johnston

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Grimes, IA	4.1 mi	1,199	99
Urbandale, IA	4.8 mi	6,881	874
Saylorville, IA	5.1 mi	705	17
Windsor Heights, IA	6.1 mi	985	125
Polk City, IA	6.2 mi	874	29
Clive, IA	6.6 mi	3,026	433

Emergency hospitals near Johnston

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
Va Central Iowa Healthcare System	Des Moines, IA	5.3 mi	4 of 5	(515) 699-5999
Mercyone Des Moines Medical Center	Des Moines, IA	7.8 mi	1 of 5	(515) 247-4436
Broadlawns Medical Center	Des Moines, IA	7.8 mi	3 of 5	(515) 282-2200

Straight-line miles from the center of Johnston. 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 Johnston

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 (65% of the $5,757 monthly median income of Johnston 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 (219% of the $5,757 monthly median income of Johnston 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 Johnston: common questions

Where is the nearest emergency hospital to Johnston?

Va Central Iowa Healthcare System in Des Moines, about 5.3 mi in a straight line from the center of Johnston (Medicare hospital file). Its listed phone number is (515) 699-5999. In an emergency, call 911.

How much does live-in care cost in Johnston?

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 (65% of the $5,757 monthly median income of Johnston 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 (219% of the $5,757 monthly median income of Johnston 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 Johnston?

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 Johnston 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 Johnston

More senior care near Johnston

Live-In Caregivers in nearby cities

Other care in Johnston

More for Johnston 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 Johnston, IA