Live-In Caregivers in Joplin, MO: 24-Hour Home Care

Local figures

Live-In Caregivers in Joplin, MO: the local picture

1,215

residents 85 or older (2.3% of all residents)

4,530

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

57%

of Joplin homes have 3 or more bedrooms (65% in Jasper County)

$15.00

Missouri minimum wage per hour

About 1,215 Joplin 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 Joplin have three or more bedrooms (65% in Jasper County), while 14% have one bedroom or none, where live-in care rarely works; the median home has 5.4 rooms.

Of Joplin households headed by someone 65 or older, 4,530 own their home and 2,417 rent; among householders 85 and older it is 484 owners and 418 renters. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

Joplin compared with Jasper County and Missouri

Census figure	Joplin	Jasper County	Missouri
Residents 85 or older	2.3%	1.8%	2.0%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	38%	32%	30%
Residents 65+ with a disability	41%	41%	34%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	10%	12%	10%
Residents 65 or older	19%	16%	18%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	5.3%	6.6%	6.7%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$43,671	$44,883	—

Older residents in towns around Joplin

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Webb City, MO	4.9 mi	1,788	186
Carl Junction, MO	6.6 mi	1,201	153
Galena, KS	7.4 mi	480	27
Oronogo, MO	8.3 mi	272	0
Carthage, MO	11 mi	2,055	356
Baxter Springs, KS	13 mi	636	39

Emergency hospitals near Joplin

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
Mercy Hospital Joplin	Joplin, MO	2.0 mi	1 of 5	(417) 781-2727
Freeman Health System - Freeman West	Joplin, MO	2.0 mi	2 of 5	(417) 347-1111
Mercy Hospital Carthage	Carthage, MO	12 mi	4 of 5	(417) 358-8121

Straight-line miles from the center of Joplin. 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 Joplin

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $15.90 an hour (the Missouri median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,445 a month (95% of the $3,639 monthly median income of Joplin households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $11,575 a month (318% of the $3,639 monthly median income of Joplin households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Missouri's minimum wage is $15.00 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 Consumer Directed Services in Missouri: how a relative becomes a paid 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 Joplin: common questions

Where is the nearest emergency hospital to Joplin?

Mercy Hospital Joplin in Joplin, about 2.0 mi in a straight line from the center of Joplin (Medicare hospital file). Its listed phone number is (417) 781-2727. In an emergency, call 911.

How much does live-in care cost in Joplin?

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $15.90 an hour (the Missouri median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,445 a month (95% of the $3,639 monthly median income of Joplin households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $11,575 a month (318% of the $3,639 monthly median income of Joplin households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Missouri's minimum wage is $15.00 an hour (U.S. Department of Labor table, updated July 1, 2026).

Live-in or 24-hour care in Joplin?

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 Joplin 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 Joplin

More senior care near Joplin

Live-In Caregivers in nearby cities

Other care in Joplin

More for Joplin 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 Joplin, MO