Live-In Caregivers in Kearney, NE: 24-Hour Home Care

Local figures

Live-In Caregivers in Kearney, NE: the local picture

737

residents 85 or older (2.2% of all residents)

2,888

households headed by someone 65+ own their home (79%)

59%

of Kearney homes have 3 or more bedrooms (63% in Buffalo County)

$15.00

Nebraska minimum wage per hour

About 737 Kearney 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. 59% of homes in Kearney have three or more bedrooms (63% in Buffalo County), while 12% have one bedroom or none, where live-in care rarely works; the median home has 5.6 rooms.

Of Kearney households headed by someone 65 or older, 2,888 own their home and 779 rent; among householders 85 and older it is 338 owners and 197 renters. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

Kearney compared with Buffalo County and Nebraska

Census figure	Kearney	Buffalo County	Nebraska
Residents 85 or older	2.2%	2.1%	2.0%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	39%	34%	31%
Residents 65+ with a disability	29%	30%	32%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	11%	9.5%	9.2%
Residents 65 or older	16%	17%	17%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	9.8%	8.8%	13%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$50,813	$54,043	—

Older residents in towns around Kearney

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Minden, NE	15 mi	681	129
Holdrege, NE	24 mi	1,208	240
Lexington, NE	35 mi	1,013	176
Hastings, NE	37 mi	4,646	523
Grand Island, NE	41 mi	7,806	1,163
St. Paul, NE	48 mi	697	172

Emergency hospitals near Kearney

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
Chi Health Good Samaritan	Kearney, NE	1.3 mi	4 of 5	(308) 865-7900
Kearney Regional Medical Center	Kearney, NE	4.2 mi	4 of 5	(308) 455-3600
Kearney County Health Services Hospital	Minden, NE	15 mi	not rated	(308) 832-3400

Straight-line miles from the center of Kearney. 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 Kearney

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $17.38 an hour (the Nebraska median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,766 a month (89% of the $4,234 monthly median income of Kearney households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $12,653 a month (299% of the $4,234 monthly median income of Kearney households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Nebraska'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 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 Kearney: common questions

Where is the nearest emergency hospital to Kearney?

Chi Health Good Samaritan in Kearney, about 1.3 mi in a straight line from the center of Kearney (Medicare hospital file). Its listed phone number is (308) 865-7900. In an emergency, call 911.

How much does live-in care cost in Kearney?

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $17.38 an hour (the Nebraska median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,766 a month (89% of the $4,234 monthly median income of Kearney households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $12,653 a month (299% of the $4,234 monthly median income of Kearney households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Nebraska'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 Kearney?

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 Kearney 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 Kearney

More senior care near Kearney

Live-In Caregivers in nearby cities

Other care in Kearney

More for Kearney 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 Kearney, NE