Live-In Caregivers in Key Center, WA: 24-Hour Home Care

Local figures

Live-In Caregivers in Key Center, WA: the local picture

36

residents 85 or older (1.0% of all residents)

445

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

79%

of Key Center homes have 3 or more bedrooms (65% in Pierce County)

$17.13

Washington minimum wage per hour

About 36 Key Center 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. 79% of homes in Key Center have three or more bedrooms (65% in Pierce County); the median home has 6.1 rooms.

Of Key Center households headed by someone 65 or older, 445 own their home and 55 rent. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

Key Center compared with Pierce County and Washington

Census figure	Key Center	Pierce County	Washington
Residents 85 or older	1.0%	1.5%	1.8%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	22%	25%	26%
Residents 65+ with a disability	32%	36%	33%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	4.9%	8.8%	8.9%
Residents 65 or older	20%	15%	17%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	2.4%	16%	21%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$80,972	$70,061	—

Older residents in towns around Key Center

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Artondale, WA	5.1 mi	2,682	129
Wauna, WA	5.4 mi	1,144	52
Rosedale, WA	5.8 mi	663	28
Fox Island, WA	7.2 mi	937	47
Gig Harbor, WA	7.2 mi	3,799	575
Longbranch, WA	7.4 mi	1,236	40

Emergency hospitals near Key Center

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
St Anthony Hospital	Gig Harbor, WA	7.5 mi	5 of 5	(253) 530-2050
St Joseph Medical Center	Tacoma, WA	15 mi	3 of 5	(253) 627-4101
Tacoma General Allenmore Hospital	Tacoma, WA	15 mi	2 of 5	(253) 403-1000

Straight-line miles from the center of Key Center. 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 Key Center

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $22.95 an hour (the Washington median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $4,973 a month (74% of the $6,748 monthly median income of Key Center households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $16,708 a month (248% of the $6,748 monthly median income of Key Center households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Washington's minimum wage is $17.13 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 Key Center: common questions

Where is the nearest emergency hospital to Key Center?

St Anthony Hospital in Gig Harbor, about 7.5 mi in a straight line from the center of Key Center (Medicare hospital file). Its listed phone number is (253) 530-2050. In an emergency, call 911.

How much does live-in care cost in Key Center?

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $22.95 an hour (the Washington median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $4,973 a month (74% of the $6,748 monthly median income of Key Center households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $16,708 a month (248% of the $6,748 monthly median income of Key Center households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Washington's minimum wage is $17.13 an hour (U.S. Department of Labor table, updated July 1, 2026).

Live-in or 24-hour care in Key Center?

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 Key Center 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 Key Center

More senior care near Key Center

Live-In Caregivers in nearby cities

Other care in Key Center

More for Key Center 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 Key Center, WA