Key West, Florida

Live-In Caregivers in Key West, FL

A caregiver who lives in the home, for someone who needs help across the day and a person nearby at night. Post what you need in Key West for free and hire a caregiver directly, with no agency mark-up.

A woman and an older man talking across a wooden table at home
Local figures

Live-In Caregivers in Key West, FL: the local picture

609
residents 85 or older (2.4% of all residents)
2,183
households headed by someone 65+ own their home (68%)
42%
of Key West homes have 3 or more bedrooms (48% in Monroe County)
$15.00
Florida minimum wage per hour

About 609 Key West 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. 42% of homes in Key West have three or more bedrooms (48% in Monroe County), while 19% have one bedroom or none, where live-in care rarely works; the median home has 4.2 rooms.

Of Key West households headed by someone 65 or older, 2,183 own their home and 1,048 rent; among householders 85 and older it is 175 owners and 97 renters. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

Key West compared with Monroe County and Florida

Census figureKey WestMonroe CountyFlorida
Residents 85 or older2.4%2.0%2.6%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone31%25%25%
Residents 65+ with a disability29%26%31%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)11%9.6%12%
Residents 65 or older22%25%21%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home24%22%31%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+$68,689$71,243—

Older residents in towns around Key West

TownDistanceResidents 65+Residents 85+
Stock Island, FL2.2 mi4080
Big Coppitt Key, FL7.8 mi50330
Big Pine Key, FL27 mi1,069111
Marathon, FL49 mi2,059106

Emergency hospitals near Key West

Hospital with an emergency departmentTownDistanceCMS overall ratingPhone
Lower Keys Medical CenterKey West, FL0.8 mi4 of 5(305) 294-5531

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

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $16.25 an hour (the Florida median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,521 a month (62% of the $5,724 monthly median income of Key West households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $11,830 a month (207% of the $5,724 monthly median income of Key West households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Florida's minimum wage rose to $15.00 an hour on September 30, 2026, under Article X, Section 24 of the Florida Constitution.

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 How to get paid to take care of a family member in Florida: SMMC LTC and the PDO.

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 West: common questions

Where is the nearest emergency hospital to Key West?

Lower Keys Medical Center in Key West, about 0.8 mi in a straight line from the center of Key West (Medicare hospital file). Its listed phone number is (305) 294-5531. In an emergency, call 911.

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

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $16.25 an hour (the Florida median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,521 a month (62% of the $5,724 monthly median income of Key West households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $11,830 a month (207% of the $5,724 monthly median income of Key West households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Florida's minimum wage rose to $15.00 an hour on September 30, 2026, under Article X, Section 24 of the Florida Constitution.

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

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 West 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.

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.

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