Live-In Caregivers in Madison, SD: 24-Hour Home Care

Local figures

Live-In Caregivers in Madison, SD: the local picture

308

residents 85 or older (5.1% of all residents)

581

households headed by someone 65+ own their home (75%)

55%

of Madison homes have 3 or more bedrooms (66% in Lake County)

$11.85

South Dakota minimum wage per hour

About 308 Madison 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. 55% of homes in Madison have three or more bedrooms (66% in Lake County), while 19% have one bedroom or none, where live-in care rarely works; the median home has 5.8 rooms.

Of Madison households headed by someone 65 or older, 581 own their home and 196 rent; among householders 85 and older it is 95 owners and 83 renters. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

Madison compared with Lake County and South Dakota

Census figure	Madison	Lake County	South Dakota
Residents 85 or older	5.1%	3.4%	2.1%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	22%	21%	30%
Residents 65+ with a disability	48%	39%	31%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	5.4%	5.0%	10%
Residents 65 or older	23%	24%	18%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	4.0%	5.0%	7.1%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$50,938	$61,289	—

Older residents in towns around Madison

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Dell Rapids, SD	23 mi	703	65
Brookings, SD	26 mi	2,888	282
Hartford, SD	28 mi	614	20
Sioux Falls, SD	37 mi	28,329	2,970
Brandon, SD	39 mi	1,627	228
Pipestone, MN	40 mi	812	154

Emergency hospitals near Madison

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
Madison Regional Health System	Madison, SD	0.3 mi	not rated	(605) 256-6551
Avera Dells Area Hospital - Cah	Dell Rapids, SD	23 mi	not rated	(605) 428-5431
Avera Flandreau Hospital - Cah	Flandreau, SD	25 mi	not rated	(605) 997-2433

Straight-line miles from the center of Madison. 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 Madison

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $18.15 an hour (the South Dakota median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,932 a month (93% of the $4,245 monthly median income of Madison households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $13,213 a month (311% of the $4,245 monthly median income of Madison households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. South Dakota's minimum wage is $11.85 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 Madison: common questions

Where is the nearest emergency hospital to Madison?

Madison Regional Health System in Madison, about 0.3 mi in a straight line from the center of Madison (Medicare hospital file). Its listed phone number is (605) 256-6551. In an emergency, call 911.

How much does live-in care cost in Madison?

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $18.15 an hour (the South Dakota median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,932 a month (93% of the $4,245 monthly median income of Madison households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $13,213 a month (311% of the $4,245 monthly median income of Madison households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. South Dakota's minimum wage is $11.85 an hour (U.S. Department of Labor table, updated July 1, 2026).

Live-in or 24-hour care in Madison?

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 Madison 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 Madison

More senior care near Madison

Live-In Caregivers in nearby cities

Other care in Madison

More for Madison 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 Madison, SD