Live-In Caregivers in Marietta-Alderwood, WA

Local figures

Live-In Caregivers in Marietta-Alderwood, WA: the local picture

41

residents 85 or older (1.1% of all residents)

404

households headed by someone 65+ own their home (73%)

46%

of Marietta-Alderwood homes have 3 or more bedrooms (60% in Whatcom County)

$17.13

Washington minimum wage per hour

About 41 Marietta-Alderwood 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. 46% of homes in Marietta-Alderwood have three or more bedrooms (60% in Whatcom County), while 14% have one bedroom or none, where live-in care rarely works; the median home has 4.7 rooms.

Of Marietta-Alderwood households headed by someone 65 or older, 404 own their home and 150 rent; among householders 85 and older it is 31 owners and 0 renters. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

Marietta-Alderwood compared with Whatcom County and Washington

Census figure	Marietta-Alderwood	Whatcom County	Washington
Residents 85 or older	1.1%	1.7%	1.8%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	30%	29%	26%
Residents 65+ with a disability	22%	30%	33%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	4.8%	8.5%	8.9%
Residents 65 or older	22%	19%	17%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	9.3%	12%	21%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$70,515	$63,400	—

Older residents in towns around Marietta-Alderwood

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Bellingham, WA	4.6 mi	15,407	1,758
Ferndale, WA	4.8 mi	2,516	268
Sudden Valley, WA	11 mi	1,581	149
Lynden, WA	12 mi	2,947	504
Everson, WA	13 mi	447	5
Birch Bay, WA	13 mi	2,626	198

Emergency hospitals near Marietta-Alderwood

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
Island Hospital	Anacortes, WA	20 mi	4 of 5	(360) 299-1300
Peacehealth United General Medical Center	Sedro Woolley, WA	23 mi	3 of 5	(360) 856-6021
Peacehealth Peace Island Medical Center	Friday Harbor, WA	30 mi	not rated	(360) 378-2141

Straight-line miles from the center of Marietta-Alderwood. 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 Marietta-Alderwood

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 (85% of the $5,876 monthly median income of Marietta-Alderwood 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 (284% of the $5,876 monthly median income of Marietta-Alderwood 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 Marietta-Alderwood: common questions

Where is the nearest emergency hospital to Marietta-Alderwood?

Island Hospital in Anacortes, about 20 mi in a straight line from the center of Marietta-Alderwood (Medicare hospital file). Its listed phone number is (360) 299-1300. In an emergency, call 911.

How much does live-in care cost in Marietta-Alderwood?

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 (85% of the $5,876 monthly median income of Marietta-Alderwood 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 (284% of the $5,876 monthly median income of Marietta-Alderwood 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 Marietta-Alderwood?

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 Marietta-Alderwood 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 Marietta-Alderwood

More senior care near Marietta-Alderwood

Live-In Caregivers in nearby cities

Other care in Marietta-Alderwood

More for Marietta-Alderwood 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.