Live-In Caregivers in Mason City, IA: 24-Hour Home Care

Local figures

Live-In Caregivers in Mason City, IA: the local picture

830

residents 85 or older (3.1% of all residents)

3,221

households headed by someone 65+ own their home (80%)

55%

of Mason City homes have 3 or more bedrooms (60% in Cerro Gordo County)

$7.25

Iowa minimum wage per hour

About 830 Mason City 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 Mason City have three or more bedrooms (60% in Cerro Gordo County), while 13% have one bedroom or none, where live-in care rarely works; the median home has 5.6 rooms.

Of Mason City households headed by someone 65 or older, 3,221 own their home and 809 rent; among householders 85 and older it is 364 owners and 214 renters. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

Mason City compared with Cerro Gordo County and Iowa

Census figure	Mason City	Cerro Gordo County	Iowa
Residents 85 or older	3.1%	3.1%	2.3%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	33%	28%	31%
Residents 65+ with a disability	31%	31%	30%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	8.6%	7.3%	8.4%
Residents 65 or older	23%	24%	18%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	4.8%	3.7%	9.1%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$47,705	$50,066	—

Older residents in towns around Mason City

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Clear Lake, IA	8.8 mi	2,089	284
Garner, IA	21 mi	916	186
Osage, IA	22 mi	897	108
Forest City, IA	23 mi	756	102
Charles City, IA	27 mi	1,702	388
Hampton, IA	28 mi	981	156

Emergency hospitals near Mason City

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
Mercyone North Iowa Medical Center	Mason City, IA	0.3 mi	2 of 5	(641) 428-7000
Floyd County Medical Center	Charles City, IA	27 mi	3 of 5	(641) 228-6830
Franklin General Hospital	Hampton, IA	28 mi	not rated	(641) 456-5000

Straight-line miles from the center of Mason City. 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 Mason City

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $17.34 an hour (the Iowa median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,757 a month (95% of the $3,975 monthly median income of Mason City households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $12,624 a month (318% of the $3,975 monthly median income of Mason City households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Iowa's minimum wage is $7.25 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 Mason City: common questions

Where is the nearest emergency hospital to Mason City?

Mercyone North Iowa Medical Center in Mason City, about 0.3 mi in a straight line from the center of Mason City (Medicare hospital file). Its listed phone number is (641) 428-7000. In an emergency, call 911.

How much does live-in care cost in Mason City?

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $17.34 an hour (the Iowa median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,757 a month (95% of the $3,975 monthly median income of Mason City households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $12,624 a month (318% of the $3,975 monthly median income of Mason City households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Iowa's minimum wage is $7.25 an hour (U.S. Department of Labor table, updated July 1, 2026).

Live-in or 24-hour care in Mason City?

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 Mason City 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 Mason City

More senior care near Mason City

Live-In Caregivers in nearby cities

Other care in Mason City

More for Mason City 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 Mason City, IA