Live-In Caregivers in Merrimac, VA: 24-Hour Home Care

Local figures

Live-In Caregivers in Merrimac, VA: the local picture

226

residents 85 or older (8.3% of all residents)

222

households headed by someone 65+ own their home (33%)

23%

of Merrimac homes have 3 or more bedrooms (66% in Montgomery County)

$12.77

Virginia minimum wage per hour

About 226 Merrimac 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. 23% of homes in Merrimac have three or more bedrooms (66% in Montgomery County), while 31% have one bedroom or none, where live-in care rarely works; the median home has 3.6 rooms.

Of Merrimac households headed by someone 65 or older, 222 own their home and 446 rent; among householders 85 and older it is 39 owners and 129 renters. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

Merrimac compared with Montgomery County and Virginia

Census figure	Merrimac	Montgomery County	Virginia
Residents 85 or older	8.3%	1.1%	1.7%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	67%	29%	27%
Residents 65+ with a disability	41%	26%	31%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	8.6%	7.4%	8.8%
Residents 65 or older	35%	14%	17%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	14%	11%	17%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$47,083	$71,528	—

Older residents in towns around Merrimac

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Blacksburg, VA	2.5 mi	3,474	201
Christiansburg, VA	3.9 mi	4,364	358
Radford, VA	9.1 mi	1,601	174
Dublin, VA	16 mi	319	26
Pearisburg, VA	19 mi	680	8
Salem, VA	21 mi	5,016	627

Emergency hospitals near Merrimac

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
Carilion New River Valley Medical Center	Christiansburg, VA	4.1 mi	4 of 5	(540) 731-2000
Lewisgale Hospital Montgomery	Blacksburg, VA	4.3 mi	3 of 5	(540) 951-1111
Carilion Giles Community Hospital	Pearisburg, VA	18 mi	4 of 5	(540) 921-6000

Straight-line miles from the center of Merrimac. 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 Merrimac

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $14.57 an hour (the Virginia median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,157 a month (80% of the $3,924 monthly median income of Merrimac households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $10,607 a month (270% of the $3,924 monthly median income of Merrimac households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Virginia's minimum wage is $12.77 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 Consumer directed care in Virginia: how relatives are paid to give care through CCC Plus.

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 Merrimac: common questions

Where is the nearest emergency hospital to Merrimac?

Carilion New River Valley Medical Center in Christiansburg, about 4.1 mi in a straight line from the center of Merrimac (Medicare hospital file). Its listed phone number is (540) 731-2000. In an emergency, call 911.

How much does live-in care cost in Merrimac?

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $14.57 an hour (the Virginia median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,157 a month (80% of the $3,924 monthly median income of Merrimac households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $10,607 a month (270% of the $3,924 monthly median income of Merrimac households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Virginia's minimum wage is $12.77 an hour (U.S. Department of Labor table, updated July 1, 2026).

Live-in or 24-hour care in Merrimac?

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 Merrimac 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 Merrimac

More senior care near Merrimac

Live-In Caregivers in nearby cities

Other care in Merrimac

More for Merrimac 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 Merrimac, VA