Live-In Caregivers in Muscle Shoals, AL: 24-Hour Home Care

Local figures

Live-In Caregivers in Muscle Shoals, AL: the local picture

294

residents 85 or older (1.7% of all residents)

1,577

households headed by someone 65+ own their home (81%)

76%

of Muscle Shoals homes have 3 or more bedrooms (72% in Colbert County)

$7.25

Alabama minimum wage per hour

About 294 Muscle Shoals 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. 76% of homes in Muscle Shoals have three or more bedrooms (72% in Colbert County); the median home has 6.2 rooms.

Of Muscle Shoals households headed by someone 65 or older, 1,577 own their home and 379 rent; among householders 85 and older it is 183 owners and 42 renters. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

Muscle Shoals compared with Colbert County and Alabama

Census figure	Muscle Shoals	Colbert County	Alabama
Residents 85 or older	1.7%	2.0%	1.7%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	30%	29%	29%
Residents 65+ with a disability	34%	41%	38%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	13%	13%	12%
Residents 65 or older	18%	20%	18%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	2.6%	2.4%	6.0%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$42,463	$41,996	—

Older residents in towns around Muscle Shoals

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Sheffield, AL	3.7 mi	2,392	225
Tuscumbia, AL	4.2 mi	1,963	171
Florence, AL	6.2 mi	7,294	992
Underwood-Petersville, AL	9.9 mi	787	67
Russellville, AL	17 mi	1,593	177
Moulton, AL	27 mi	967	70

Emergency hospitals near Muscle Shoals

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
North Alabama Shoals Hospital	Muscle Shoals, AL	0.9 mi	not rated	(256) 386-1601
Helen Keller Hospital	Sheffield, AL	3.7 mi	2 of 5	(256) 386-4556
North Alabama Medical Center	Florence, AL	6.2 mi	2 of 5	(256) 768-8400

Straight-line miles from the center of Muscle Shoals. 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 Muscle Shoals

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $13.39 an hour (the Alabama median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $2,901 a month (82% of the $3,539 monthly median income of Muscle Shoals households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $9,748 a month (275% of the $3,539 monthly median income of Muscle Shoals households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Alabama has no state minimum wage law, so the federal minimum of $7.25 an hour applies to employers covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act (U.S. Department of Labor).

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 Muscle Shoals: common questions

Where is the nearest emergency hospital to Muscle Shoals?

North Alabama Shoals Hospital in Muscle Shoals, about 0.9 mi in a straight line from the center of Muscle Shoals (Medicare hospital file). Its listed phone number is (256) 386-1601. In an emergency, call 911.

How much does live-in care cost in Muscle Shoals?

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $13.39 an hour (the Alabama median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $2,901 a month (82% of the $3,539 monthly median income of Muscle Shoals households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $9,748 a month (275% of the $3,539 monthly median income of Muscle Shoals households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Alabama has no state minimum wage law, so the federal minimum of $7.25 an hour applies to employers covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act (U.S. Department of Labor).

Live-in or 24-hour care in Muscle Shoals?

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 Muscle Shoals 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 Muscle Shoals

More senior care near Muscle Shoals

Live-In Caregivers in nearby cities

Other care in Muscle Shoals

More for Muscle Shoals 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 Muscle Shoals, AL