Live-In Caregivers in North Merritt Island, FL

Local figures

Live-In Caregivers in North Merritt Island, FL: the local picture

404

residents 85 or older (4.5% of all residents)

1,423

households headed by someone 65+ own their home (92%)

76%

of North Merritt Island homes have 3 or more bedrooms (71% in Brevard County)

$15.00

Florida minimum wage per hour

About 404 North Merritt Island 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 North Merritt Island have three or more bedrooms (71% in Brevard County); the median home has 6.4 rooms.

Of North Merritt Island households headed by someone 65 or older, 1,423 own their home and 121 rent; among householders 85 and older it is 108 owners and 60 renters. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

North Merritt Island compared with Brevard County and Florida

Census figure	North Merritt Island	Brevard County	Florida
Residents 85 or older	4.5%	3.0%	2.6%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	24%	26%	25%
Residents 65+ with a disability	35%	33%	31%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	6.0%	8.1%	12%
Residents 65 or older	28%	24%	21%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	8.9%	12%	31%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$79,667	$58,980	—

Older residents in towns around North Merritt Island

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Sharpes, FL	3.2 mi	607	59
Port St. John, FL	6.0 mi	4,405	329
Cocoa, FL	6.6 mi	4,259	566
Cocoa West, FL	7.9 mi	859	70
Cape Canaveral, FL	8.1 mi	3,590	341
Rockledge, FL	9.8 mi	7,233	968

Emergency hospitals near North Merritt Island

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
Cape Canaveral Hospital	Cocoa Beach, FL	11 mi	3 of 5	(321) 799-7111
Parrish Medical Center	Titusville, FL	14 mi	2 of 5	(321) 268-6111
Viera Hospital	Melbourne, FL	18 mi	5 of 5	(321) 434-9000

Straight-line miles from the center of North Merritt Island. 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 North Merritt Island

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $16.25 an hour (the Florida median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,521 a month (53% of the $6,639 monthly median income of North Merritt Island households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $11,830 a month (178% of the $6,639 monthly median income of North Merritt Island households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Florida's minimum wage rose to $15.00 an hour on September 30, 2026, under Article X, Section 24 of the Florida Constitution.

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 How to get paid to take care of a family member in Florida: SMMC LTC and the PDO.

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 North Merritt Island: common questions

Where is the nearest emergency hospital to North Merritt Island?

Cape Canaveral Hospital in Cocoa Beach, about 11 mi in a straight line from the center of North Merritt Island (Medicare hospital file). Its listed phone number is (321) 799-7111. In an emergency, call 911.

How much does live-in care cost in North Merritt Island?

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $16.25 an hour (the Florida median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,521 a month (53% of the $6,639 monthly median income of North Merritt Island households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $11,830 a month (178% of the $6,639 monthly median income of North Merritt Island households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Florida's minimum wage rose to $15.00 an hour on September 30, 2026, under Article X, Section 24 of the Florida Constitution.

Live-in or 24-hour care in North Merritt Island?

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 North Merritt Island 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 North Merritt Island

More senior care near North Merritt Island

Live-In Caregivers in nearby cities

Other care in North Merritt Island

More for North Merritt Island 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.