Live-In Caregivers in Oak Harbor, WA: 24-Hour Home Care

Local figures

Live-In Caregivers in Oak Harbor, WA: the local picture

589

residents 85 or older (2.4% of all residents)

1,349

households headed by someone 65+ own their home (68%)

61%

of Oak Harbor homes have 3 or more bedrooms (64% in Island County)

$17.13

Washington minimum wage per hour

About 589 Oak Harbor 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. 61% of homes in Oak Harbor have three or more bedrooms (64% in Island County), while 9.2% have one bedroom or none, where live-in care rarely works; the median home has 5.2 rooms.

Of Oak Harbor households headed by someone 65 or older, 1,349 own their home and 621 rent; among householders 85 and older it is 228 owners and 229 renters. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

Oak Harbor compared with Island County and Washington

Census figure	Oak Harbor	Island County	Washington
Residents 85 or older	2.4%	2.2%	1.8%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	32%	23%	26%
Residents 65+ with a disability	39%	30%	33%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	7.6%	6.4%	8.9%
Residents 65 or older	13%	27%	17%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	15%	9.4%	21%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$64,057	$76,740	—

Older residents in towns around Oak Harbor

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Camano, WA	12 mi	5,906	392
Anacortes, WA	13 mi	5,751	669
Stanwood, WA	14 mi	1,360	319
Port Townsend, WA	14 mi	4,551	485
Warm Beach, WA	16 mi	958	207
Mount Vernon, WA	17 mi	6,520	744

Emergency hospitals near Oak Harbor

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
Whidbeyhealth Medical Center	Coupeville, WA	5.7 mi	2 of 5	(360) 678-5151
Island Hospital	Anacortes, WA	14 mi	4 of 5	(360) 299-1300
Jefferson Healthcare	Port Townsend, WA	15 mi	3 of 5	(360) 385-2200

Straight-line miles from the center of Oak Harbor. 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 Oak Harbor

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 (93% of the $5,338 monthly median income of Oak Harbor 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 (313% of the $5,338 monthly median income of Oak Harbor 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 Oak Harbor: common questions

Where is the nearest emergency hospital to Oak Harbor?

Whidbeyhealth Medical Center in Coupeville, about 5.7 mi in a straight line from the center of Oak Harbor (Medicare hospital file). Its listed phone number is (360) 678-5151. In an emergency, call 911.

How much does live-in care cost in Oak Harbor?

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 (93% of the $5,338 monthly median income of Oak Harbor 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 (313% of the $5,338 monthly median income of Oak Harbor 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 Oak Harbor?

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 Oak Harbor 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 Oak Harbor

More senior care near Oak Harbor

Live-In Caregivers in nearby cities

Other care in Oak Harbor

More for Oak Harbor 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 Oak Harbor, WA