Live-In Caregivers in Oak Island, NC: 24-Hour Home Care

Local figures

Live-In Caregivers in Oak Island, NC: the local picture

147

residents 85 or older (1.6% of all residents)

2,371

households headed by someone 65+ own their home (96%)

79%

of Oak Island homes have 3 or more bedrooms (81% in Brunswick County)

$7.25

North Carolina minimum wage per hour

About 147 Oak 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. 79% of homes in Oak Island have three or more bedrooms (81% in Brunswick County); the median home has 5.2 rooms.

Of Oak Island households headed by someone 65 or older, 2,371 own their home and 103 rent; among householders 85 and older it is 108 owners and 21 renters. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

Oak Island compared with Brunswick County and North Carolina

Census figure	Oak Island	Brunswick County	North Carolina
Residents 85 or older	1.6%	2.0%	1.7%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	24%	20%	28%
Residents 65+ with a disability	19%	24%	33%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	8.6%	5.7%	11%
Residents 65 or older	42%	34%	17%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	1.8%	5.0%	13%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$71,696	$69,925	—

Older residents in towns around Oak Island

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
St. James, NC	2.4 mi	4,439	108
Southport, NC	6.5 mi	2,014	294
Boiling Spring Lakes, NC	9.4 mi	1,290	58
Carolina Beach, NC	15 mi	1,351	50
Shallotte, NC	16 mi	1,100	137
Myrtle Grove, NC	20 mi	2,200	166

Emergency hospitals near Oak Island

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
J Arthur Dosher Memorial Hospital	Southport, NC	6.0 mi	3 of 5	(910) 457-3800
Novant Health Brunswick Medical Center	Supply, NC	12 mi	4 of 5	(910) 755-8121
Novant Health New Hanover Regional Medical Center	Wilmington, NC	32 mi	3 of 5	(910) 343-7000

Straight-line miles from the center of Oak 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 Oak Island

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $15.02 an hour (the North Carolina median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,254 a month (54% of the $5,975 monthly median income of Oak Island households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $10,935 a month (183% of the $5,975 monthly median income of Oak Island households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. North Carolina'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 Oak Island: common questions

Where is the nearest emergency hospital to Oak Island?

J Arthur Dosher Memorial Hospital in Southport, about 6.0 mi in a straight line from the center of Oak Island (Medicare hospital file). Its listed phone number is (910) 457-3800. In an emergency, call 911.

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

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $15.02 an hour (the North Carolina median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,254 a month (54% of the $5,975 monthly median income of Oak Island households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $10,935 a month (183% of the $5,975 monthly median income of Oak Island households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. North Carolina'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 Oak 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 Oak 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 Oak Island

More senior care near Oak Island

Live-In Caregivers in nearby cities

Other care in Oak Island

More for Oak 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.

Live-In Caregivers in Oak Island, NC