Live-In Caregivers in Ottumwa, IA: 24-Hour Home Care

Local figures

Live-In Caregivers in Ottumwa, IA: the local picture

773

residents 85 or older (3.0% of all residents)

2,024

households headed by someone 65+ own their home (77%)

47%

of Ottumwa homes have 3 or more bedrooms (54% in Wapello County)

$7.25

Iowa minimum wage per hour

About 773 Ottumwa 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. 47% of homes in Ottumwa have three or more bedrooms (54% in Wapello County), while 14% have one bedroom or none, where live-in care rarely works; the median home has 5.1 rooms.

Of Ottumwa households headed by someone 65 or older, 2,024 own their home and 599 rent; among householders 85 and older it is 354 owners and 176 renters. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

Ottumwa compared with Wapello County and Iowa

Census figure	Ottumwa	Wapello County	Iowa
Residents 85 or older	3.0%	2.9%	2.3%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	31%	28%	31%
Residents 65+ with a disability	43%	40%	30%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	8.2%	10%	8.4%
Residents 65 or older	16%	18%	18%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	20%	15%	9.1%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$46,778	$51,144	—

Older residents in towns around Ottumwa

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Bloomfield, IA	19 mi	514	140
Albia, IA	20 mi	812	204
Oskaloosa, IA	22 mi	2,347	306
Fairfield, IA	24 mi	2,519	265
Centerville, IA	31 mi	1,205	225
Pella, IA	37 mi	2,017	360

Emergency hospitals near Ottumwa

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
Ottumwa Regional Health Center	Ottumwa, IA	0.9 mi	2 of 5	(641) 682-7511
Monroe County Hospital	Albia, IA	19 mi	not rated	(641) 932-2134
Davis County Hospital	Bloomfield, IA	20 mi	not rated	(641) 664-2145

Straight-line miles from the center of Ottumwa. 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 Ottumwa

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $17.34 an hour (the Iowa median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,757 a month (96% of the $3,898 monthly median income of Ottumwa households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $12,624 a month (324% of the $3,898 monthly median income of Ottumwa households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Iowa'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 Ottumwa: common questions

Where is the nearest emergency hospital to Ottumwa?

Ottumwa Regional Health Center in Ottumwa, about 0.9 mi in a straight line from the center of Ottumwa (Medicare hospital file). Its listed phone number is (641) 682-7511. In an emergency, call 911.

How much does live-in care cost in Ottumwa?

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $17.34 an hour (the Iowa median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,757 a month (96% of the $3,898 monthly median income of Ottumwa households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $12,624 a month (324% of the $3,898 monthly median income of Ottumwa households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Iowa'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 Ottumwa?

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 Ottumwa 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 Ottumwa

More senior care near Ottumwa

Live-In Caregivers in nearby cities

Other care in Ottumwa

More for Ottumwa 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 Ottumwa, IA