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

Local figures

Live-In Caregivers in Pleasant Hill, IA: the local picture

146

residents 85 or older (1.3% of all residents)

1,097

households headed by someone 65+ own their home (79%)

74%

of Pleasant Hill homes have 3 or more bedrooms (60% in Polk County)

$7.25

Iowa minimum wage per hour

About 146 Pleasant Hill 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. 74% of homes in Pleasant Hill have three or more bedrooms (60% in Polk County); the median home has 6.1 rooms.

Of Pleasant Hill households headed by someone 65 or older, 1,097 own their home and 284 rent; among householders 85 and older it is 65 owners and 21 renters. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

Pleasant Hill compared with Polk County and Iowa

Census figure	Pleasant Hill	Polk County	Iowa
Residents 85 or older	1.3%	1.5%	2.3%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	26%	32%	31%
Residents 65+ with a disability	26%	31%	30%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	6.9%	7.5%	8.4%
Residents 65 or older	20%	14%	18%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	7.1%	15%	9.1%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$67,957	$59,099	—

Older residents in towns around Pleasant Hill

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Altoona, IA	3.8 mi	3,684	311
Des Moines, IA	5.7 mi	27,045	3,313
Carlisle, IA	5.9 mi	523	135
Bondurant, IA	7.3 mi	577	25
Saylorville, IA	8.5 mi	705	17
Mitchellville, IA	8.7 mi	263	23

Emergency hospitals near Pleasant Hill

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
Unitypoint Health - Des Moines Iowa Methodist Medi	Des Moines, IA	6.0 mi	3 of 5	(515) 343-1000
Mercyone Des Moines Medical Center	Des Moines, IA	6.6 mi	1 of 5	(515) 247-4436
Broadlawns Medical Center	Des Moines, IA	6.6 mi	3 of 5	(515) 282-2200

Straight-line miles from the center of Pleasant Hill. 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 Pleasant Hill

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 (66% of the $5,663 monthly median income of Pleasant Hill 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 (223% of the $5,663 monthly median income of Pleasant Hill 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 Pleasant Hill: common questions

Where is the nearest emergency hospital to Pleasant Hill?

Unitypoint Health - Des Moines Iowa Methodist Medi in Des Moines, about 6.0 mi in a straight line from the center of Pleasant Hill (Medicare hospital file). Its listed phone number is (515) 343-1000. In an emergency, call 911.

How much does live-in care cost in Pleasant Hill?

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 (66% of the $5,663 monthly median income of Pleasant Hill 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 (223% of the $5,663 monthly median income of Pleasant Hill 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 Pleasant Hill?

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 Pleasant Hill 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 Pleasant Hill

More senior care near Pleasant Hill

Live-In Caregivers in nearby cities

Other care in Pleasant Hill

More for Pleasant Hill 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 Pleasant Hill, IA