Polson, Montana

Live-In Caregivers in Polson, MT

A caregiver who lives in the home, for someone who needs help across the day and a person nearby at night. Post what you need in Polson for free and hire a caregiver directly, with no agency mark-up.

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Local figures

Live-In Caregivers in Polson, MT: the local picture

133
residents 85 or older (2.5% of all residents)
563
households headed by someone 65+ own their home (64%)
50%
of Polson homes have 3 or more bedrooms (64% in Lake County)
$10.85
Montana minimum wage per hour

About 133 Polson 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. 50% of homes in Polson have three or more bedrooms (64% in Lake County), while 17% have one bedroom or none, where live-in care rarely works; the median home has 5.1 rooms.

Of Polson households headed by someone 65 or older, 563 own their home and 314 rent; among householders 85 and older it is 33 owners and 57 renters. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

Polson compared with Lake County and Montana

Census figurePolsonLake CountyMontana
Residents 85 or older2.5%2.0%1.9%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone35%27%29%
Residents 65+ with a disability27%31%32%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)13%13%9.9%
Residents 65 or older25%24%20%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home3.3%6.2%4.2%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+$42,870$50,216—

Older residents in towns around Polson

TownDistanceResidents 65+Residents 85+
Bigfork, MT28 mi1,831260
Kalispell, MT37 mi5,461726
Evergreen, MT38 mi1,293157
Columbia Falls, MT47 mi66758
Whitefish, MT53 mi2,04375
Missoula, MT56 mi11,4971,096

Emergency hospitals near Polson

Hospital with an emergency departmentTownDistanceCMS overall ratingPhone
Providence St Joseph Medical CenterPolson, MT0.0 minot rated(406) 883-5377
St Luke Community HospitalRonan, MT9.5 minot rated(406) 676-4441
Logan Health Medical CenterKalispell, MT36 mi3 of 5(406) 752-5111

Straight-line miles from the center of Polson. 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 Polson

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $17.61 an hour (the Montana median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,816 a month (107% of the $3,573 monthly median income of Polson households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $12,820 a month (359% of the $3,573 monthly median income of Polson households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Montana's minimum wage is $10.85 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 Polson: common questions

Where is the nearest emergency hospital to Polson?

Providence St Joseph Medical Center in Polson, about 0.0 mi in a straight line from the center of Polson (Medicare hospital file). Its listed phone number is (406) 883-5377. In an emergency, call 911.

How much does live-in care cost in Polson?

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $17.61 an hour (the Montana median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,816 a month (107% of the $3,573 monthly median income of Polson households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $12,820 a month (359% of the $3,573 monthly median income of Polson households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Montana's minimum wage is $10.85 an hour (U.S. Department of Labor table, updated July 1, 2026).

Live-in or 24-hour care in Polson?

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 Polson 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.

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.

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