Portales, New Mexico

Live-In Caregivers in Portales, NM

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 Portales for free and hire a caregiver directly, with no agency mark-up.

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Local figures

Live-In Caregivers in Portales, NM: the local picture

156
residents 85 or older (1.3% of all residents)
608
households headed by someone 65+ own their home (58%)
56%
of Portales homes have 3 or more bedrooms (65% in Roosevelt County)
$12.00
New Mexico minimum wage per hour

About 156 Portales 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. 56% of homes in Portales have three or more bedrooms (65% in Roosevelt County), while 14% have one bedroom or none, where live-in care rarely works; the median home has 5.2 rooms.

Of Portales households headed by someone 65 or older, 608 own their home and 436 rent; among householders 85 and older it is 35 owners and 83 renters. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

Portales compared with Roosevelt County and New Mexico

Census figurePortalesRoosevelt CountyNew Mexico
Residents 85 or older1.3%2.1%2.0%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone46%35%30%
Residents 65+ with a disability55%48%38%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)26%19%13%
Residents 65 or older12%15%19%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home24%23%31%

Older residents in towns around Portales

TownDistanceResidents 65+Residents 85+
Clovis, NM20 mi4,888558
Muleshoe, TX36 mi1,113181
Friona, TX48 mi87541
Littlefield, TX61 mi88559
Dimmitt, TX65 mi81622

Emergency hospitals near Portales

Hospital with an emergency departmentTownDistanceCMS overall ratingPhone
Roosevelt General HospitalPortales, NM1.1 minot rated(575) 356-3412
Plains Regional Medical CenterClovis, NM18 mi2 of 5(575) 769-6332
Muleshoe Area Medical CenterMuleshoe, TX35 minot rated(806) 272-4524

Straight-line miles from the center of Portales. 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 Portales

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $13.71 an hour (the New Mexico median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $2,971 a month. Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $9,981 a month. Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. New Mexico's minimum wage is $12.00 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 Portales: common questions

Where is the nearest emergency hospital to Portales?

Roosevelt General Hospital in Portales, about 1.1 mi in a straight line from the center of Portales (Medicare hospital file). Its listed phone number is (575) 356-3412. In an emergency, call 911.

How much does live-in care cost in Portales?

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $13.71 an hour (the New Mexico median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $2,971 a month. Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $9,981 a month. Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. New Mexico's minimum wage is $12.00 an hour (U.S. Department of Labor table, updated July 1, 2026).

Live-in or 24-hour care in Portales?

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. 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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