Live-In Caregivers in Portland, TN: 24-Hour Home Care

Local figures

Live-In Caregivers in Portland, TN: the local picture

149

residents 85 or older (1.1% of all residents)

904

households headed by someone 65+ own their home (78%)

76%

of Portland homes have 3 or more bedrooms (74% in Sumner County)

$7.25

Tennessee minimum wage per hour

About 149 Portland 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. 76% of homes in Portland have three or more bedrooms (74% in Sumner County); the median home has 5.8 rooms.

Of Portland households headed by someone 65 or older, 904 own their home and 260 rent; among householders 85 and older it is 71 owners and 33 renters. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

Portland compared with Sumner County and Tennessee

Census figure	Portland	Sumner County	Tennessee
Residents 85 or older	1.1%	1.6%	1.6%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	35%	23%	29%
Residents 65+ with a disability	37%	32%	36%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	7.5%	8.5%	11%
Residents 65 or older	12%	17%	17%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	3.6%	7.1%	8.6%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$41,705	$62,179	—

Older residents in towns around Portland

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Franklin, KY	8.5 mi	1,687	174
White House, TN	12 mi	1,876	190
Gallatin, TN	15 mi	8,031	807
Westmoreland, TN	16 mi	463	82
Shackle Island, TN	16 mi	573	31
Millersville, TN	17 mi	1,089	29

Emergency hospitals near Portland

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
The Medical Center At Franklin	Franklin, KY	9.1 mi	not rated	(270) 598-4800
Highpoint Health-Sumner With Ascension Saint Thoma	Gallatin, TN	15 mi	3 of 5	(615) 328-8888
Tristar Northcrest Medical Center	Springfield, TN	21 mi	3 of 5	(615) 384-2411

Straight-line miles from the center of Portland. 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 Portland

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $15.45 an hour (the Tennessee median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,348 a month (96% of the $3,475 monthly median income of Portland households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $11,248 a month (324% of the $3,475 monthly median income of Portland households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Tennessee has no state minimum wage law, so the federal minimum of $7.25 an hour applies to employers covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act (U.S. Department of Labor).

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 TennCare CHOICES: how to get paid to care for a family member in Tennessee.

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 Portland: common questions

Where is the nearest emergency hospital to Portland?

The Medical Center At Franklin in Franklin, about 9.1 mi in a straight line from the center of Portland (Medicare hospital file). Its listed phone number is (270) 598-4800. In an emergency, call 911.

How much does live-in care cost in Portland?

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $15.45 an hour (the Tennessee median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,348 a month (96% of the $3,475 monthly median income of Portland households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $11,248 a month (324% of the $3,475 monthly median income of Portland households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Tennessee has no state minimum wage law, so the federal minimum of $7.25 an hour applies to employers covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act (U.S. Department of Labor).

Live-in or 24-hour care in Portland?

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 Portland 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 Portland

More senior care near Portland

Live-In Caregivers in nearby cities

Other care in Portland

More for Portland 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 Portland, TN