Live-In Caregivers in Saco, ME: 24-Hour Home Care

Local figures

Live-In Caregivers in Saco, ME: the local picture

316

residents 85 or older (1.5% of all residents)

1,885

households headed by someone 65+ own their home (80%)

58%

of Saco homes have 3 or more bedrooms (62% in York County)

$15.10

Maine minimum wage per hour

About 316 Saco 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. 58% of homes in Saco have three or more bedrooms (62% in York County), while 13% have one bedroom or none, where live-in care rarely works; the median home has 5.5 rooms.

Of Saco households headed by someone 65 or older, 1,885 own their home and 457 rent; among householders 85 and older it is 95 owners and 73 renters. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

Saco compared with York County and Maine

Census figure	Saco	York County	Maine
Residents 85 or older	1.5%	2.2%	2.3%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	24%	27%	29%
Residents 65+ with a disability	23%	28%	31%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	7.1%	8.1%	9.4%
Residents 65 or older	19%	22%	22%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	9.6%	5.7%	6.0%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$68,043	$59,150	—

Older residents in towns around Saco

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Old Orchard Beach, ME	3.2 mi	3,098	145
Oak Hill, ME	6.2 mi	1,653	205
Biddeford, ME	6.3 mi	3,857	342
South Portland, ME	9.8 mi	5,580	519
Gorham, ME	11 mi	1,282	177
Kennebunk, ME	12 mi	1,921	275

Emergency hospitals near Saco

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
Mainehealth Maine Medical Center	Portland, ME	11 mi	4 of 5	(207) 662-0111
Mainehealth Behavioral Health At Spring Harbor	Westbrook, ME	11 mi	not rated	(207) 761-2200
Northern Light Mercy Hospital	Portland, ME	12 mi	4 of 5	(207) 879-3000

Straight-line miles from the center of Saco. 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 Saco

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $18.55 an hour (the Maine median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $4,019 a month (71% of the $5,670 monthly median income of Saco households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $13,504 a month (238% of the $5,670 monthly median income of Saco households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Maine's minimum wage is $15.10 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 Saco: common questions

Where is the nearest emergency hospital to Saco?

Mainehealth Maine Medical Center in Portland, about 11 mi in a straight line from the center of Saco (Medicare hospital file). Its listed phone number is (207) 662-0111. In an emergency, call 911.

How much does live-in care cost in Saco?

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $18.55 an hour (the Maine median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $4,019 a month (71% of the $5,670 monthly median income of Saco households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $13,504 a month (238% of the $5,670 monthly median income of Saco households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Maine's minimum wage is $15.10 an hour (U.S. Department of Labor table, updated July 1, 2026).

Live-in or 24-hour care in Saco?

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 Saco 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 Saco

More senior care near Saco

Live-In Caregivers in nearby cities

Other care in Saco

More for Saco 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 Saco, ME