Live-In Caregivers in San Jose, CA: 24-Hour Home Care

Local figures

Live-In Caregivers in San Jose, CA: the local picture

18,094

residents 85 or older (1.8% of all residents)

52,911

households headed by someone 65+ own their home (71%)

57%

of San Jose homes have 3 or more bedrooms (57% in Santa Clara County)

$16.90

California minimum wage per hour

About 18,094 San Jose 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. 57% of homes in San Jose have three or more bedrooms (57% in Santa Clara County), while 18% have one bedroom or none, where live-in care rarely works; the median home has 5 rooms.

Of San Jose households headed by someone 65 or older, 52,911 own their home and 21,341 rent; among householders 85 and older it is 5,748 owners and 3,019 renters. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

San Jose compared with Santa Clara County and California

Census figure	San Jose	Santa Clara County	California
Residents 85 or older	1.8%	2.0%	1.9%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	18%	19%	23%
Residents 65+ with a disability	34%	31%	33%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	11%	9.4%	12%
Residents 65 or older	15%	15%	16%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	59%	55%	44%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$82,270	$92,440	—

Older residents in towns around San Jose

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Alum Rock, CA	5.1 mi	1,935	103
East Foothills, CA	6.0 mi	1,233	107
Cambrian Park, CA	6.9 mi	630	108
Campbell, CA	7.7 mi	7,117	1,168
Los Gatos, CA	9.1 mi	6,800	1,165
Santa Clara, CA	9.7 mi	14,863	2,218

Emergency hospitals near San Jose

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
Kaiser Foundation Hospital-San Jose	San Jose, CA	4.6 mi	3 of 5	(408) 972-7000
Good Samaritan Hospital	San Jose, CA	6.6 mi	2 of 5	(408) 559-2011
Santa Clara Valley Medical Center	San Jose, CA	6.8 mi	2 of 5	(408) 885-5000

Straight-line miles from the center of San Jose. 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 San Jose

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $16.90 an hour (the California minimum; the May 2025 median aide wage, $16.50, is below it), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,662 a month (53% of the $6,856 monthly median income of San Jose households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $12,303 a month (179% of the $6,856 monthly median income of San Jose households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. California's minimum wage is $16.90 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 How to get paid to care for a family member in California: IHSS, VA, Paid Family Leave.

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 San Jose: common questions

Where is the nearest emergency hospital to San Jose?

Kaiser Foundation Hospital-San Jose in San Jose, about 4.6 mi in a straight line from the center of San Jose (Medicare hospital file). Its listed phone number is (408) 972-7000. In an emergency, call 911.

How much does live-in care cost in San Jose?

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $16.90 an hour (the California minimum; the May 2025 median aide wage, $16.50, is below it), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,662 a month (53% of the $6,856 monthly median income of San Jose households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $12,303 a month (179% of the $6,856 monthly median income of San Jose households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. California's minimum wage is $16.90 an hour (U.S. Department of Labor table, updated July 1, 2026).

Live-in or 24-hour care in San Jose?

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 San Jose 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 San Jose

More senior care near San Jose

Live-In Caregivers in nearby cities

Other care in San Jose

More for San Jose 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 San Jose, CA