Live-In Caregivers in Smithfield, NC: 24-Hour Home Care

Local figures

Live-In Caregivers in Smithfield, NC: the local picture

311

residents 85 or older (2.6% of all residents)

1,076

households headed by someone 65+ own their home (69%)

59%

of Smithfield homes have 3 or more bedrooms (81% in Johnston County)

$7.25

North Carolina minimum wage per hour

About 311 Smithfield 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. 59% of homes in Smithfield have three or more bedrooms (81% in Johnston County), while 20% have one bedroom or none, where live-in care rarely works; the median home has 5.2 rooms.

Of Smithfield households headed by someone 65 or older, 1,076 own their home and 489 rent; among householders 85 and older it is 71 owners and 27 renters. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

Smithfield compared with Johnston County and North Carolina

Census figure	Smithfield	Johnston County	North Carolina
Residents 85 or older	2.6%	1.3%	1.7%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	39%	27%	28%
Residents 65+ with a disability	45%	34%	33%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	19%	9.6%	11%
Residents 65 or older	20%	14%	17%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	12%	16%	13%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$40,392	$53,545	—

Older residents in towns around Smithfield

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Selma, NC	3.6 mi	1,072	186
Wilson's Mills, NC	4.3 mi	174	0
Clayton, NC	11 mi	2,993	204
Archer Lodge, NC	11 mi	907	185
Benson, NC	14 mi	816	48
Wendell, NC	19 mi	2,044	381

Emergency hospitals near Smithfield

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
Johnston Health	Smithfield, NC	1.2 mi	4 of 5	(919) 934-8171
Betsy Johnson Regional Hospital	Dunn, NC	21 mi	3 of 5	(910) 892-7161
Wakemed, Raleigh Campus	Raleigh, NC	22 mi	4 of 5	(919) 350-8000

Straight-line miles from the center of Smithfield. 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 Smithfield

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $15.02 an hour (the North Carolina median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,254 a month (97% of the $3,366 monthly median income of Smithfield households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $10,935 a month (325% of the $3,366 monthly median income of Smithfield households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. North Carolina's minimum wage is $7.25 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 Smithfield: common questions

Where is the nearest emergency hospital to Smithfield?

Johnston Health in Smithfield, about 1.2 mi in a straight line from the center of Smithfield (Medicare hospital file). Its listed phone number is (919) 934-8171. In an emergency, call 911.

How much does live-in care cost in Smithfield?

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $15.02 an hour (the North Carolina median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,254 a month (97% of the $3,366 monthly median income of Smithfield households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $10,935 a month (325% of the $3,366 monthly median income of Smithfield households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. North Carolina's minimum wage is $7.25 an hour (U.S. Department of Labor table, updated July 1, 2026).

Live-in or 24-hour care in Smithfield?

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 Smithfield 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 Smithfield

More senior care near Smithfield

Live-In Caregivers in nearby cities

Other care in Smithfield

More for Smithfield 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 Smithfield, NC