Live-In Caregivers in Smiths Station, AL: 24-Hour Home Care

Local figures

Live-In Caregivers in Smiths Station, AL: the local picture

73

residents 85 or older (1.3% of all residents)

442

households headed by someone 65+ own their home (92%)

87%

of Smiths Station homes have 3 or more bedrooms (72% in Lee County)

$7.25

Alabama minimum wage per hour

About 73 Smiths Station 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. 87% of homes in Smiths Station have three or more bedrooms (72% in Lee County); the median home has 6.4 rooms.

Of Smiths Station households headed by someone 65 or older, 442 own their home and 40 rent; among householders 85 and older it is 66 owners and 0 renters. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

Smiths Station compared with Lee County and Alabama

Census figure	Smiths Station	Lee County	Alabama
Residents 85 or older	1.3%	1.2%	1.7%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	20%	28%	29%
Residents 65+ with a disability	48%	34%	38%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	8.4%	11%	12%
Residents 65 or older	14%	13%	18%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	4.3%	8.6%	6.0%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$52,000	$56,745	—

Older residents in towns around Smiths Station

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Ladonia, AL	4.4 mi	436	28
Phenix City, AL	6.2 mi	4,957	361
Columbus, GA	13 mi	30,092	3,469
Opelika, AL	19 mi	6,049	535
Valley, AL	20 mi	1,645	208
Cusseta, GA	22 mi	397	0

Emergency hospitals near Smiths Station

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
Jack Hughston Memorial Hospital	Phenix City, AL	4.8 mi	4 of 5	(334) 732-3000
Piedmont Columbus Regional Midtown	Columbus, GA	7.8 mi	2 of 5	(706) 571-1000
Martin Ach (Ft Benning)	Fort Benning, GA	13 mi	not rated	(762) 408-2604

Straight-line miles from the center of Smiths Station. 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 Smiths Station

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $13.39 an hour (the Alabama median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $2,901 a month (67% of the $4,333 monthly median income of Smiths Station households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $9,748 a month (225% of the $4,333 monthly median income of Smiths Station households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Alabama 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 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 Smiths Station: common questions

Where is the nearest emergency hospital to Smiths Station?

Jack Hughston Memorial Hospital in Phenix City, about 4.8 mi in a straight line from the center of Smiths Station (Medicare hospital file). Its listed phone number is (334) 732-3000. In an emergency, call 911.

How much does live-in care cost in Smiths Station?

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $13.39 an hour (the Alabama median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $2,901 a month (67% of the $4,333 monthly median income of Smiths Station households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $9,748 a month (225% of the $4,333 monthly median income of Smiths Station households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Alabama 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 Smiths Station?

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 Smiths Station 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 Smiths Station

More senior care near Smiths Station

Live-In Caregivers in nearby cities

Other care in Smiths Station

More for Smiths Station 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 Smiths Station, AL