Live-In Caregivers in Smyrna, GA: 24-Hour Home Care

Local figures

Live-In Caregivers in Smyrna, GA: the local picture

786

residents 85 or older (1.4% of all residents)

2,894

households headed by someone 65+ own their home (77%)

58%

of Smyrna homes have 3 or more bedrooms (72% in Cobb County)

$7.25

Georgia minimum wage per hour

About 786 Smyrna 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 Smyrna have three or more bedrooms (72% in Cobb County), while 17% have one bedroom or none, where live-in care rarely works; the median home has 5.3 rooms.

Of Smyrna households headed by someone 65 or older, 2,894 own their home and 886 rent; among householders 85 and older it is 311 owners and 211 renters. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

Smyrna compared with Cobb County and Georgia

Census figure	Smyrna	Cobb County	Georgia
Residents 85 or older	1.4%	1.3%	1.4%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	30%	23%	26%
Residents 65+ with a disability	31%	28%	34%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	7.9%	8.5%	11%
Residents 65 or older	10%	14%	15%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	21%	22%	15%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$62,909	$71,145	—

Older residents in towns around Smyrna

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Vinings, GA	2.8 mi	1,684	89
Fair Oaks, GA	4.3 mi	561	155
Mableton, GA	4.9 mi	9,734	974
Marietta, GA	6.5 mi	8,684	1,418
Austell, GA	7.9 mi	587	34
Atlanta, GA	8.7 mi	62,059	6,445

Emergency hospitals near Smyrna

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center	Marietta, GA	5.4 mi	4 of 5	(770) 793-5000
Saint Joseph's Hospital Of Atlanta, Inc	Atlanta, GA	8.2 mi	3 of 5	(678) 843-7001
Northside Hospital	Atlanta, GA	8.2 mi	3 of 5	(404) 851-8000

Straight-line miles from the center of Smyrna. 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 Smyrna

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $14.07 an hour (the Georgia median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,049 a month (58% of the $5,242 monthly median income of Smyrna households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $10,243 a month (195% of the $5,242 monthly median income of Smyrna households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Georgia's state rate is lower than the federal one, so employers covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act pay at least the federal $7.25 an hour (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 Smyrna: common questions

Where is the nearest emergency hospital to Smyrna?

Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center in Marietta, about 5.4 mi in a straight line from the center of Smyrna (Medicare hospital file). Its listed phone number is (770) 793-5000. In an emergency, call 911.

How much does live-in care cost in Smyrna?

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $14.07 an hour (the Georgia median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,049 a month (58% of the $5,242 monthly median income of Smyrna households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $10,243 a month (195% of the $5,242 monthly median income of Smyrna households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Georgia's state rate is lower than the federal one, so employers covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act pay at least the federal $7.25 an hour (U.S. Department of Labor).

Live-in or 24-hour care in Smyrna?

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 Smyrna 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 Smyrna

More senior care near Smyrna

Live-In Caregivers in nearby cities

Other care in Smyrna

More for Smyrna 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 Smyrna, GA