Live-In Caregivers in Somerville, MA: 24-Hour Home Care

Local figures

Live-In Caregivers in Somerville, MA: the local picture

826

residents 85 or older (1.0% of all residents)

2,914

households headed by someone 65+ own their home (55%)

37%

of Somerville homes have 3 or more bedrooms (56% in Middlesex County)

$15.00

Massachusetts minimum wage per hour

About 826 Somerville 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. 37% of homes in Somerville have three or more bedrooms (56% in Middlesex County), while 27% have one bedroom or none, where live-in care rarely works; the median home has 4.6 rooms.

Of Somerville households headed by someone 65 or older, 2,914 own their home and 2,431 rent; among householders 85 and older it is 410 owners and 228 renters. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

Somerville compared with Middlesex County and Massachusetts

Census figure	Somerville	Middlesex County	Massachusetts
Residents 85 or older	1.0%	2.0%	2.2%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	37%	28%	29%
Residents 65+ with a disability	33%	28%	30%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	18%	9.2%	11%
Residents 65 or older	10%	16%	18%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	29%	29%	25%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$39,597	$78,342	—

Older residents in towns around Somerville

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Cambridge, MA	1.3 mi	14,440	1,516
Medford, MA	2.3 mi	9,028	1,442
Everett, MA	2.6 mi	5,660	708
Malden, MA	3.4 mi	8,581	1,078
Chelsea, MA	3.6 mi	4,188	674
Arlington, MA	3.8 mi	8,030	1,022

Emergency hospitals near Somerville

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
Mount Auburn Hospital	Cambridge, MA	1.6 mi	4 of 5	(617) 492-3500
Cambridge Health Alliance	Cambridge, MA	1.8 mi	3 of 5	(617) 665-1000
Massachusetts General Hospital	Boston, MA	2.6 mi	5 of 5	(617) 726-2000

Straight-line miles from the center of Somerville. 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 Somerville

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $19.67 an hour (the Massachusetts median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $4,262 a month (129% of the $3,300 monthly median income of Somerville households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $14,320 a month (434% of the $3,300 monthly median income of Somerville households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Massachusetts's minimum wage is $15.00 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 Somerville: common questions

Where is the nearest emergency hospital to Somerville?

Mount Auburn Hospital in Cambridge, about 1.6 mi in a straight line from the center of Somerville (Medicare hospital file). Its listed phone number is (617) 492-3500. In an emergency, call 911.

How much does live-in care cost in Somerville?

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $19.67 an hour (the Massachusetts median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $4,262 a month (129% of the $3,300 monthly median income of Somerville households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $14,320 a month (434% of the $3,300 monthly median income of Somerville households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Massachusetts's minimum wage is $15.00 an hour (U.S. Department of Labor table, updated July 1, 2026).

Live-in or 24-hour care in Somerville?

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 Somerville 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 Somerville

More senior care near Somerville

Live-In Caregivers in nearby cities

Other care in Somerville

More for Somerville 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 Somerville, MA