Live-In Caregivers in South Chicago Heights, IL

Local figures

Live-In Caregivers in South Chicago Heights, IL: the local picture

41

residents 85 or older (1.0% of all residents)

226

households headed by someone 65+ own their home (97%)

61%

of South Chicago Heights homes have 3 or more bedrooms (50% in Cook County)

$15.00

Illinois minimum wage per hour

About 41 South Chicago Heights 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. 61% of homes in South Chicago Heights have three or more bedrooms (50% in Cook County), while 19% have one bedroom or none, where live-in care rarely works; the median home has 5.6 rooms.

Of South Chicago Heights households headed by someone 65 or older, 226 own their home and 7 rent; among householders 85 and older it is 25 owners and 0 renters. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

South Chicago Heights compared with Cook County and Illinois

Census figure	South Chicago Heights	Cook County	Illinois
Residents 85 or older	1.0%	2.0%	2.0%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	17%	32%	30%
Residents 65+ with a disability	33%	32%	32%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	11%	13%	10%
Residents 65 or older	11%	16%	17%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	33%	36%	24%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$58,068	$56,774	—

Older residents in towns around South Chicago Heights

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Steger, IL	1.3 mi	1,979	241
Chicago Heights, IL	1.9 mi	3,820	354
Park Forest, IL	2.6 mi	3,340	303
Crete, IL	3.0 mi	2,060	394
Sauk Village, IL	3.5 mi	1,024	119
Olympia Fields, IL	3.9 mi	1,429	154

Emergency hospitals near South Chicago Heights

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
Franciscan Health Olympia & Chicago Heights	Olympia Fields, IL	2.8 mi	3 of 5	(708) 747-4000
Franciscan Health Dyer	Dyer, IN	6.6 mi	2 of 5	(219) 865-2141
Community Hospital	Munster, IN	8.6 mi	3 of 5	(219) 836-1600

Straight-line miles from the center of South Chicago Heights. 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 South Chicago Heights

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $18.30 an hour (the Illinois median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,965 a month (82% of the $4,839 monthly median income of South Chicago Heights households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $13,322 a month (275% of the $4,839 monthly median income of South Chicago Heights households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Illinois'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 South Chicago Heights: common questions

Where is the nearest emergency hospital to South Chicago Heights?

Franciscan Health Olympia & Chicago Heights in Olympia Fields, about 2.8 mi in a straight line from the center of South Chicago Heights (Medicare hospital file). Its listed phone number is (708) 747-4000. In an emergency, call 911.

How much does live-in care cost in South Chicago Heights?

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $18.30 an hour (the Illinois median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,965 a month (82% of the $4,839 monthly median income of South Chicago Heights households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $13,322 a month (275% of the $4,839 monthly median income of South Chicago Heights households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Illinois'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 South Chicago Heights?

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 South Chicago Heights 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 South Chicago Heights

More senior care near South Chicago Heights

Live-In Caregivers in nearby cities

Other care in South Chicago Heights

More for South Chicago Heights 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.