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

Local figures

Live-In Caregivers in South Dennis, MA: the local picture

143

residents 85 or older (4.6% of all residents)

692

households headed by someone 65+ own their home (90%)

57%

of South Dennis homes have 3 or more bedrooms (67% in Barnstable County)

$15.00

Massachusetts minimum wage per hour

About 143 South Dennis 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. 57% of homes in South Dennis have three or more bedrooms (67% in Barnstable County), while 7.3% have one bedroom or none, where live-in care rarely works; the median home has 5.2 rooms.

Of South Dennis households headed by someone 65 or older, 692 own their home and 73 rent; among householders 85 and older it is 107 owners and 0 renters. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

South Dennis compared with Barnstable County and Massachusetts

Census figure	South Dennis	Barnstable County	Massachusetts
Residents 85 or older	4.6%	4.1%	2.2%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	34%	28%	29%
Residents 65+ with a disability	24%	27%	30%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	5.3%	6.8%	11%
Residents 65 or older	36%	33%	18%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	1.4%	11%	25%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$75,972	$76,945	—

Older residents in towns around South Dennis

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
East Dennis, MA	2.2 mi	1,516	89
Northwest Harwich, MA	2.4 mi	1,445	193
Dennis Port, MA	2.6 mi	1,060	139
West Dennis, MA	2.7 mi	1,092	154
Yarmouth Port, MA	3.6 mi	2,429	408
South Yarmouth, MA	3.6 mi	3,735	672

Emergency hospitals near South Dennis

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
Cape Cod Hospital	Hyannis, MA	8.1 mi	2 of 5	(508) 771-1800
Falmouth Hospital	Falmouth, MA	26 mi	4 of 5	(508) 548-5300
Martha's Vineyard Hospital Inc	Oak Bluffs, MA	27 mi	4 of 5	(508) 693-0410

Straight-line miles from the center of South Dennis. 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 Dennis

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 (67% of the $6,331 monthly median income of South Dennis 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 (226% of the $6,331 monthly median income of South Dennis 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 South Dennis: common questions

Where is the nearest emergency hospital to South Dennis?

Cape Cod Hospital in Hyannis, about 8.1 mi in a straight line from the center of South Dennis (Medicare hospital file). Its listed phone number is (508) 771-1800. In an emergency, call 911.

How much does live-in care cost in South Dennis?

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 (67% of the $6,331 monthly median income of South Dennis 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 (226% of the $6,331 monthly median income of South Dennis 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 South Dennis?

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 Dennis 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 Dennis

More senior care near South Dennis

Live-In Caregivers in nearby cities

Other care in South Dennis

More for South Dennis 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 South Dennis, MA