Live-In Caregivers in South Kensington, MD

Local figures

Live-In Caregivers in South Kensington, MD: the local picture

315

residents 85 or older (3.9% of all residents)

820

households headed by someone 65+ own their home (82%)

86%

of South Kensington homes have 3 or more bedrooms (64% in Montgomery County)

$15.00

Maryland minimum wage per hour

About 315 South Kensington 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. 86% of homes in South Kensington have three or more bedrooms (64% in Montgomery County), while 7.3% have one bedroom or none, where live-in care rarely works; the median home has 8.2 rooms.

Of South Kensington households headed by someone 65 or older, 820 own their home and 184 rent; among householders 85 and older it is 120 owners and 124 renters. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

South Kensington compared with Montgomery County and Maryland

Census figure	South Kensington	Montgomery County	Maryland
Residents 85 or older	3.9%	2.2%	1.9%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	27%	23%	27%
Residents 65+ with a disability	33%	26%	30%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	7.7%	7.4%	9.5%
Residents 65 or older	20%	17%	17%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	17%	43%	21%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$117,778	$109,242	—

Older residents in towns around South Kensington

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Forest Glen, MD	1.2 mi	1,287	178
North Kensington, MD	1.6 mi	1,825	374
Chevy Chase, MD	1.7 mi	2,265	544
Wheaton, MD	2.3 mi	7,015	867
Silver Spring, MD	2.6 mi	9,828	899
Kemp Mill, MD	2.9 mi	2,110	307

Emergency hospitals near South Kensington

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
Suburban Hospital	Bethesda, MD	2.2 mi	4 of 5	(301) 896-2576
Walter Reed National Military Med Cen	Bethesda, MD	2.2 mi	not rated	(301) 295-4000
Adventist Healthcare White Oak Medical Center	Silver Spring, MD	5.1 mi	3 of 5	(240) 637-4000

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

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $18.29 an hour (the Maryland median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,963 a month (40% of the $9,815 monthly median income of South Kensington households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $13,315 a month (136% of the $9,815 monthly median income of South Kensington households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Maryland'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 Kensington: common questions

Where is the nearest emergency hospital to South Kensington?

Suburban Hospital in Bethesda, about 2.2 mi in a straight line from the center of South Kensington (Medicare hospital file). Its listed phone number is (301) 896-2576. In an emergency, call 911.

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

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $18.29 an hour (the Maryland median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,963 a month (40% of the $9,815 monthly median income of South Kensington households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $13,315 a month (136% of the $9,815 monthly median income of South Kensington households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Maryland'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 Kensington?

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 Kensington 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 Kensington

More senior care near South Kensington

Live-In Caregivers in nearby cities

Other care in South Kensington

More for South Kensington 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.