Live-In Caregivers in South Portland, ME: 24-Hour Home Care

Local figures

Live-In Caregivers in South Portland, ME: the local picture

519

residents 85 or older (1.9% of all residents)

2,708

households headed by someone 65+ own their home (71%)

48%

of South Portland homes have 3 or more bedrooms (58% in Cumberland County)

$15.10

Maine minimum wage per hour

About 519 South Portland 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. 48% of homes in South Portland have three or more bedrooms (58% in Cumberland County), while 16% have one bedroom or none, where live-in care rarely works; the median home has 5.3 rooms.

Of South Portland households headed by someone 65 or older, 2,708 own their home and 1,101 rent; among householders 85 and older it is 243 owners and 132 renters. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

South Portland compared with Cumberland County and Maine

Census figure	South Portland	Cumberland County	Maine
Residents 85 or older	1.9%	2.2%	2.3%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	38%	30%	29%
Residents 65+ with a disability	33%	26%	31%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	11%	7.5%	9.4%
Residents 65 or older	21%	20%	22%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	13%	7.6%	6.0%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$61,620	$67,204	—

Older residents in towns around South Portland

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Oak Hill, ME	3.7 mi	1,653	205
Portland, ME	5.0 mi	11,616	1,706
Westbrook, ME	6.2 mi	3,753	393
Old Orchard Beach, ME	7.6 mi	3,098	145
Gorham, ME	8.6 mi	1,282	177
Saco, ME	9.8 mi	3,852	316

Emergency hospitals near South Portland

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
Mainehealth Maine Medical Center	Portland, ME	2.0 mi	4 of 5	(207) 662-0111
Northern Light Mercy Hospital	Portland, ME	2.4 mi	4 of 5	(207) 879-3000
Mainehealth Behavioral Health At Spring Harbor	Westbrook, ME	5.1 mi	not rated	(207) 761-2200

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

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $18.55 an hour (the Maine median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $4,019 a month (78% of the $5,135 monthly median income of South Portland households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $13,504 a month (263% of the $5,135 monthly median income of South Portland households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Maine's minimum wage is $15.10 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 Portland: common questions

Where is the nearest emergency hospital to South Portland?

Mainehealth Maine Medical Center in Portland, about 2.0 mi in a straight line from the center of South Portland (Medicare hospital file). Its listed phone number is (207) 662-0111. In an emergency, call 911.

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

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $18.55 an hour (the Maine median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $4,019 a month (78% of the $5,135 monthly median income of South Portland households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $13,504 a month (263% of the $5,135 monthly median income of South Portland households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Maine's minimum wage is $15.10 an hour (U.S. Department of Labor table, updated July 1, 2026).

Live-in or 24-hour care in South Portland?

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 Portland 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 Portland

More senior care near South Portland

Live-In Caregivers in nearby cities

Other care in South Portland

More for South Portland 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 Portland, ME