Live-In Caregivers in Southern Shores, NC: 24-Hour Home Care

Local figures

Live-In Caregivers in Southern Shores, NC: the local picture

81

residents 85 or older (2.6% of all residents)

564

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

96%

of Southern Shores homes have 3 or more bedrooms (79% in Dare County)

$7.25

North Carolina minimum wage per hour

About 81 Southern Shores 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. 96% of homes in Southern Shores have three or more bedrooms (79% in Dare County); the median home has 6.3 rooms.

Of Southern Shores households headed by someone 65 or older, 564 own their home and 64 rent; among householders 85 and older it is 52 owners and 0 renters. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

Southern Shores compared with Dare County and North Carolina

Census figure	Southern Shores	Dare County	North Carolina
Residents 85 or older	2.6%	2.0%	1.7%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	19%	29%	28%
Residents 65+ with a disability	35%	26%	33%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	0.0%	5.9%	11%
Residents 65 or older	32%	25%	17%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	4.2%	8.6%	13%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$116,786	$70,567	—

Older residents in towns around Southern Shores

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Kitty Hawk, NC	3.3 mi	744	79
Kill Devil Hills, NC	7.7 mi	1,471	54
Nags Head, NC	13 mi	1,264	184
Elizabeth City, NC	31 mi	3,507	327
Moyock, NC	36 mi	717	37
Edenton, NC	49 mi	1,254	73

Emergency hospitals near Southern Shores

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
The Outer Banks Hospital, Inc	Nags Head, NC	18 mi	4 of 5	(252) 449-4500
Sentara Albemarle Medical Center	Elizabeth City, NC	31 mi	3 of 5	(252) 335-0531

Straight-line miles from the center of Southern Shores. 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 Southern Shores

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $15.02 an hour (the North Carolina median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,254 a month (33% of the $9,732 monthly median income of Southern Shores households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $10,935 a month (112% of the $9,732 monthly median income of Southern Shores households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. North Carolina's minimum wage is $7.25 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 Southern Shores: common questions

Where is the nearest emergency hospital to Southern Shores?

The Outer Banks Hospital, Inc in Nags Head, about 18 mi in a straight line from the center of Southern Shores (Medicare hospital file). Its listed phone number is (252) 449-4500. In an emergency, call 911.

How much does live-in care cost in Southern Shores?

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $15.02 an hour (the North Carolina median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,254 a month (33% of the $9,732 monthly median income of Southern Shores households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $10,935 a month (112% of the $9,732 monthly median income of Southern Shores households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. North Carolina's minimum wage is $7.25 an hour (U.S. Department of Labor table, updated July 1, 2026).

Live-in or 24-hour care in Southern Shores?

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 Southern Shores 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 Southern Shores

More senior care near Southern Shores

Live-In Caregivers in nearby cities

Other care in Southern Shores

More for Southern Shores 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 Southern Shores, NC