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

Local figures

Live-In Caregivers in Southport, NC: the local picture

294

residents 85 or older (7.0% of all residents)

1,034

households headed by someone 65+ own their home (92%)

74%

of Southport homes have 3 or more bedrooms (81% in Brunswick County)

$7.25

North Carolina minimum wage per hour

About 294 Southport 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. 74% of homes in Southport have three or more bedrooms (81% in Brunswick County); the median home has 5.7 rooms.

Of Southport households headed by someone 65 or older, 1,034 own their home and 86 rent; among householders 85 and older it is 143 owners and 0 renters. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

Southport compared with Brunswick County and North Carolina

Census figure	Southport	Brunswick County	North Carolina
Residents 85 or older	7.0%	2.0%	1.7%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	16%	20%	28%
Residents 65+ with a disability	23%	24%	33%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	5.1%	5.7%	11%
Residents 65 or older	48%	34%	17%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	1.2%	5.0%	13%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$70,372	$69,925	—

Older residents in towns around Southport

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
St. James, NC	5.3 mi	4,439	108
Oak Island, NC	6.5 mi	3,796	147
Boiling Spring Lakes, NC	8.5 mi	1,290	58
Carolina Beach, NC	9.7 mi	1,351	50
Myrtle Grove, NC	15 mi	2,200	166
Silver Lake, NC	16 mi	1,396	67

Emergency hospitals near Southport

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
J Arthur Dosher Memorial Hospital	Southport, NC	2.7 mi	3 of 5	(910) 457-3800
Novant Health Brunswick Medical Center	Supply, NC	17 mi	4 of 5	(910) 755-8121
Novant Health New Hanover Regional Medical Center	Wilmington, NC	29 mi	3 of 5	(910) 343-7000

Straight-line miles from the center of Southport. 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 Southport

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 (55% of the $5,864 monthly median income of Southport 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 (186% of the $5,864 monthly median income of Southport 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 Southport: common questions

Where is the nearest emergency hospital to Southport?

J Arthur Dosher Memorial Hospital in Southport, about 2.7 mi in a straight line from the center of Southport (Medicare hospital file). Its listed phone number is (910) 457-3800. In an emergency, call 911.

How much does live-in care cost in Southport?

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 (55% of the $5,864 monthly median income of Southport 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 (186% of the $5,864 monthly median income of Southport 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 Southport?

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 Southport 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 Southport

More senior care near Southport

Live-In Caregivers in nearby cities

Other care in Southport

More for Southport 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 Southport, NC