Live-In Caregivers in St. James City, FL: 24-Hour Home Care

Local figures

Live-In Caregivers in St. James City, FL: the local picture

178

residents 85 or older (5.2% of all residents)

996

households headed by someone 65+ own their home (97%)

45%

of St. James City homes have 3 or more bedrooms (62% in Lee County)

$15.00

Florida minimum wage per hour

About 178 St. James City 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. 45% of homes in St. James City have three or more bedrooms (62% in Lee County), while 5.2% have one bedroom or none, where live-in care rarely works; the median home has 4.7 rooms.

Of St. James City households headed by someone 65 or older, 996 own their home and 35 rent; among householders 85 and older it is 108 owners and 0 renters. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

St. James City compared with Lee County and Florida

Census figure	St. James City	Lee County	Florida
Residents 85 or older	5.2%	3.3%	2.6%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	18%	22%	25%
Residents 65+ with a disability	28%	28%	31%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	6.0%	10%	12%
Residents 65 or older	49%	29%	21%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	2.9%	26%	31%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$85,991	$66,210	—

Older residents in towns around St. James City

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Sanibel, FL	6.3 mi	3,522	170
Iona, FL	8.9 mi	8,087	1,357
Cape Coral, FL	9.5 mi	53,839	5,410
McGregor, FL	12 mi	3,177	567
Cypress Lake, FL	13 mi	5,514	1,037
Whiskey Creek, FL	13 mi	1,744	266

Emergency hospitals near St. James City

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
Cape Coral Hospital	Cape Coral, FL	10 mi	3 of 5	(239) 424-2000
Lee Memorial Hospital	Fort Myers, FL	15 mi	5 of 5	(239) 343-5000
Gulf Coast Medical Center Lee Health	Fort Myers, FL	17 mi	4 of 5	(239) 343-1000

Straight-line miles from the center of St. James City. 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 St. James City

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $16.25 an hour (the Florida median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,521 a month (49% of the $7,166 monthly median income of St. James City households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $11,830 a month (165% of the $7,166 monthly median income of St. James City households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Florida's minimum wage rose to $15.00 an hour on September 30, 2026, under Article X, Section 24 of the Florida Constitution.

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 How to get paid to take care of a family member in Florida: SMMC LTC and the PDO.

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 St. James City: common questions

Where is the nearest emergency hospital to St. James City?

Cape Coral Hospital in Cape Coral, about 10 mi in a straight line from the center of St. James City (Medicare hospital file). Its listed phone number is (239) 424-2000. In an emergency, call 911.

How much does live-in care cost in St. James City?

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $16.25 an hour (the Florida median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,521 a month (49% of the $7,166 monthly median income of St. James City households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $11,830 a month (165% of the $7,166 monthly median income of St. James City households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Florida's minimum wage rose to $15.00 an hour on September 30, 2026, under Article X, Section 24 of the Florida Constitution.

Live-in or 24-hour care in St. James City?

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 St. James City 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 St. James City

More senior care near St. James City

Live-In Caregivers in nearby cities

Other care in St. James City

More for St. James City 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 St. James City, FL