Live-In Caregivers in St. Marys, GA: 24-Hour Home Care

Local figures

Live-In Caregivers in St. Marys, GA: the local picture

237

residents 85 or older (1.2% of all residents)

1,807

households headed by someone 65+ own their home (84%)

72%

of St. Marys homes have 3 or more bedrooms (76% in Camden County)

$7.25

Georgia minimum wage per hour

About 237 St. Marys 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. 72% of homes in St. Marys have three or more bedrooms (76% in Camden County), while 5.7% have one bedroom or none, where live-in care rarely works; the median home has 6 rooms.

Of St. Marys households headed by someone 65 or older, 1,807 own their home and 340 rent; among householders 85 and older it is 76 owners and 52 renters. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

St. Marys compared with Camden County and Georgia

Census figure	St. Marys	Camden County	Georgia
Residents 85 or older	1.2%	1.3%	1.4%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	26%	21%	26%
Residents 65+ with a disability	33%	36%	34%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	11%	9.6%	11%
Residents 65 or older	17%	15%	15%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	6.7%	6.0%	15%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$84,696	$64,464	—

Older residents in towns around St. Marys

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Yulee, FL	8.4 mi	2,956	278
Fernandina Beach, FL	10 mi	5,069	509
Kingsland, GA	14 mi	2,256	196
Hilliard, FL	21 mi	474	69
Nassau Village-Ratliff, FL	22 mi	1,432	82
Folkston, GA	26 mi	528	13

Emergency hospitals near St. Marys

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
Southeast Georgia Health System -- Camden Campus	Saint Marys, GA	2.6 mi	4 of 5	(912) 576-6401
Baptist Medical Center - Nassau	Fernandina Beach, FL	9.1 mi	4 of 5	(904) 321-3500
Shands Jacksonville	Jacksonville, FL	28 mi	4 of 5	(904) 244-4000

Straight-line miles from the center of St. Marys. 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. Marys

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $14.07 an hour (the Georgia median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,049 a month (43% of the $7,058 monthly median income of St. Marys households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $10,243 a month (145% of the $7,058 monthly median income of St. Marys households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Georgia's state rate is lower than the federal one, so employers covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act pay at least the federal $7.25 an hour (U.S. Department of Labor).

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 St. Marys: common questions

Where is the nearest emergency hospital to St. Marys?

Southeast Georgia Health System -- Camden Campus in Saint Marys, about 2.6 mi in a straight line from the center of St. Marys (Medicare hospital file). Its listed phone number is (912) 576-6401. In an emergency, call 911.

How much does live-in care cost in St. Marys?

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $14.07 an hour (the Georgia median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,049 a month (43% of the $7,058 monthly median income of St. Marys households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $10,243 a month (145% of the $7,058 monthly median income of St. Marys households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Georgia's state rate is lower than the federal one, so employers covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act pay at least the federal $7.25 an hour (U.S. Department of Labor).

Live-in or 24-hour care in St. Marys?

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. Marys 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. Marys

More senior care near St. Marys

Live-In Caregivers in nearby cities

Other care in St. Marys

More for St. Marys 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. Marys, GA