Live-In Caregivers in St. Stephens, NC: 24-Hour Home Care

Local figures

Live-In Caregivers in St. Stephens, NC: the local picture

181

residents 85 or older (1.9% of all residents)

1,123

households headed by someone 65+ own their home (91%)

76%

of St. Stephens homes have 3 or more bedrooms (67% in Catawba County)

$7.25

North Carolina minimum wage per hour

About 181 St. Stephens 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. 76% of homes in St. Stephens have three or more bedrooms (67% in Catawba County); the median home has 5.9 rooms.

Of St. Stephens households headed by someone 65 or older, 1,123 own their home and 109 rent; among householders 85 and older it is 118 owners and 12 renters. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

St. Stephens compared with Catawba County and North Carolina

Census figure	St. Stephens	Catawba County	North Carolina
Residents 85 or older	1.9%	1.8%	1.7%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	26%	29%	28%
Residents 65+ with a disability	33%	31%	33%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	19%	9.5%	11%
Residents 65 or older	20%	19%	17%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	20%	13%	13%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$31,744	$48,859	—

Older residents in towns around St. Stephens

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Hickory, NC	3.2 mi	7,564	868
Bethlehem, NC	4.0 mi	1,145	74
Conover, NC	4.6 mi	1,545	203
Long View, NC	6.9 mi	881	38
Newton, NC	7.4 mi	2,733	552
Mountain View, NC	7.8 mi	816	58

Emergency hospitals near St. Stephens

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
Frye Regional Medical Center	Hickory, NC	3.2 mi	2 of 5	(828) 322-6070
Catawba Valley Medical Center	Hickory, NC	7.2 mi	2 of 5	(828) 326-3809
Caldwell Memorial Hospital	Lenoir, NC	18 mi	3 of 5	(828) 757-5100

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

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 (123% of the $2,645 monthly median income of St. Stephens 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 (413% of the $2,645 monthly median income of St. Stephens 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 St. Stephens: common questions

Where is the nearest emergency hospital to St. Stephens?

Frye Regional Medical Center in Hickory, about 3.2 mi in a straight line from the center of St. Stephens (Medicare hospital file). Its listed phone number is (828) 322-6070. In an emergency, call 911.

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

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 (123% of the $2,645 monthly median income of St. Stephens 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 (413% of the $2,645 monthly median income of St. Stephens 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 St. Stephens?

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. Stephens 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. Stephens

More senior care near St. Stephens

Live-In Caregivers in nearby cities

Other care in St. Stephens

More for St. Stephens 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. Stephens, NC