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

Local figures

Live-In Caregivers in Surf City, NC: the local picture

28

residents 85 or older (0.6% of all residents)

429

households headed by someone 65+ own their home (88%)

82%

of Surf City homes have 3 or more bedrooms (78% in Onslow County)

$7.25

North Carolina minimum wage per hour

About 28 Surf 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. 82% of homes in Surf City have three or more bedrooms (78% in Onslow County); the median home has 5.5 rooms.

Of Surf City households headed by someone 65 or older, 429 own their home and 57 rent. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

Surf City compared with Onslow County and North Carolina

Census figure	Surf City	Onslow County	North Carolina
Residents 85 or older	0.6%	0.8%	1.7%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	28%	28%	28%
Residents 65+ with a disability	22%	39%	33%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	13%	11%	11%
Residents 65 or older	17%	10%	17%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	5.8%	10%	13%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$63,017	$53,686	—

Older residents in towns around Surf City

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Holly Ridge, NC	4.2 mi	593	0
Sneads Ferry, NC	12 mi	538	32
Hampstead, NC	14 mi	1,280	246
Porters Neck, NC	17 mi	2,532	602
Bayshore, NC	18 mi	627	23
Ogden, NC	19 mi	1,767	79

Emergency hospitals near Surf City

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
Nmc Camp Lejeune	Camp Lejeune, NC	20 mi	not rated	(910) 450-4300
Brynn Marr Hosp	Jacksonville, NC	21 mi	not rated	(919) 577-1400
Novant Health New Hanover Regional Medical Center	Wilmington, NC	22 mi	3 of 5	(910) 343-7000

Straight-line miles from the center of Surf 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 Surf City

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 (62% of the $5,251 monthly median income of Surf City 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 (208% of the $5,251 monthly median income of Surf City 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 Surf City: common questions

Where is the nearest emergency hospital to Surf City?

Nmc Camp Lejeune in Camp Lejeune, about 20 mi in a straight line from the center of Surf City (Medicare hospital file). Its listed phone number is (910) 450-4300. In an emergency, call 911.

How much does live-in care cost in Surf City?

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 (62% of the $5,251 monthly median income of Surf City 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 (208% of the $5,251 monthly median income of Surf City 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 Surf 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 Surf 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 Surf City

More senior care near Surf City

Live-In Caregivers in nearby cities

Other care in Surf City

More for Surf 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 Surf City, NC