Live-In Caregivers in Tampa, FL: 24-Hour Home Care

Local figures

Live-In Caregivers in Tampa, FL: the local picture

5,590

residents 85 or older (1.4% of all residents)

23,002

households headed by someone 65+ own their home (67%)

49%

of Tampa homes have 3 or more bedrooms (62% in Hillsborough County)

$15.00

Florida minimum wage per hour

About 5,590 Tampa 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. 49% of homes in Tampa have three or more bedrooms (62% in Hillsborough County), while 21% have one bedroom or none, where live-in care rarely works; the median home has 4.8 rooms.

Of Tampa households headed by someone 65 or older, 23,002 own their home and 11,377 rent; among householders 85 and older it is 2,287 owners and 724 renters. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

Tampa compared with Hillsborough County and Florida

Census figure	Tampa	Hillsborough County	Florida
Residents 85 or older	1.4%	1.6%	2.6%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	31%	24%	25%
Residents 65+ with a disability	38%	35%	31%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	21%	14%	12%
Residents 65 or older	14%	15%	21%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	28%	31%	31%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$43,508	$55,570	—

Older residents in towns around Tampa

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Egypt Lake-Leto, FL	3.6 mi	5,255	778
Carrollwood, FL	6.5 mi	6,809	843
Town 'n' Country, FL	6.6 mi	12,382	1,182
Palm River-Clair Mel, FL	6.9 mi	3,412	264
East Lake-Orient Park, FL	7.4 mi	3,193	251
Lake Magdalene, FL	7.7 mi	6,509	1,035

Emergency hospitals near Tampa

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
St Josephs Hospital	Tampa, FL	0.8 mi	4 of 5	(813) 870-4398
Tampa General Hospital	Tampa, FL	2.0 mi	3 of 5	(813) 844-7000
HCA Florida South Tampa Hospital	Tampa, FL	2.5 mi	5 of 5	(813) 873-6400

Straight-line miles from the center of Tampa. 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 Tampa

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 (97% of the $3,626 monthly median income of Tampa 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 (326% of the $3,626 monthly median income of Tampa 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 Tampa: common questions

Where is the nearest emergency hospital to Tampa?

St Josephs Hospital in Tampa, about 0.8 mi in a straight line from the center of Tampa (Medicare hospital file). Its listed phone number is (813) 870-4398. In an emergency, call 911.

How much does live-in care cost in Tampa?

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 (97% of the $3,626 monthly median income of Tampa 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 (326% of the $3,626 monthly median income of Tampa 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 Tampa?

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 Tampa 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 Tampa

More senior care near Tampa

Live-In Caregivers in nearby cities

Other care in Tampa

More for Tampa 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 Tampa, FL