Live-In Caregivers in The Dalles, OR: 24-Hour Home Care

Local figures

Live-In Caregivers in The Dalles, OR: the local picture

467

residents 85 or older (2.9% of all residents)

1,613

households headed by someone 65+ own their home (73%)

59%

of The Dalles homes have 3 or more bedrooms (60% in Wasco County)

$16.80

top Oregon minimum wage tier per hour

About 467 The Dalles 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. 59% of homes in The Dalles have three or more bedrooms (60% in Wasco County), while 15% have one bedroom or none, where live-in care rarely works; the median home has 5.3 rooms.

Of The Dalles households headed by someone 65 or older, 1,613 own their home and 584 rent; among householders 85 and older it is 202 owners and 108 renters. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

The Dalles compared with Wasco County and Oregon

Census figure	The Dalles	Wasco County	Oregon
Residents 85 or older	2.9%	2.7%	2.1%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	40%	34%	27%
Residents 65+ with a disability	36%	35%	34%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	7.1%	9.3%	9.9%
Residents 65 or older	20%	21%	19%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	18%	19%	15%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$52,012	$51,897	—

Older residents in towns around The Dalles

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
White Salmon, WA	18 mi	790	90
Hood River, OR	20 mi	1,359	242
Goldendale, WA	22 mi	852	126
Mount Hood Villages, OR	45 mi	1,303	54
Sandy, OR	56 mi	1,664	108
Washougal, WA	58 mi	2,932	293

Emergency hospitals near The Dalles

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
Mid-Columbia Medical Center	The Dalles, OR	1.8 mi	4 of 5	(541) 296-1111
Skyline Hospital	White Salmon, WA	19 mi	not rated	(509) 491-1101
Providence Hood River Memorial Hospital	Hood River, OR	19 mi	4 of 5	(541) 386-3911

Straight-line miles from the center of The Dalles. 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 The Dalles

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $21.35 an hour (the Oregon median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $4,626 a month (107% of the $4,334 monthly median income of The Dalles households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $15,543 a month (359% of the $4,334 monthly median income of The Dalles households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Oregon's minimum wage is $16.80 in the Portland metro area, $15.55 in the standard state rate, $14.55 in non-urban counties (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 The Dalles: common questions

Where is the nearest emergency hospital to The Dalles?

Mid-Columbia Medical Center in The Dalles, about 1.8 mi in a straight line from the center of The Dalles (Medicare hospital file). Its listed phone number is (541) 296-1111. In an emergency, call 911.

How much does live-in care cost in The Dalles?

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $21.35 an hour (the Oregon median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $4,626 a month (107% of the $4,334 monthly median income of The Dalles households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $15,543 a month (359% of the $4,334 monthly median income of The Dalles households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Oregon's minimum wage is $16.80 in the Portland metro area, $15.55 in the standard state rate, $14.55 in non-urban counties (U.S. Department of Labor table, updated July 1, 2026).

Live-in or 24-hour care in The Dalles?

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 The Dalles 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 The Dalles

More senior care near The Dalles

Live-In Caregivers in nearby cities

Other care in The Dalles

More for The Dalles 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 The Dalles, OR