Live-In Caregivers in Thief River Falls, MN

Local figures

Live-In Caregivers in Thief River Falls, MN: the local picture

207

residents 85 or older (2.3% of all residents)

736

households headed by someone 65+ own their home (62%)

51%

of Thief River Falls homes have 3 or more bedrooms (60% in Pennington County)

$11.41

Minnesota minimum wage per hour

About 207 Thief River Falls 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. 51% of homes in Thief River Falls have three or more bedrooms (60% in Pennington County), while 18% have one bedroom or none, where live-in care rarely works; the median home has 5.2 rooms.

Of Thief River Falls households headed by someone 65 or older, 736 own their home and 460 rent; among householders 85 and older it is 82 owners and 66 renters. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

Thief River Falls compared with Pennington County and Minnesota

Census figure	Thief River Falls	Pennington County	Minnesota
Residents 85 or older	2.3%	2.0%	2.1%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	46%	38%	30%
Residents 65+ with a disability	38%	33%	28%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	12%	9.9%	8.8%
Residents 65 or older	20%	19%	17%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	7.9%	5.8%	12%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$42,917	$50,668	—

Older residents in towns around Thief River Falls

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Crookston, MN	31 mi	1,519	174
East Grand Forks, MN	41 mi	1,137	154
Grand Forks, ND	44 mi	8,315	1,121
Roseau, MN	54 mi	570	88
Grafton, ND	60 mi	930	272

Emergency hospitals near Thief River Falls

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
Sanford Thief River Falls Medical Center	Thief River Falls, MN	0.6 mi	not rated	(218) 683-4400
North Valley Health Center	Warren, MN	29 mi	not rated	(218) 745-4211
Riverview Hospital	Crookston, MN	30 mi	not rated	(218) 281-9200

Straight-line miles from the center of Thief River Falls. 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 Thief River Falls

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $18.45 an hour (the Minnesota median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,998 a month (112% of the $3,576 monthly median income of Thief River Falls households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $13,432 a month (376% of the $3,576 monthly median income of Thief River Falls households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Minnesota's minimum wage is $11.41 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 Thief River Falls: common questions

Where is the nearest emergency hospital to Thief River Falls?

Sanford Thief River Falls Medical Center in Thief River Falls, about 0.6 mi in a straight line from the center of Thief River Falls (Medicare hospital file). Its listed phone number is (218) 683-4400. In an emergency, call 911.

How much does live-in care cost in Thief River Falls?

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $18.45 an hour (the Minnesota median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,998 a month (112% of the $3,576 monthly median income of Thief River Falls households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $13,432 a month (376% of the $3,576 monthly median income of Thief River Falls households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Minnesota's minimum wage is $11.41 an hour (U.S. Department of Labor table, updated July 1, 2026).

Live-in or 24-hour care in Thief River Falls?

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 Thief River Falls 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 Thief River Falls

More senior care near Thief River Falls

Live-In Caregivers in nearby cities

Other care in Thief River Falls

More for Thief River Falls 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.