Live-In Caregivers in Tonkawa, OK: 24-Hour Home Care

Local figures

Live-In Caregivers in Tonkawa, OK: the local picture

85

residents 85 or older (2.8% of all residents)

356

households headed by someone 65+ own their home (87%)

55%

of Tonkawa homes have 3 or more bedrooms (68% in Kay County)

$7.25

Oklahoma minimum wage per hour

About 85 Tonkawa 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. 55% of homes in Tonkawa have three or more bedrooms (68% in Kay County); the median home has 5.4 rooms.

Of Tonkawa households headed by someone 65 or older, 356 own their home and 55 rent; among householders 85 and older it is 59 owners and 4 renters. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

Tonkawa compared with Kay County and Oklahoma

Census figure	Tonkawa	Kay County	Oklahoma
Residents 85 or older	2.8%	2.2%	1.6%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	56%	33%	30%
Residents 65+ with a disability	42%	38%	41%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	6.1%	12%	11%
Residents 65 or older	19%	19%	16%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	6.1%	6.0%	12%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$51,563	$49,025	—

Older residents in towns around Tonkawa

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Blackwell, OK	9.1 mi	1,304	158
Ponca City, OK	14 mi	4,312	508
Perry, OK	27 mi	784	149
Arkansas City, KS	32 mi	1,935	321
Enid, OK	36 mi	8,087	1,092
Stillwater, OK	40 mi	5,127	534

Emergency hospitals near Tonkawa

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
Stillwater Medical-Blackwell	Blackwell, OK	9.1 mi	not rated	(580) 363-2311
Integris Health Ponca City	Ponca City, OK	13 mi	2 of 5	(580) 765-3321
Stillwater Medical - Perry	Perry, OK	27 mi	not rated	(580) 336-3541

Straight-line miles from the center of Tonkawa. 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 Tonkawa

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $13.32 an hour (the Oklahoma median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $2,886 a month (67% of the $4,297 monthly median income of Tonkawa households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $9,697 a month (226% of the $4,297 monthly median income of Tonkawa households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Oklahoma'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 Tonkawa: common questions

Where is the nearest emergency hospital to Tonkawa?

Stillwater Medical-Blackwell in Blackwell, about 9.1 mi in a straight line from the center of Tonkawa (Medicare hospital file). Its listed phone number is (580) 363-2311. In an emergency, call 911.

How much does live-in care cost in Tonkawa?

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $13.32 an hour (the Oklahoma median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $2,886 a month (67% of the $4,297 monthly median income of Tonkawa households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $9,697 a month (226% of the $4,297 monthly median income of Tonkawa households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Oklahoma'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 Tonkawa?

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 Tonkawa 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 Tonkawa

More senior care near Tonkawa

Live-In Caregivers in nearby cities

Other care in Tonkawa

More for Tonkawa 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 Tonkawa, OK