Live-In Caregivers in Traverse City, MI: 24-Hour Home Care

Local figures

Live-In Caregivers in Traverse City, MI: the local picture

411

residents 85 or older (2.6% of all residents)

1,658

households headed by someone 65+ own their home (68%)

52%

of Traverse City homes have 3 or more bedrooms (67% in Grand Traverse County)

$13.73

Michigan minimum wage per hour

About 411 Traverse 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. 52% of homes in Traverse City have three or more bedrooms (67% in Grand Traverse County), while 17% have one bedroom or none, where live-in care rarely works; the median home has 5.4 rooms.

Of Traverse City households headed by someone 65 or older, 1,658 own their home and 771 rent; among householders 85 and older it is 160 owners and 78 renters. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

Traverse City compared with Grand Traverse County and Michigan

Census figure	Traverse City	Grand Traverse County	Michigan
Residents 85 or older	2.6%	2.6%	2.1%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	39%	29%	29%
Residents 65+ with a disability	20%	27%	32%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	11%	7.9%	9.9%
Residents 65 or older	24%	22%	19%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	3.5%	2.4%	10%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$66,380	$61,808	—

Older residents in towns around Traverse City

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Kalkaska, MI	21 mi	544	139
Cadillac, MI	36 mi	2,207	375
Boyne City, MI	43 mi	943	72
Gaylord, MI	49 mi	907	103
Manistee, MI	50 mi	1,574	105
Petoskey, MI	51 mi	1,361	154

Emergency hospitals near Traverse City

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
Munson Medical Center	Traverse City, MI	5.5 mi	4 of 5	(231) 935-5000
Kalkaska Memorial Health Center	Kalkaska, MI	24 mi	not rated	(231) 258-7500
Paul Oliver Memorial Hospital	Frankfort, MI	32 mi	not rated	(231) 352-2200

Straight-line miles from the center of Traverse 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 Traverse City

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $16.83 an hour (the Michigan median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,646 a month (66% of the $5,532 monthly median income of Traverse City households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $12,252 a month (221% of the $5,532 monthly median income of Traverse City households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Michigan's minimum wage is $13.73 an hour (U.S. Department of Labor table, updated July 1, 2026), rising to $15.00 on January 1, 2027.

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 Traverse City: common questions

Where is the nearest emergency hospital to Traverse City?

Munson Medical Center in Traverse City, about 5.5 mi in a straight line from the center of Traverse City (Medicare hospital file). Its listed phone number is (231) 935-5000. In an emergency, call 911.

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

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $16.83 an hour (the Michigan median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,646 a month (66% of the $5,532 monthly median income of Traverse City households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $12,252 a month (221% of the $5,532 monthly median income of Traverse City households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Michigan's minimum wage is $13.73 an hour (U.S. Department of Labor table, updated July 1, 2026), rising to $15.00 on January 1, 2027.

Live-in or 24-hour care in Traverse 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 Traverse 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 Traverse City

More senior care near Traverse City

Live-In Caregivers in nearby cities

Other care in Traverse City

More for Traverse 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 Traverse City, MI