Live-In Caregivers in Waco, TX: 24-Hour Home Care

Local figures

Live-In Caregivers in Waco, TX: the local picture

2,538

residents 85 or older (1.8% of all residents)

8,582

households headed by someone 65+ own their home (69%)

57%

of Waco homes have 3 or more bedrooms (66% in McLennan County)

$7.25

Texas minimum wage per hour

About 2,538 Waco 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. 57% of homes in Waco have three or more bedrooms (66% in McLennan County), while 17% have one bedroom or none, where live-in care rarely works; the median home has 5.2 rooms.

Of Waco households headed by someone 65 or older, 8,582 own their home and 3,867 rent; among householders 85 and older it is 1,131 owners and 557 renters. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

Waco compared with McLennan County and Texas

Census figure	Waco	McLennan County	Texas
Residents 85 or older	1.8%	1.7%	1.4%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	32%	25%	25%
Residents 65+ with a disability	40%	37%	35%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	13%	10%	12%
Residents 65 or older	13%	15%	13%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	23%	20%	35%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$46,729	$56,849	—

Older residents in towns around Waco

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Woodway, TX	4.8 mi	2,201	272
Bellmead, TX	6.6 mi	1,485	144
Lacy-Lakeview, TX	7.1 mi	800	94
Hewitt, TX	7.4 mi	3,097	169
Robinson, TX	8.3 mi	1,865	273
McGregor, TX	17 mi	858	121

Emergency hospitals near Waco

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
Ascension Providence	Waco, TX	4.4 mi	2 of 5	(254) 751-4000
Baylor Scott & White Medical Center Hillcrest	Waco, TX	4.4 mi	4 of 5	(254) 202-2000
Falls Community Hospital And Clinic	Marlin, TX	25 mi	not rated	(254) 803-3561

Straight-line miles from the center of Waco. 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 Waco

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $11.65 an hour (the Texas median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $2,524 a month (65% of the $3,894 monthly median income of Waco households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $8,481 a month (218% of the $3,894 monthly median income of Waco households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Texas'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 STAR+PLUS in Texas: using consumer directed services to pay a family caregiver.

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 Waco: common questions

Where is the nearest emergency hospital to Waco?

Ascension Providence in Waco, about 4.4 mi in a straight line from the center of Waco (Medicare hospital file). Its listed phone number is (254) 751-4000. In an emergency, call 911.

How much does live-in care cost in Waco?

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $11.65 an hour (the Texas median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $2,524 a month (65% of the $3,894 monthly median income of Waco households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $8,481 a month (218% of the $3,894 monthly median income of Waco households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Texas'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 Waco?

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 Waco 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 Waco

More senior care near Waco

Live-In Caregivers in nearby cities

Other care in Waco

More for Waco 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 Waco, TX