Live-In Caregivers in Wadena, MN: 24-Hour Home Care

Local figures

Live-In Caregivers in Wadena, MN: the local picture

185

residents 85 or older (4.2% of all residents)

229

households headed by someone 65+ own their home (43%)

57%

of Wadena homes have 3 or more bedrooms (65% in Wadena County)

$11.41

Minnesota minimum wage per hour

About 185 Wadena 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 Wadena have three or more bedrooms (65% in Wadena County), while 21% have one bedroom or none, where live-in care rarely works; the median home has 5.8 rooms.

Of Wadena households headed by someone 65 or older, 229 own their home and 303 rent; among householders 85 and older it is 54 owners and 65 renters. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

Wadena compared with Wadena County and Minnesota

Census figure	Wadena	Wadena County	Minnesota
Residents 85 or older	4.2%	3.7%	2.1%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	40%	34%	30%
Residents 65+ with a disability	46%	35%	28%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	5.8%	10%	8.8%
Residents 65 or older	18%	20%	17%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	3.8%	2.6%	12%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$35,463	$43,509	—

Older residents in towns around Wadena

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Perham, MN	24 mi	872	193
Park Rapids, MN	33 mi	1,210	287
Long Prairie, MN	35 mi	887	179
Baxter, MN	41 mi	2,095	440
Alexandria, MN	41 mi	3,590	713
Detroit Lakes, MN	42 mi	2,539	376

Emergency hospitals near Wadena

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
Astera Health	Wadena, MN	0.5 mi	3 of 5	(218) 631-7489
Lakewood Health System	Staples, MN	19 mi	not rated	(218) 894-1515
Perham Health	Perham, MN	24 mi	3 of 5	(218) 347-4500

Straight-line miles from the center of Wadena. 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 Wadena

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 (135% of the $2,955 monthly median income of Wadena 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 (454% of the $2,955 monthly median income of Wadena 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 Wadena: common questions

Where is the nearest emergency hospital to Wadena?

Astera Health in Wadena, about 0.5 mi in a straight line from the center of Wadena (Medicare hospital file). Its listed phone number is (218) 631-7489. In an emergency, call 911.

How much does live-in care cost in Wadena?

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 (135% of the $2,955 monthly median income of Wadena 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 (454% of the $2,955 monthly median income of Wadena 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 Wadena?

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 Wadena 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 Wadena

More senior care near Wadena

Live-In Caregivers in nearby cities

Other care in Wadena

More for Wadena 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 Wadena, MN