Live-In Caregivers in Wellesley, MA: 24-Hour Home Care

Local figures

Live-In Caregivers in Wellesley, MA: the local picture

774

residents 85 or older (2.6% of all residents)

2,280

households headed by someone 65+ own their home (82%)

82%

of Wellesley homes have 3 or more bedrooms (60% in Norfolk County)

$15.00

Massachusetts minimum wage per hour

About 774 Wellesley 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. 82% of homes in Wellesley have three or more bedrooms (60% in Norfolk County), while 6.2% have one bedroom or none, where live-in care rarely works; the median home has 8.1 rooms.

Of Wellesley households headed by someone 65 or older, 2,280 own their home and 511 rent; among householders 85 and older it is 370 owners and 160 renters. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

Wellesley compared with Norfolk County and Massachusetts

Census figure	Wellesley	Norfolk County	Massachusetts
Residents 85 or older	2.6%	2.4%	2.2%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	26%	29%	29%
Residents 65+ with a disability	25%	27%	30%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	7.4%	9.2%	11%
Residents 65 or older	15%	18%	18%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	21%	23%	25%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$138,482	$78,127	—

Older residents in towns around Wellesley

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Needham, MA	2.7 mi	5,733	1,245
Cochituate, MA	3.9 mi	1,267	126
Newton, MA	4.2 mi	17,046	2,192
Waltham, MA	6.1 mi	10,228	1,026
Dedham, MA	6.7 mi	5,528	1,087
Watertown, MA	6.9 mi	6,506	762

Emergency hospitals near Wellesley

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
Newton-Wellesley Hospital	Newton, MA	2.1 mi	5 of 5	(617) 243-6000
Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital - Needham	Needham, MA	2.7 mi	5 of 5	(781) 453-3002
Boston Medical Center-Brighton	Brighton, MA	7.1 mi	3 of 5	(617) 789-3000

Straight-line miles from the center of Wellesley. 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 Wellesley

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $19.67 an hour (the Massachusetts median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $4,262 a month (37% of the $11,540 monthly median income of Wellesley households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $14,320 a month (124% of the $11,540 monthly median income of Wellesley households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Massachusetts's minimum wage is $15.00 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 Wellesley: common questions

Where is the nearest emergency hospital to Wellesley?

Newton-Wellesley Hospital in Newton, about 2.1 mi in a straight line from the center of Wellesley (Medicare hospital file). Its listed phone number is (617) 243-6000. In an emergency, call 911.

How much does live-in care cost in Wellesley?

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $19.67 an hour (the Massachusetts median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $4,262 a month (37% of the $11,540 monthly median income of Wellesley households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $14,320 a month (124% of the $11,540 monthly median income of Wellesley households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Massachusetts's minimum wage is $15.00 an hour (U.S. Department of Labor table, updated July 1, 2026).

Live-in or 24-hour care in Wellesley?

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 Wellesley 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 Wellesley

More senior care near Wellesley

Live-In Caregivers in nearby cities

Other care in Wellesley

More for Wellesley 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 Wellesley, MA