Live-In Caregivers in West Hattiesburg, MS

Local figures

Live-In Caregivers in West Hattiesburg, MS: the local picture

66

residents 85 or older (1.0% of all residents)

278

households headed by someone 65+ own their home (70%)

61%

of West Hattiesburg homes have 3 or more bedrooms (64% in Forrest County)

$7.25

Mississippi minimum wage per hour

About 66 West Hattiesburg 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. 61% of homes in West Hattiesburg have three or more bedrooms (64% in Forrest County); the median home has 5 rooms.

Of West Hattiesburg households headed by someone 65 or older, 278 own their home and 121 rent. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

West Hattiesburg compared with Forrest County and Mississippi

Census figure	West Hattiesburg	Forrest County	Mississippi
Residents 85 or older	1.0%	1.2%	1.7%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	27%	28%	30%
Residents 65+ with a disability	50%	47%	41%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	14%	14%	15%
Residents 65 or older	11%	14%	17%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	18%	3.9%	4.3%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$40,563	$49,275	—

Older residents in towns around West Hattiesburg

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Hattiesburg, MS	3.5 mi	6,399	648
Petal, MS	8.8 mi	1,713	219
Ellisville, MS	22 mi	850	126
Columbia, MS	26 mi	1,375	229
Laurel, MS	30 mi	2,504	469
Poplarville, MS	34 mi	332	21

Emergency hospitals near West Hattiesburg

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
Merit Health Wesley	Hattiesburg, MS	0.0 mi	2 of 5	(601) 268-8000
Forrest General Hospital	Hattiesburg, MS	4.2 mi	2 of 5	(601) 288-7000
Marion General Hospital	Columbia, MS	25 mi	1 of 5	(601) 736-6303

Straight-line miles from the center of West Hattiesburg. 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 West Hattiesburg

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $11.47 an hour (the Mississippi median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $2,485 a month (74% of the $3,380 monthly median income of West Hattiesburg households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $8,350 a month (247% of the $3,380 monthly median income of West Hattiesburg households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Mississippi has no state minimum wage law, so the federal minimum of $7.25 an hour applies to employers covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act (U.S. Department of Labor).

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 West Hattiesburg: common questions

Where is the nearest emergency hospital to West Hattiesburg?

Merit Health Wesley in Hattiesburg, about 0.0 mi in a straight line from the center of West Hattiesburg (Medicare hospital file). Its listed phone number is (601) 268-8000. In an emergency, call 911.

How much does live-in care cost in West Hattiesburg?

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $11.47 an hour (the Mississippi median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $2,485 a month (74% of the $3,380 monthly median income of West Hattiesburg households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $8,350 a month (247% of the $3,380 monthly median income of West Hattiesburg households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Mississippi has no state minimum wage law, so the federal minimum of $7.25 an hour applies to employers covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act (U.S. Department of Labor).

Live-in or 24-hour care in West Hattiesburg?

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 West Hattiesburg 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 West Hattiesburg

More senior care near West Hattiesburg

Live-In Caregivers in nearby cities

Other care in West Hattiesburg

More for West Hattiesburg 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.