Live-In Caregivers in Wilmington, NC: 24-Hour Home Care

Local figures

Live-In Caregivers in Wilmington, NC: the local picture

2,807

residents 85 or older (2.3% of all residents)

9,736

households headed by someone 65+ own their home (66%)

52%

of Wilmington homes have 3 or more bedrooms (65% in New Hanover County)

$7.25

North Carolina minimum wage per hour

About 2,807 Wilmington 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 Wilmington have three or more bedrooms (65% in New Hanover County), while 15% have one bedroom or none, where live-in care rarely works; the median home has 5 rooms.

Of Wilmington households headed by someone 65 or older, 9,736 own their home and 5,078 rent; among householders 85 and older it is 1,075 owners and 971 renters. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

Wilmington compared with New Hanover County and North Carolina

Census figure	Wilmington	New Hanover County	North Carolina
Residents 85 or older	2.3%	1.9%	1.7%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	37%	31%	28%
Residents 65+ with a disability	31%	28%	33%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	11%	8.2%	11%
Residents 65 or older	18%	19%	17%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	8.5%	8.1%	13%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$60,320	$62,585	—

Older residents in towns around Wilmington

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Kings Grant, NC	4.2 mi	1,515	43
Silver Lake, NC	4.8 mi	1,396	67
Wrightsville Beach, NC	5.0 mi	856	26
Myrtle Grove, NC	5.7 mi	2,200	166
Wrightsboro, NC	6.0 mi	1,054	121
Murraysville, NC	6.2 mi	2,325	98

Emergency hospitals near Wilmington

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
Novant Health New Hanover Regional Medical Center	Wilmington, NC	9.1 mi	3 of 5	(910) 343-7000
J Arthur Dosher Memorial Hospital	Southport, NC	19 mi	3 of 5	(910) 457-3800
Pender Memorial Hospital	Burgaw, NC	24 mi	not rated	(910) 300-4004

Straight-line miles from the center of Wilmington. 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 Wilmington

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $15.02 an hour (the North Carolina median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,254 a month (65% of the $5,027 monthly median income of Wilmington households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $10,935 a month (218% of the $5,027 monthly median income of Wilmington households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. North Carolina'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 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 Wilmington: common questions

Where is the nearest emergency hospital to Wilmington?

Novant Health New Hanover Regional Medical Center in Wilmington, about 9.1 mi in a straight line from the center of Wilmington (Medicare hospital file). Its listed phone number is (910) 343-7000. In an emergency, call 911.

How much does live-in care cost in Wilmington?

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $15.02 an hour (the North Carolina median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,254 a month (65% of the $5,027 monthly median income of Wilmington households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $10,935 a month (218% of the $5,027 monthly median income of Wilmington households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. North Carolina'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 Wilmington?

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 Wilmington 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 Wilmington

More senior care near Wilmington

Live-In Caregivers in nearby cities

Other care in Wilmington

More for Wilmington 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 Wilmington, NC