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

Local figures

Live-In Caregivers in Winston-Salem, NC: the local picture

4,894

residents 85 or older (1.9% of all residents)

18,874

households headed by someone 65+ own their home (71%)

58%

of Winston-Salem homes have 3 or more bedrooms (64% in Forsyth County)

$7.25

North Carolina minimum wage per hour

About 4,894 Winston-Salem 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. 58% of homes in Winston-Salem have three or more bedrooms (64% in Forsyth County), while 14% have one bedroom or none, where live-in care rarely works; the median home has 5.3 rooms.

Of Winston-Salem households headed by someone 65 or older, 18,874 own their home and 7,743 rent; among householders 85 and older it is 2,602 owners and 1,057 renters. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

Winston-Salem compared with Forsyth County and North Carolina

Census figure	Winston-Salem	Forsyth County	North Carolina
Residents 85 or older	1.9%	1.9%	1.7%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	34%	31%	28%
Residents 65+ with a disability	32%	30%	33%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	13%	10%	11%
Residents 65 or older	15%	17%	17%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	20%	16%	13%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$47,562	$50,508	—

Older residents in towns around Winston-Salem

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Walkertown, NC	6.1 mi	1,077	126
Wallburg, NC	8.1 mi	704	12
Clemmons, NC	8.5 mi	4,153	353
Rural Hall, NC	8.6 mi	689	79
Midway, NC	9.1 mi	1,029	125
Lewisville, NC	9.1 mi	2,226	193

Emergency hospitals near Winston-Salem

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
Novant Health Forsyth Medical Center	Winston-Salem, NC	3.4 mi	4 of 5	(336) 718-5000
North Carolina Baptist Hospital	Winston-Salem, NC	6.0 mi	4 of 5	(336) 716-2011
High Point Regional Health System	High Point, NC	13 mi	2 of 5	(336) 878-6000

Straight-line miles from the center of Winston-Salem. 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 Winston-Salem

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 (82% of the $3,964 monthly median income of Winston-Salem 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 (276% of the $3,964 monthly median income of Winston-Salem 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 Winston-Salem: common questions

Where is the nearest emergency hospital to Winston-Salem?

Novant Health Forsyth Medical Center in Winston-Salem, about 3.4 mi in a straight line from the center of Winston-Salem (Medicare hospital file). Its listed phone number is (336) 718-5000. In an emergency, call 911.

How much does live-in care cost in Winston-Salem?

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 (82% of the $3,964 monthly median income of Winston-Salem 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 (276% of the $3,964 monthly median income of Winston-Salem 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 Winston-Salem?

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 Winston-Salem 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 Winston-Salem

More senior care near Winston-Salem

Live-In Caregivers in nearby cities

Other care in Winston-Salem

More for Winston-Salem 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 Winston-Salem, NC