Live-In Caregivers in Wisconsin Dells, WI: 24-Hour Home Care

Local figures

Live-In Caregivers in Wisconsin Dells, WI: the local picture

94

residents 85 or older (3.7% of all residents)

164

households headed by someone 65+ own their home (46%)

49%

of Wisconsin Dells homes have 3 or more bedrooms (68% in Columbia County)

$7.25

Wisconsin minimum wage per hour

About 94 Wisconsin Dells 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. 49% of homes in Wisconsin Dells have three or more bedrooms (68% in Columbia County), while 19% have one bedroom or none, where live-in care rarely works; the median home has 4.7 rooms.

Of Wisconsin Dells households headed by someone 65 or older, 164 own their home and 192 rent; among householders 85 and older it is 0 owners and 56 renters. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

Wisconsin Dells compared with Columbia County and Wisconsin

Census figure	Wisconsin Dells	Columbia County	Wisconsin
Residents 85 or older	3.7%	1.9%	2.1%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	51%	27%	30%
Residents 65+ with a disability	28%	25%	28%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	13%	7.7%	9.1%
Residents 65 or older	22%	20%	19%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	12%	4.5%	9.0%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$44,091	$57,885	—

Older residents in towns around Wisconsin Dells

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Lake Delton, WI	3.2 mi	781	50
Baraboo, WI	12 mi	2,610	340
Reedsburg, WI	13 mi	2,153	474
Portage, WI	17 mi	1,520	265
Mauston, WI	19 mi	880	172
Lake Wisconsin, WI	21 mi	1,234	109

Emergency hospitals near Wisconsin Dells

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
Ssm Health St Clare Hospital - Baraboo	Baraboo, WI	11 mi	4 of 5	(608) 356-1400
Reedsburg Area Medical Center	Reedsburg, WI	13 mi	5 of 5	(608) 524-6487
Aspirus Divine Savior Hospital	Portage, WI	16 mi	3 of 5	(608) 742-4131

Straight-line miles from the center of Wisconsin Dells. 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 Wisconsin Dells

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $17.47 an hour (the Wisconsin median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,785 a month (103% of the $3,674 monthly median income of Wisconsin Dells households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $12,718 a month (346% of the $3,674 monthly median income of Wisconsin Dells households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Wisconsin'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 IRIS in Wisconsin: how a family member gets paid as a caregiver.

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 Wisconsin Dells: common questions

Where is the nearest emergency hospital to Wisconsin Dells?

Ssm Health St Clare Hospital - Baraboo in Baraboo, about 11 mi in a straight line from the center of Wisconsin Dells (Medicare hospital file). Its listed phone number is (608) 356-1400. In an emergency, call 911.

How much does live-in care cost in Wisconsin Dells?

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $17.47 an hour (the Wisconsin median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $3,785 a month (103% of the $3,674 monthly median income of Wisconsin Dells households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $12,718 a month (346% of the $3,674 monthly median income of Wisconsin Dells households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Wisconsin'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 Wisconsin Dells?

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 Wisconsin Dells 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 Wisconsin Dells

More senior care near Wisconsin Dells

Live-In Caregivers in nearby cities

Other care in Wisconsin Dells

More for Wisconsin Dells 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 Wisconsin Dells, WI