CNA Home Care in Española, NM: Nursing Assistants

Local figures

Nursing Assistants in Española, NM: the local picture

3

Medicare-certified nursing homes within 25 miles

302

certified beds in the 3 nearest nursing homes

$13.71

median hourly wage of home care aides in New Mexico (BLS, May 2025)

$12.00

New Mexico minimum wage per hour

The nearest Medicare-certified nursing homes to Española are Los Alamos Wellness & Rehabilitation in Los Alamos (15 mi), Casa Real in Santa Fe (25 mi), Santa Fe Care Center in Santa Fe (25 mi). Nursing homes employ many of the area’s CNAs, and CNAs who want home care work often come from them.

Aides in New Mexico earn a median $13.71 an hour (BLS, May 2025, home health and personal care aides). New Mexico's minimum wage is $12.00 an hour (U.S. Department of Labor table, updated July 1, 2026).

Española has about 254 residents aged 85 or older, the group most likely to need hands-on help with bathing, transfers and toileting.

Española compared with Rio Arriba County and New Mexico

Census figure	Española	Rio Arriba County	New Mexico
Residents 85 or older	2.4%	1.8%	2.0%
Residents 65+ with a disability	44%	34%	38%
Residents 65 or older	18%	22%	19%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	33%	29%	30%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	21%	14%	13%
Households with no vehicle	8.2%	3.8%	5.6%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$35,739	$47,365	—

Older residents in towns around Española

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
La Mesilla, NM	4.3 mi	661	39
Los Alamos, NM	14 mi	2,323	397
White Rock, NM	16 mi	1,233	135
Agua Fria, NM	24 mi	334	35
Santa Fe, NM	24 mi	23,296	2,346
La Cienega, NM	29 mi	597	44

Nursing homes near Española

Nursing home	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Certified beds	Phone
Los Alamos Wellness & Rehabilitation	Los Alamos, NM	15 mi	2 of 5	64	(505) 662-4300
Casa Real	Santa Fe, NM	25 mi	not rated	118	(505) 984-8313
Santa Fe Care Center	Santa Fe, NM	25 mi	1 of 5	120	(505) 982-2574

Home health agencies serving Española

Agency	Office	Distance	CMS quality stars	Services listed	Phone
Ambercare Home Health	Belen, NM	100 mi	4.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(505) 861-0060
Presbyterian Home Healthcare Of Northern NM	Santa Fe, NM	29 mi	3.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(505) 988-2211
Roadrunner Home Health LLC	Corrales, NM	62 mi	3.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, home health aides	(505) 737-8213
Los Alamos Visiting Nurse Service, Inc.	Los Alamos, NM	15 mi	2.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(505) 662-2525

Straight-line miles from the center of Española. Medicare (CMS) data, October 2026; call ahead to confirm. We are not affiliated with these providers.

What it covers

What a nursing assistant can help with

Bathing, dressing, grooming and toileting
Safe transfers, repositioning and walking
Help with eating and fluids
Taking and noting vital signs if asked

Cost

What CNAs costs in Española

At the New Mexico median aide wage of $13.71 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $1,188 a month in wages, which is 40% of the $2,978 monthly median income of Española households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. New Mexico's minimum wage is $12.00 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 nursing assistant

To be certified, a nurse aide completes a state-approved training program of at least 75 hours, including 16 hours of supervised practical training, and passes a competency exam (42 CFR 483.152). The state then lists them on its nurse aide registry, which you can search online in most states.

Questions worth asking: Which state certified you, and is it current? Where have you worked as a CNA? Are you comfortable with lifts, catheters and incontinence care? More in our nursing assistants guide.

CaregiverConnect does not run background checks. Check identity, references and any certification yourself before anyone starts. The Safety Center explains how.

Questions

Nursing Assistants in Española: common questions

What nursing homes are near Española?

The closest Medicare-certified nursing homes are Los Alamos Wellness & Rehabilitation in Los Alamos (15 mi, 2 of 5 overall); Casa Real in Santa Fe (25 mi, not rated overall); Santa Fe Care Center in Santa Fe (25 mi, 1 of 5 overall). Ratings are from Medicare Care Compare.

How much does CNAs cost in Española?

At the New Mexico median aide wage of $13.71 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $1,188 a month in wages, which is 40% of the $2,978 monthly median income of Española households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. New Mexico's minimum wage is $12.00 an hour (U.S. Department of Labor table, updated July 1, 2026).

Can a CNA give medication?

Generally no. A CNA can remind someone to take medication. Giving medication is usually reserved for licensed nurses, or for aides with a separate state medication certification.

More near Española

More senior care near Española

Nursing Assistants in nearby cities

Other care in Española

More for Española 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.

Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) for Home Care in Española, NM