CNA Home Care in New Bedford, MA: Nursing Assistants

Local figures

Nursing Assistants in New Bedford, MA: the local picture

6+

Medicare-certified nursing homes within 25 miles

823

certified beds in the 6 nearest nursing homes

$19.67

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

$15.00

Massachusetts minimum wage per hour

The nearest Medicare-certified nursing homes to New Bedford are Sacred Heart Nursing Home in New Bedford (0.9 mi), Hathaway Manor Extended Care in New Bedford (1.6 mi), Alden Court Nursing Care & Rehabilitation Center in Fairhaven (1.8 mi). Nursing homes employ many of the area’s CNAs, and CNAs who want home care work often come from them.

Aides in Massachusetts earn a median $19.67 an hour (BLS, May 2025, home health and personal care aides). Massachusetts's minimum wage is $15.00 an hour (U.S. Department of Labor table, updated July 1, 2026).

New Bedford has about 1,946 residents aged 85 or older, the group most likely to need hands-on help with bathing, transfers and toileting.

New Bedford compared with Bristol County and Massachusetts

Census figure	New Bedford	Bristol County	Massachusetts
Residents 85 or older	1.9%	2.1%	2.2%
Residents 65+ with a disability	36%	33%	30%
Residents 65 or older	15%	18%	18%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	41%	30%	29%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	17%	11%	11%
Households with no vehicle	17%	9.5%	12%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$39,345	$54,856	—

Older residents in towns around New Bedford

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Acushnet Center, MA	2.3 mi	816	77
Smith Mills, MA	3.3 mi	976	142
Bliss Corner, MA	3.9 mi	1,499	230
Mattapoisett Center, MA	7.2 mi	719	234
North Westport, MA	9.0 mi	861	80
Fall River, MA	9.2 mi	15,169	1,981

Nursing homes near New Bedford

Nursing home	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Certified beds	Phone
Sacred Heart Nursing Home	New Bedford, MA	0.9 mi	5 of 5	217	(508) 996-6751
Hathaway Manor Extended Care	New Bedford, MA	1.6 mi	2 of 5	142	(508) 996-6763
Alden Court Nursing Care & Rehabilitation Center	Fairhaven, MA	1.8 mi	4 of 5	142	(508) 991-8600
Royal Of Fairhaven Nursing Center	Fairhaven, MA	1.9 mi	3 of 5	107	(508) 997-3193
Brandon Woods Of New Bedford	New Bedford, MA	2.2 mi	1 of 5	135	(508) 997-9396
Vantage Health & Rehab Of New Bedford	New Bedford, MA	2.2 mi	1 of 5	80	(774) 319-2868

Home health agencies serving New Bedford

Agency	Office	Distance	CMS quality stars	Services listed	Phone
Elara Caring	Braintree, MA	38 mi	5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(617) 969-7517
Pivot Point Homecare Services LLC	Westborough, MA	55 mi	4.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(508) 873-1358
Amedisys Home Health Care	Wakefield, MA	58 mi	4.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(978) 685-2818
Community Nurse, Inc	Fairhaven, MA	2.9 mi	4 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(508) 992-6278

Straight-line miles from the center of New Bedford. 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 New Bedford

At the Massachusetts median aide wage of $19.67 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $1,705 a month in wages, which is 52% of the $3,279 monthly median income of New Bedford households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. Massachusetts's minimum wage is $15.00 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 New Bedford: common questions

What nursing homes are near New Bedford?

The closest Medicare-certified nursing homes are Sacred Heart Nursing Home in New Bedford (0.9 mi, 5 of 5 overall); Hathaway Manor Extended Care in New Bedford (1.6 mi, 2 of 5 overall); Alden Court Nursing Care & Rehabilitation Center in Fairhaven (1.8 mi, 4 of 5 overall). Ratings are from Medicare Care Compare.

How much does CNAs cost in New Bedford?

At the Massachusetts median aide wage of $19.67 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $1,705 a month in wages, which is 52% of the $3,279 monthly median income of New Bedford households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. Massachusetts's minimum wage is $15.00 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 New Bedford

More senior care near New Bedford

Nursing Assistants in nearby cities

Other care in New Bedford

More for New Bedford 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 New Bedford, MA