Personal Care in Austin, TX: Help With Bathing & Dressing

Local figures

Personal Care in Austin, TX: the local picture

6.0%

of residents 65+ have difficulty dressing or bathing (5.9% in Travis County)

18%

of residents 65+ have serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs (17% in Travis County)

9,982

residents 85 or older (1.0% of all residents)

100

Medicare-certified home health agencies list Austin ZIP codes in their service area

About 5,970 Austin residents aged 65 or older have difficulty dressing or bathing (6.0%; 5.9% in Travis County). The Census Bureau calls this a self-care difficulty, and it is what personal care is for.

17,961 have serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs (18%), so many personal care visits also mean help getting to the bathroom or shower safely.

9,982 of the 102,081 older residents are 85 or older; needs for hands-on help rise with age.

Austin compared with Travis County and Texas

Census figure	Austin	Travis County	Texas
Residents 65+ with difficulty dressing or bathing	6.0%	5.9%	8.0%
Residents 65+ with serious difficulty walking	18%	17%	23%
Residents 85 or older	1.0%	1.0%	1.4%
Residents 65+ with a disability	28%	28%	35%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	31%	27%	25%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	11%	9.7%	12%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$71,429	$77,381	—

Older residents in towns around Austin

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Self-care difficulty (65+)
West Lake Hills, TX	3.6 mi	810	10%
Barton Creek, TX	7.0 mi	1,378	6.0%
Steiner Ranch, TX	9.6 mi	1,691	5.2%
Hornsby Bend, TX	11 mi	804	13%
Wells Branch, TX	11 mi	1,451	6.8%
Shady Hollow, TX	11 mi	1,089	10%

Home health agencies with aides serving Austin

Agency	Office	Distance	CMS quality stars	Services listed	Phone
United Home Care	Harlingen, TX	284 mi	5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(956) 423-4747
Choice Austin Homecare	Austin, TX	3.4 mi	4.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(512) 637-1550
Home Therapy Austin	Austin, TX	3.4 mi	4.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(512) 637-1550
Accentcare Home Health Of Texas	Austin, TX	9.5 mi	4.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(512) 634-1850

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

What it covers

What a personal care aide can help with

Bathing or showering, with a shower chair if needed
Dressing and undressing
Toileting and incontinence care
Grooming: hair, shaving and oral care

Cost

What personal care costs in Austin

At the Texas median aide wage of $11.65 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $1,010 a month in wages, which is 17% of the $5,952 monthly median income of Austin households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. Texas'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 STAR+PLUS in Texas: using consumer directed services to pay a family caregiver.

Before you hire

What to know before hiring a personal care aide

The Census Bureau asks whether a person has difficulty dressing or bathing, which it calls a self-care difficulty; it is the clearest sign that someone needs personal care. Medicare does not pay for personal care when it is the only care needed (Medicare.gov), but many state Medicaid programs do for people who qualify.

Questions worth asking: How do you protect a client’s dignity during bathing and toileting? Are you trained in safe transfers? Can you keep the same morning or evening hours each day? More in our personal care guide.

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

Questions

Personal Care in Austin: common questions

How much does personal care cost in Austin?

At the Texas median aide wage of $11.65 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $1,010 a month in wages, which is 17% of the $5,952 monthly median income of Austin households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. Texas's minimum wage is $7.25 an hour (U.S. Department of Labor table, updated July 1, 2026).

What is the difference between personal care and companion care?

Companion care is company and help around the house. Personal care is hands-on help with the body: bathing, dressing, toileting and grooming. Many caregivers offer both; say in your posting which you need.

More near Austin

More senior care near Austin

Personal Care in nearby cities

Other care in Austin

More for Austin 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.

In-Home Personal Care in Austin, TX