How much does in-home care cost?
In-home care is billed by the hour, so the monthly cost depends entirely on how many hours you need. At the national average of about $32 an hour, 20 hours a week costs roughly $2,771 a month.
Sourced figure National average for 2026: $32 per hour (about $2,771 a month at 20 hours a week).
What In-Home Care includes
- Non-medical help: bathing, dressing, meals, light housekeeping, companionship
- Home health aide services, which may include some medical tasks
- Flexible scheduling, from a few hours a week to 24-hour live-in care
What drives the price
- Hours per week — the single biggest variable in the bill
- Hourly rate, which varies by state from roughly $25 to $40 an hour
- Agency versus independent caregiver (agencies cost more but handle taxes and insurance)
- Whether the caregiver needs specialized dementia training
How families pay for it
- Private pay, the most common arrangement
- Medicare only for short-term skilled home health care ordered by a doctor — not for help with daily living
- Medicaid home- and community-based services waivers in many states
- Veterans Aid & Attendance, which can be applied to in-home care
- Long-term care insurance, which usually covers home care
In-Home Care cost by state
Ranked from most to least expensive. These are modeled from each state's assisted living level — see the method note.
| State | Avg hourly | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $44/hr | Modeled |
| Vermont | $43/hr | Modeled |
| Massachusetts | $43/hr | Modeled |
| Connecticut | $43/hr | Modeled |
| New Jersey | $43/hr | Modeled |
| Maine | $42/hr | Modeled |
| Delaware | $41/hr | Modeled |
| New Hampshire | $40/hr | Modeled |
| Maryland | $38/hr | Modeled |
| Oregon | $38/hr | Modeled |
| New York | $37/hr | Modeled |
| Hawaii | $36/hr | Modeled |
| Washington | $36/hr | Modeled |
| Colorado | $36/hr | Modeled |
| Virginia | $35/hr | Modeled |
| Illinois | $35/hr | Modeled |
| California | $34/hr | Modeled |
| North Carolina | $34/hr | Modeled |
| Rhode Island | $33/hr | Modeled |
| Wisconsin | $32/hr | Modeled |
| Montana | $32/hr | Modeled |
| Kansas | $32/hr | Modeled |
| West Virginia | $31/hr | Modeled |
| Nebraska | $31/hr | Modeled |
| Ohio | $31/hr | Modeled |
| Pennsylvania | $31/hr | Modeled |
| Alaska | $31/hr | Modeled |
| Minnesota | $30/hr | Modeled |
| Iowa | $30/hr | Modeled |
| Missouri | $30/hr | Modeled |
| Michigan | $30/hr | Modeled |
| Oklahoma | $29/hr | Modeled |
| New Mexico | $29/hr | Modeled |
| Idaho | $29/hr | Modeled |
| Tennessee | $29/hr | Modeled |
| Arizona | $28/hr | Modeled |
| Arkansas | $27/hr | Modeled |
| Kentucky | $27/hr | Modeled |
| Florida | $27/hr | Modeled |
| Indiana | $27/hr | Modeled |
| South Carolina | $26/hr | Modeled |
| Utah | $26/hr | Modeled |
| South Dakota | $26/hr | Modeled |
| Georgia | $26/hr | Modeled |
| Wyoming | $25/hr | Modeled |
| Texas | $25/hr | Modeled |
| Nevada | $25/hr | Modeled |
| North Dakota | $25/hr | Modeled |
| Louisiana | $24/hr | Modeled |
| Mississippi | $23/hr | Modeled |
| Alabama | $23/hr | Modeled |
Frequently asked questions
How much does in-home care cost per hour?
The national average is about $32 an hour for a home health aide, and CareScout reported a 2025 national median of $35 an hour for non-medical care. State averages range from roughly $25 to $40.
How much does in-home care cost per month?
It depends on hours. At $32 an hour, 20 hours a week is about $2,771 a month; 40 hours a week is about $5,500; and 24/7 care can exceed $20,000 a month.
Is in-home care cheaper than assisted living?
For part-time help, yes. Once you need roughly 40 or more hours a week, in-home care often costs as much as or more than assisted living — and it does not include a safe building, meals, or 24-hour staffing.
Does Medicare pay for in-home care?
Medicare covers medically necessary, intermittent skilled home health care, but not long-term help with bathing, dressing, or meals.
What is the difference between home care and home health care?
Home care (or home health aide services) helps with daily living and companionship. Home health care is skilled clinical care — nursing, therapy — ordered by a physician.