How Much Does In-Home Care Cost in 2025? A State-by-State Guide

The following table provides the median hourly rates for in-home care in each state, according to A Place for Mom’s 2025 Cost of Long-Term Care and Senior Living Report. The nationwide median cost of home care in 2024 was $33 per hour for home care. While people often think in terms of average costs, the median cost is more meaningful. A median, or middle value, gives families a better idea of what they can expect to pay by filtering out the effects of very high or very low rates.

Cost of living, geography, and specific regulations can effect on the cost of home care in each state. Maine is the most expensive state for home care, while Louisiana and Mississippi have the lowest home care costs in the U.S.^[01]

The following maps highlight the 10 most and least expensive states for home care in 2025.

How much your family will pay for home care depends on a few factors, including what type of care services your loved one needs and where they live.

Type of care

Before beginning your search for in-home care, consider what kind of help your loved one needs. Do they live independently but want assistance with a few chores? Or do they require more intensive help due to changes in physical or cognitive abilities?

“There’s evidence that even small amounts of in-home care, such as helping someone with meals or light housekeeping, can extend their independence,” says Vicki Demirozu, founder of Giving Care with Grace, a soft skills training program for caregivers.

If you’re unsure, agencies can help you understand what your loved one needs. They’ll perform a care assessment and work with you to develop a personalized care plan. This might include companionship, homemaker services, hands-on help with activities of daily living (ADLs) such as dressing and bathing, or some combination of these. Services that require a higher level of training, such as dementia care, or that are provided more frequently, like live-in care, may cost more.

Location

In-home care costs vary based on local costs of living. State regulations also affect the cost of care. For example, several states require that agencies and/or their caregivers be certified. More qualified caregivers tend to cost more.

Read more:How to Pay for Home Care

Can you afford home care?

Some common home care schedules and costs are listed below. These estimates are based on A Place for Mom’s national median in-home care cost of $33 per hour.^[01]

• Care for 7 hours a week: $1,000 per month. Healthy, independent seniors may be able to get all the care they need from a few short visits each week. Housework, companionship, meal preparation, and light housekeeping can be accomplished in this time. Seven hours per week is typically the minimum requirement for home care agencies, though some have higher or lower thresholds.
• Care for 15 hours a week: $2,145 per month. A 2-to-3-hour daily check-in can benefit seniors who need more care but are independently mobile and cognitively sound. For example, morning visits could provide necessary assistance with grooming, dressing, and preparing meals for the day.
• Care for 30 hours a week: $4,290 per month. A 30-hour week may be ideal for seniors living with family caregivers who work. It’s also ideal for seniors who prefer daily companionship and social stimulation.
• Care for 44 hours a week: $6,292 per month. This care plan can provide coverage for a family caregiver who works full time and doesn’t want their senior loved one to be alone, or for someone who needs help with multiple ADLs, including toileting, eating, and bathing. For people who have chronic conditions that require careful supervision, this may be an ideal schedule.

Agencies and private caregivers have different price structures for more intensive schedules like 24/7 home care and live-in home care. The costs of these types of care can vary greatly.

Home care can end up being more expensive than other senior care options. Assisted living may be a better option than home care for seniors who require frequent support with ADLs and round-the-clock supervision.

Read more:Cost of Home Care vs. Nursing Homes: What’s the Difference and How to Pay

“In companion care or homemaker care, caregivers do a lot of things. They provide social support, companionship, light housekeeping, meal prep, and transportation assistance, but they don’t provide any hands-on care,” explains Demirozu.

Home health care differs from home care in that care is provided by trained medical professionals such as a nurse or physical therapist, and must be ordered by a physician.

Because short-term home health care services are typically prescribed by a doctor, Medicare, Medicaid, and private health insurance plans will usually cover at least some of these costs if a senior meets certain criteria.

“For medication management, which may include filling a pill box, you need a registered nurse (RN),” says Demirozu.

Medically necessary services, such as injections, wound care, and physical and occupational therapy — in addition to prescribed durable medical equipment — are usually covered by insurance.

Nonmedical services such as assistance with ADLs may be covered if these services are part of your loved one’s prescribed care plan.

Read more:After-Surgery Home Care: Tips for Seniors and Caregivers

Expert advice for affordable home care

By starting home care early, seniors may be able to age in place longer without worrying about social isolation, poor nutrition, or household responsibilities.

Demirozu recommends that family caregivers start having the conversation about in-home care before it’s needed, if possible.

“Then when things change — and they can change rapidly — you aren’t in a crisis. If someone’s been coming to help Mom make lunch and do a little housekeeping, she’s already used to having someone else around to help, so it’s not an abrupt change if she needs care after a surgery, for example,” explains Demirozu.

Families looking for in-home caregivers have two options: hiring a hiring a private, independent caregiver or using a home care agency. There are benefits and drawbacks to each, but both options are usually paid for privately.

Finding the care option that fits your loved one’s needs can be a challenge. If you’re still unsure of the right care type for your loved one, reach out to one of our Senior Living Advisors. They’ll listen to your concerns and provide information on a variety of local care options that fit your family’s budget, including in-home care, independent living, assisted living, and memory care.