How much does private home care cost per hour?

Private home care costs $30 to $45 an hour in 2026. What changes your price is below.

CareScout's Cost of Care Survey, released March 2, 2026, puts the national median for a non medical caregiver at $35 an hour, up 3 percent. At 44 hours a week that is $80,080 a year. Most families budget $30 to $45 an hour once their state and shifts are added.

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A fair price is $30 to $45.

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Low$40High

Your estimateUS average

$30to$45

Middle of the range: $40

$0$40$80

Normal range Middle

What you are paying for

HourlyTypical state. US range for this job.$30 to $45

Weekday daytimeSchedule.Base price

US averageLocal prices not added yet.US price

Middle of rangeHalfway between low and high.$40

How we calculate this

Prices are for the United States in 2026 from published cost guides, checked September 2026. This is an estimate, not a quote.

Middle $40$30 to $45

How much does private home care cost per hour?

National median, non medical caregiver	$35 an hour (CareScout 2025 survey).
Full time, 44 hours a week	About $6,670 a month, $80,080 a year.
State range	About $25 to $44 an hour.
24 hour care	$15,000 to $20,000 or more a month.
Visiting Angels, examples	$26 to $44 an hour by office (The Senior List).
Doctor ordered skilled home health	Can be $0 with Medicare if you qualify.

What pushes a quote up

State	The Northeast costs the most; the South the least.
Hours	Short visits can cost more per hour.
Nights and weekends	Often cost more.
Care level	Dementia care costs more.
Agency or private hire	Agencies handle payroll and backups.

Home care cost by region

Lower cost states	$25 to $35. Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee, West Virginia and most rural areas.
Average cost states	$30 to $45. Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia and most mid size cities.
Higher cost states	$40 to $60. California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Washington, plus big metros such as Chicago, Denver and Washington DC.

These rows are our estimate. We took the typical national range and adjusted it for local labor costs, which run about 20 percent lower in the cheapest states and about 30 percent higher in the dearest ones. Metro areas often run 10 to 15 percent above the state median.

How much does 24 hour home care cost?

Round the clock care means paying for 24 hours a day, usually with caregivers in shifts. At about $30 an hour, that is $15,000 to $20,000 or more a month. At that level, a care facility often costs less for the same help.

How much does Visiting Angels cost?

Visiting Angels is a franchise, so each office sets its own price. The Senior List found $26 to $28 an hour at one Florida office for 20 or more hours a week, $35 to $40 for short flexible visits, and $40 to $44 at an Arizona office. FeeGuides.com is not linked to Visiting Angels.

What Medicare pays

Medicare does not pay for ongoing help with daily tasks. It can pay for skilled home health care a doctor orders if you qualify. Medicaid waivers and VA benefits may help with personal care.

How to judge the quote in your hand

Ask the hourly rate for your exact schedule.
Ask the minimum hours per visit and per week.
Ask about night and weekend rates.
Ask if caregivers are employees, insured and screened.
Ask how backups work.

Ways to pay less

Book longer, fewer shifts to avoid minimums.
Check Medicaid, VA and long term care insurance.
Mix family help with paid hours.
Compare two or three agencies.
Compare a facility if care is round the clock.

Before you decide

Ask for the agency's care plan in writing. It should list tasks, hours, the caregiver's training and who to call after hours.