When your family is considering home care for an aging parent, spouse, or relative, one question that will likely come to mind is: How much does home care cost in New York? The answer will depend on the hours required, the type of help needed, and the type of care that is provided through an agency, insurance, Medicaid, or private payment.
The most recently available CareScout data serves as a benchmark for New York for planning 2026. The 2025 survey estimates non-medical in-home care to cost $35 per hour, which equals approximately $6,673 per month used for this care (44 hours per week).
This guide will delineate those numbers, explain what families in Nassau County, Queens County, Suffolk County, and North Bellmore can afford to do with them, and what payment options exist to minimize the out-of-pocket costs.
What Does Home Care Usually Include?
Home care does not consist of a set of services. The fees vary based on the type and extent of assistance that a person requires.
Non-medical caregivers can help with bathing, dressings, toilet use, meal preparation, and other non-medical services that could be performed in the home, such as light housekeeping, companionship, mobility, and other daily activities. Some care plans may also include medication reminders or supervision. Families who want a broader overview of available options home care services.
That’s not the case for skilled nursing. A licensed nurse may offer clinical services, including wound care, medication management/coordinating, or other medically related services, beyond the scope of routine personal care. CareScout changed its 2025 methodology by combining homemaker and home health aide services into a single non-medical caregiver category because their prices had converged.
New York Home Care Costs in 2026: The Numbers
The latest available benchmark gives New York families a practical starting point, although an individual agency quote can be higher or lower.
| Care arrangement | New York benchmark or planning figure |
| Non-medical caregiver | $35/hour |
| 10 hours per week | About $1,517/month |
| 20 hours per week | About $3,033/month |
| 40 hours per week | About $6,067/month |
| 44 hours per week | $6,673/month |
| 44 hours per week annually | $80,080/year |
| Private duty nurse | $120/hour median |
| Adult day health care | $144/day median |
The $35 hourly wage rate is the median of reported hourly wages in New York State in 2025 and represents the latest statewide hourly wage benchmark available for planning for 2026. CareScout’s survey assumes a 44-hour workweek for non-medical in-home care.
This number is significantly higher in private duty nursing because skilled nursing has different clinical needs. According to CareScout, the median rate for private-duty nursing in New York is $120 per hour.
What About North Bellmore and Long Island?
Families in North Bellmore, Nassau County, or surrounding regions in Suffolk County should be wary of online versions of articles claiming an official local median. The New York State figure is listed in the CareScout-published state tables and does not represent a separate North Bellmore or Nassau County median.
The $35/hour is a statewide average, not a minimum amount for North Bellmore. Actual rates for home care agencies may vary depending on scheduling, the skill of the caregiver, minimum shifts, level of care, weekends and holidays, and overnight care.
There is other helpful information locally. Under the state wage requirement for home care aides in Long Island (Nassau & Suffolk Counties) as of January 1, 2026, aides must be paid at least $19.65 per hour. This is not a client billing rate of the agency; it’s a caregiver’s compensation requirement.
What Determines Your Home Care Bill?
Generally, one of the most significant cost drivers is the number of hours; however, it’s not the only one.
Care Needs and Skill Level
Someone who needs companionship and meal preparation generally requires a different care plan from someone who needs extensive assistance with bathing, dressing, transfers, or other activities of daily living. The price can go up significantly when there are clinical needs. Unlike standard non-medical care, skilled care comes at a higher rate, and families should make sure they know what type of care they are requesting before comparing quotes.
Number and Timing of Hours
A family paying for 10 hours each week has a very different monthly expense from one requiring 40 or 60 hours. Based on the $35 rate for New York, 20 hours equals approximately $3,033 a month, and 40 hours equals approximately $6,067 a month. These are planning calculations, NOT agency quotes.
It is important for overnight and 24-hour care to be well planned with budgeting. A simple calculation of $35 multiplied by 168 hours would produce about $25,480 per month, but actual round-the-clock arrangements may use shifts, different staffing models, and agency-specific pricing.
Agency Versus Private Caregiver
Sometimes hiring privately may seem cheaper because the family is comparing the amount the individual has asked for with the amount charged by the agency for the same services. The comparison is not always equivalent.
An agency can screen and background check caregivers, schedule them, supervise them, handle payroll, replace them with other staff, and do administrative tasks. A private arrangement may leave more of those responsibilities with family members.
Ask what is included before deciding that one hourly rate is cheaper.
How Do New York Families Pay for Home Care?
Payment is one of the options, but it can be done privately. Eligibility and coverage will vary based on the individual’s situation, the policy wording, and the type of care.
Private Pay
The advantage of private payment is that families can generally obtain the level of care they require without having to go through the insurance authorization process. It is frequently utilized for companion care, personal care, and other non-medical support. One good step to take is to work out the anticipated expense per month, as opposed to just an hourly rate.
For instance, if you are being paid $35 per hour for 20 hours per week, that’s about $3,033 per month. At 40 hours, it is about $6,067. The gap can make a huge impact on the cost of a long-term care plan.
Medicaid
New York Medicaid can provide the individual with personal care services and other qualifying services at home. But it does not follow that those who need help are automatically eligible. The Personal Care Services program in New York provides services like housekeeping, cooking, bathing, and grooming to certain individuals who are eligible. There are specific minimum-needs requirements for many Medicaid recipients who are looking for PCS or CDPAP services.
Families should check their current eligibility and assessment needs, not presume that Medicaid will pay for a specific number of hours.
Medicare
When families arrange home care for the first time, they frequently do not understand Medicare. Typically, it won’t be a way to pay for an extended period of personal care, like companionship, bathing, dressing, or meal preparation. It may pay for eligible home health services under certain conditions.
When someone requires skilled services following a medical event, illness, or injury, the family should inquire if they qualify for skilled home health services from the medical provider.
Long-Term Care Insurance and Veterans Benefits
Coverage for eligible home care may be available with long-term care insurance policies, though they vary widely. Review the daily (or monthly) benefit, elimination period, qualifications, and whether the policy has an approved agency requirement.
Additionally, eligible veterans could be able to benefit from VA programs offering some in-home assistance. Families should confirm eligibility directly rather than assuming every veteran receives the same benefit.
Is Home Care Cheaper Than a Nursing Home?
It depends on how much care is required. The median for non-medical home care for New York in 2025 is $6,673 for 44 hours a week. In comparison, the statewide median for a nursing home was $15,528 per month for semi-private rooms and $16,729 per month for private rooms.
Therefore, for moderate hours per week, it can be considerably cheaper to provide home care than institutional care. However, once someone needs extensive supervision or around-the-clock assistance, the comparison becomes more complicated.
Do not compare an hourly caregiver rate with a nursing home monthly fee without considering what each arrangement includes.
How to Build a Realistic Care Budget
Begin with the specific tasks the person is helping with instead of a random number of hours. Record times of need: mornings for bathing and dressing; afternoons for meals and running errands; evenings for medication reminders and safety supervision. Then determine the number of hours per week and multiply this by the quoted rate. Include any agency minimums, holiday bonuses, night rates, etc., as noted in an agreement.
This is more beneficial for families in communities throughout North Bellmore and Nassau County than just using a generic online “average. A written care plan provides a better understanding of the financial commitment.
Final Thoughts: Planning for Home Care Costs in New York
The best answer to how much home care costs in NY starts with the amount and type of care a person actually needs. The most recently published New York benchmark for non-medical in-home care can be found at $35 per hour, and the more hours and the more complicated the care is, the higher the price.
For families in North Bellmore, Nassau County, Queens County, Suffolk County, and elsewhere in New York, Precious Pearls Home Health Care can be part of the conversation when you are comparing care needs, schedules, and payment options. The goal is to build a realistic care planning budget before expenses become difficult to manage.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does home care cost per hour in New York?
The latest CareScout benchmark available for 2026 planning places New York’s median non-medical caregiver rate at $35 per hour. That figure represents a statewide median based on 2025 survey data, not a guaranteed agency rate. Prices may differ depending on the level of care required, schedule, location, and provider.
How much does 24-hour home care cost in New York?
The price for 24-hour home care is not a one-size-fits-all proposition across the state, due to variations in staffing and shift arrangements. If the cost is $35 per hour, it comes out to around $25,480 per month for 168 hours, but it can vary depending on the time of day. Families should ask for a written quote that details staffing, shift requirements, and extra charges.
Does Medicare pay for senior home care?
Generally, Medicare does not cover custodial care services, although it will pay for some Medicare-covered home health care services if certain medical and eligibility criteria are met. Usually, when there is no qualifying skilled service involved, other payment sources are needed to cover the cost of assistance with bathing, dressing, companionship, meal preparation, and other daily tasks.
Can Medicaid pay for home care in New York?
Yes, New Yorkers who are eligible for Medicaid can get personal care and other services provided in their home, with Medicaid paying for them. New York has its own set of assessment and eligibility requirements and has recently changed the minimum-needs standards for some PCS and CDPAP applicants. Eligibility and specific hours are dependent on the person’s situation and evaluation.
Is hiring a private caregiver cheaper than using an agency?
It may seem less expensive per hour, but there may be different responsibilities and costs between the two arrangements. An agency can provide, among others, screening, payroll, scheduling, supervision, and replacement coverage. When considering options, families should take into account the total price and obligations, and not just the hourly wage.
