According to the CareScout Cost of Care Survey 2025, home care in Georgia costs a median of $32 an hour for a non-medical caregiver, below the national median of $35. At that rate, 10 hours a week comes to about $1,387 a month and 44 hours a week to $6,101 a month. The survey was conducted July to November 2025, and its state tables were published March 2026. Those tables do not publish a Macon figure. Prices differ by agency and by job, and agencies may have minimum visit lengths, so the state median is a starting point for planning.
How much does home care cost in Georgia?
The table below shows figures from the CareScout Cost of Care Survey 2025. Its non-medical caregiver category combines homemaker and home health aide services. Private duty nursing is reported separately. A nurse’s visit rate and hourly rate are different ways of billing; the visit figure does not establish how long a particular visit lasts.
| Care category | Georgia median | National median |
|---|---|---|
| Non-medical caregiver, homemaker and home health aide combined | $32 an hour | $35 an hour |
| Private duty nurse | $98 an hour | $90 an hour |
| Private duty nurse visit | $135 per visit | $160 per visit |
| In-home care at 44 hours a week | $73,216 a year; $6,101 a month | $80,080 a year; $6,673 a month |
| Adult day health care | $90 a day; $1,950 a month | $95 a day |
| Assisted living community | $5,300 a month | $6,200 a month |
| Nursing home semi-private room | $8,821 a month | $9,581 a month |
| Nursing home private room | $9,429 a month | $10,798 a month |
The earlier CareScout Cost of Care Survey 2024 reported Georgia homemaker services at $28 an hour and home health aide services at $29 an hour. Because the 2025 survey reports these services together, readers should take care when comparing categories across years. A change in the published figures does not establish how much a particular agency changed its prices.
Verify current figures and category descriptions with the published cost survey. Families in Macon-Bibb, Warner Robins, Perry and Milledgeville still need local pricing for the actual services and schedule being considered.
Home care compared with assisted living and nursing homes
At the survey medians, home care for 44 hours a week ($6,101 a month) costs about $800 a month more than an assisted living community ($5,300) and about $2,700 a month less than a semi-private nursing home room ($8,821). Home care is billed by the hour, so fewer hours cost proportionally less; assisted living and nursing homes are priced per month. The comparison covers price only and does not show whether a given setting meets a person’s needs. The guide to home care, home health and hospice in Georgia explains how those service types differ.
Turning an hourly rate into a budget
A useful estimate starts with the tasks that need help and the hours those tasks require. Include assistance with bathing, dressing, meals and supervision, as applicable. Also consider when a family caregiver needs relief. A weekly total can hide gaps if help is needed at particular times.
How much does home care cost per hour and per month?
Using the $32 hourly Georgia median from the CareScout Cost of Care Survey 2025, the following are arithmetic examples, not local price estimates. Monthly amounts are calculated by multiplying the weekly cost by 52 weeks, divided by 12 months.
- 10 hours a week costs $320 a week, or about $1,387 a month.
- 20 hours a week costs $640 a week, or about $2,773 a month.
- 44 hours a week corresponds to the survey’s published Georgia figures of $73,216 a year and $6,101 a month.
These examples assume every hour is billed at the survey median. They do not include possible minimum visits, different rates for certain shifts or additional charges. A monthly average also differs from an invoice based on the actual hours delivered during a particular billing period.
Home care cost in Macon and Middle Georgia
No survey table used on this page gives a Macon or Bibb County price, so a local hourly rate cannot be stated here. To get one, ask several licensed agencies for a written rate sheet covering the same tasks and the same weekly schedule, and compare minimum visit lengths, overnight pricing and holiday rates. The license check guide explains how to confirm that an agency is licensed before comparing prices, and the list of questions to ask before signing covers the terms that change the final bill.
The Middle Georgia Regional Commission, the state-designated Area Agency on Aging for the region, runs an Aging and Disability Resource Connection that screens older adults and people with disabilities for programs and services. Its page lists 1-866-552-4464 (option 2) and says eligible clients may be placed on a waiting list depending on funding (Middle Georgia Regional Commission, checked November 2026).
What changes the price of home care?
Hours, timing and supervision
The amount of paid help is a major part of the budget. Short visits may be subject to a minimum charge. Overnight arrangements deserve particular attention: sleeping nearby, remaining awake and providing repeated hands-on assistance can involve different staffing expectations. The written price should identify what overnight help includes. The guide to care plans and service agreements describes how tasks and schedules are written down.
Dementia care may involve close supervision, help with routines and workers prepared to respond calmly to confusion. Describe the person’s needs accurately when comparing prices. A low hourly figure is difficult to assess if it assumes less assistance than the person needs. See dementia care at home for planning and safety considerations.
Nursing and live-in arrangements
Separate personal assistance from nursing tasks when reviewing costs. Under Georgia DCH’s private home care rules, nursing and personal care are distinct service categories. The survey’s separate nursing figures also show why a nursing budget should not be based on the non-medical caregiver rate. Verify current service rules with DCH.
A live-in arrangement needs a clear explanation of working time, sleeping arrangements, relief coverage and charges. Compare the full proposed schedule with hourly care. The label “live-in” alone does not explain how much active assistance is included.
Agency care and hiring directly
An agency price may include arranging coverage and supervising staff; the agreement should explain those responsibilities. Screening and training practices also affect what a rate buys; see Georgia caregiver background checks and training. Direct hiring can shift recruiting, replacement coverage, payroll and employment responsibilities to the household.
Georgia DCH’s private home care licensing rules exempt services provided directly by an individual when the arrangement does not involve agents, employees, contractors or referral arrangements with a financial interest. That exemption is narrower than simply describing someone as an independent caregiver. Verify the current licensing position with DCH, and check IRS guidance on household employers for tax duties.
On the tax side, the IRS says a household that pays cash wages of $3,000 or more in 2026 to any one household employee owes Social Security and Medicare taxes, reported on Schedule H of Form 1040, and treats workers as employees when the household controls not only what work is done but how it is done (IRS Topic No. 756, checked November 2026). These employer costs sit on top of the hourly wage and are not part of an agency’s rate.
How families may pay for care
This page provides general information, not medical, legal or financial advice; Medicare, Georgia DCH and the VA decide coverage or eligibility within their respective programs.
- Medicare: Medicare’s home health coverage information excludes custodial or personal care when it is the only care needed. Home health also requires part-time or intermittent skilled services and that the person be homebound, according to Medicare.gov. The guide to Medicare and home care explains the distinction. Verify coverage with Medicare.
- Georgia Medicaid: DCH’s EDWP fact sheet, updated in 2025, describes personal support and other community services through CCSP and SOURCE. The Georgia Medicaid waiver guide explains the assessment and eligibility framework. Verify current requirements with DCH; ask the Area Agency on Aging about capacity and waiting lists.
- Veterans benefits: VA information describes Aid and Attendance as an additional payment to a VA pension and identifies home care programs whose availability varies. The VA benefits guide explains these options. Verify eligibility with the VA.
- Insurance: Existing coverage deserves review before assuming care is payable. The long-term care insurance guide explains policy considerations and Georgia’s Partnership framework. Verify current Partnership information with DCH and the state Insurance Commissioner’s office.
- Family caregiving: Some programs allow a family member to be paid for providing care; structured family caregiving in Georgia explains one such option.
Sources for this page were last checked in November 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does home care cost per hour in Georgia?
The Georgia median for a non-medical in-home caregiver is $32 an hour in the CareScout Cost of Care Survey 2025, compared with $35 nationally. A private duty nurse is reported separately at $98 an hour. Individual agencies may charge more or less and may set minimum visit lengths.
How much does home care cost per month in Georgia?
At 44 hours a week, the survey reports $6,101 a month. At the same $32 median, 10 hours a week is about $1,387 a month and 20 hours about $2,773. Actual bills depend on the agreed rate and the hours delivered.
Is home care cheaper than assisted living in Georgia?
It depends on hours. At the survey medians, assisted living is $5,300 a month and 44 hours a week of home care is $6,101, but 10 or 20 hours a week of home care costs much less than either. The settings also provide different things, so price alone does not decide the choice.
Is $32 an hour the Macon home care rate?
No. It is the Georgia median in the CareScout Cost of Care Survey 2025; the state tables do not publish a Macon figure.
Does the survey price guarantee a monthly bill?
No. Actual charges depend on the agreed rate, hours delivered, minimum visits and any other terms in the agreement.
Can adult day health care replace help at home?
It may cover part of a person’s support needs. Compare transportation, attendance hours and assistance still needed at home.
Why compare written estimates?
Written estimates help readers compare the same tasks and schedule. They also make minimum charges, coverage arrangements and possible additional costs easier to identify.