Get paid to care for family in Maricopa County
Most of the 789,700 people in Maricopa County who are 65 or older are cared for at home, by a relative. Arizona Medicaid can pay you for that work.
Maricopa County at a glance
- Aged 65+
- 789,700
- Aged 85+
- 85,900
- Rank in AZ
- 1st
- Median age
- 37.9
17% of residents
when daily help usually starts
of 15 counties, by residents 65+
close to the national average
U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Population Estimates (Vintage 2024). Maricopa County is a large metro county (Rural-Urban Continuum Code 1).
- 50 + DC
- states covered
- 3,144
- counties with local data
- $0
- it is always free to apply
- 2 min
- to see if you qualify
Population figures from the U.S. Census Bureau · Rules from each state's published Medicaid program
Care in Maricopa
What being a paid caregiver looks like here
About 789,700 people in Maricopa County are 65 or older — 17% of everyone who lives here. Maricopa County skews younger than Arizona overall, but the families caring for an older parent here face the same bills. Roughly 85,900 are 85 or older, the age when daily help usually starts. Maricopa County is one of the state's biggest population centers, and home-care agencies do work here — but staffing is thin, schedules change, and a stranger in the house is not what every family wants.
Statewide, 1.5 million people in Arizona are 65 or older — 20% of the state, across 15 counties.
What Arizona pays family caregivers
$13–$16/hr
Your exact pay is set by the program and your care plan. We'll tell you your real number before you enroll.
Source: Arizona Medicaid program data · Updated September 2026
Arizona's programs at a glance
- ALTCS self-directed care
- Agency with Choice
- Parents as Paid Caregivers (PPCG)
- Spouse paid?
- Yes
- Parent paid for a child?
- Yes
- Waitlist
- No waitlist.
These rules are set by the state, so they are the same in every county. Read the full Arizona guide →
Towns and cities in Maricopa County
Arizona sets eligibility, not your town — so a family in Phoenix and a family at the far edge of the county apply the same way. The largest communities in Maricopa County:
- Phoenix1,673,164
- Mesa517,151
- Gilbert288,790
- Chandler281,231
- Glendale258,143
- Scottsdale246,170
- Peoria199,924
- Tempe190,114
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Subcounty Population Estimates.
How families in Maricopa apply
You do not need a county office to start. Families in Maricopa County start with Arizona's program:
Apply to ALTCS by calling 1-888-621-6880, online via Health-e-Arizona Plus, or at a local ALTCS office; families of children with developmental disabilities also work through DES/DDD.
Or skip the phone tag — our free 2-minute check tells you which Arizona program fits your family, then we help with the forms.
See if you qualify →Maricopa questions, answered honestly
Can I get paid to care for a family member in Maricopa County?
Yes. Arizona runs real Medicaid programs — like ALTCS self-directed care — that pay family caregivers, and they cover families in Maricopa County. We help you enroll, and applying costs you nothing.
How much do family caregivers earn in Maricopa County?
Reported figures in Arizona are around $13–$16/hr, but rates vary — the program sets your exact pay. We'll tell you your real number before you enroll.
Where do families in Maricopa County apply?
Families in Maricopa County start with the state, not the county. Apply to ALTCS by calling 1-888-621-6880, online via Health-e-Arizona Plus, or at a local ALTCS office; families of children with developmental disabilities also work through DES/DDD.
Can I get paid to care for my spouse in Maricopa County?
Yes — a spouse can be paid here. The fine print for Arizona: yes — spouses can be paid, but reportedly only through a provider agency (Agency with Choice), not fully independent SDAC
How many people in Maricopa County might need this?
789,700 residents of Maricopa County are 65 or older and about 85,900 are 85 or older, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2024 population estimates. Most of them are cared for at home by a relative rather than in a facility. Arizona's programs exist to pay for exactly that care.
Which towns in Maricopa do you cover?
All of Maricopa County — including Phoenix, Mesa, Gilbert, Chandler and Glendale. Eligibility is set by Arizona, not by your town, so where you live inside the county does not change whether you qualify.
Program facts come from Arizona's published Medicaid program rules · Population figures from the U.S. Census Bureau · Updated September 2026. Rules change — always confirm with the program.
Guides
For families in Maricopa County
Start with the Arizona caregiver program, then read how the pieces fit together.
Find out in 2 minutes
Answer 5 easy questions. See your programs and pay before you share any contact info.