Get paid to care for family in Jefferson County
Most of the 12,500 people in Jefferson County who are 65 or older are cared for at home, by a relative. Arkansas Medicaid can pay you for that work.
Jefferson County at a glance
- Aged 65+
- 12,500
- Aged 85+
- 1,160
- Rank in AR
- 11th
- Median age
- 39.7
20% of residents
when daily help usually starts
of 75 counties, by residents 65+
close to the national average
U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Population Estimates (Vintage 2024). Jefferson County is a smaller-city county (Rural-Urban Continuum Code 4).
- 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 Jefferson
What being a paid caregiver looks like here
About 12,500 people in Jefferson County are 65 or older — 20% of everyone who lives here. That tracks with Arkansas as a whole. Roughly 1,160 are 85 or older, the age when daily help usually starts. There are only so many home-care agencies in a county this size, and the ones that are here do not always cover evenings, weekends, or the far end of the county.
Statewide, 562,800 people in Arkansas are 65 or older — 18% of the state, across 75 counties.
What Arkansas pays family caregivers
Rates vary — check with the program.
Your exact pay is set by the program and your care plan. We'll tell you your real number before you enroll.
Source: Arkansas Medicaid program data · Updated September 2026
Arkansas's programs at a glance
- IndependentChoices
- ARChoices in Homecare
- Spouse paid?
- Not right now
- Parent paid for a child?
- Not right now
- Waitlist
- Some programs have no waitlist.
These rules are set by the state, so they are the same in every county. Read the full Arkansas guide →
Towns and cities in Jefferson County
Arkansas sets eligibility, not your town — so a family in Pine Bluff and a family at the far edge of the county apply the same way. The largest communities in Jefferson County:
- Pine Bluff38,785
- White Hall5,499
- Redfield1,497
- Altheimer651
- Humphrey208
- Wabbaseka172
- Sherrill51
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Subcounty Population Estimates.
How families in Jefferson apply
You do not need a county office to start. Families in Jefferson County start with Arkansas's program:
Apply online at Access Arkansas or at a local DHS county office with the Long-Term Services and Supports application, or call the Choices in Living Resource Center at 866-801-3435; then elect IndependentChoices.
Or skip the phone tag — our free 2-minute check tells you which Arkansas program fits your family, then we help with the forms.
See if you qualify →Jefferson questions, answered honestly
Can I get paid to care for a family member in Jefferson County?
Yes. Arkansas runs real Medicaid programs — like IndependentChoices — that pay family caregivers, and they cover families in Jefferson County. We help you enroll, and applying costs you nothing.
How much do family caregivers earn in Jefferson County?
Arkansas doesn't publish one flat rate. The program sets your exact pay. We'll tell you your real number before you enroll.
Where do families in Jefferson County apply?
Families in Jefferson County start with the state, not the county. Apply online at Access Arkansas or at a local DHS county office with the Long-Term Services and Supports application, or call the Choices in Living Resource Center at 866-801-3435; then elect IndependentChoices.
Can I get paid to care for my spouse in Jefferson County?
Not right now — but other family members often can be. The fine print for Arkansas: no — spouses and legal guardians are prohibited from being hired; other relatives including adult children can be paid
How many people in Jefferson County might need this?
12,500 residents of Jefferson County are 65 or older and about 1,160 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. Arkansas's programs exist to pay for exactly that care.
Which towns in Jefferson do you cover?
All of Jefferson County — including Pine Bluff, White Hall, Redfield, Altheimer and Humphrey. Eligibility is set by Arkansas, not by your town, so where you live inside the county does not change whether you qualify.
Program facts come from Arkansas'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 Jefferson County
Start with the Arkansas 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.