Get paid to care for family in Washington County
Most of the 34,100 people in Washington County who are 65 or older are cared for at home, by a relative. Arkansas Medicaid can pay you for that work.
Washington County at a glance
- Aged 65+
- 34,100
- Aged 85+
- 3,380
- Rank in AR
- 3rd
- Median age
- 33.0
13% of residents
when daily help usually starts
of 75 counties, by residents 65+
younger than the country
U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Population Estimates (Vintage 2024). Washington County is a metro county (Rural-Urban Continuum Code 2).
- 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 Washington
What being a paid caregiver looks like here
About 34,100 people in Washington County are 65 or older — 13% of everyone who lives here. Washington County skews younger than Arkansas overall, but the families caring for an older parent here face the same bills. Roughly 3,380 are 85 or older, the age when daily help usually starts. Agencies operate in Washington County, though families still run into gaps: no weekend coverage, a new aide every few weeks, hours that don't match real life.
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 Washington County
Arkansas sets eligibility, not your town — so a family in Fayetteville and a family at the far edge of the county apply the same way. The largest communities in Washington County:
- Fayetteville103,134
- Springdale77,226
- Farmington10,473
- Prairie Grove8,589
- Tontitown7,941
- Elkins4,025
- Johnson3,705
- Goshen2,383
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Subcounty Population Estimates.
How families in Washington apply
You do not need a county office to start. Families in Washington 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 →Washington questions, answered honestly
Can I get paid to care for a family member in Washington County?
Yes. Arkansas runs real Medicaid programs — like IndependentChoices — that pay family caregivers, and they cover families in Washington County. We help you enroll, and applying costs you nothing.
How much do family caregivers earn in Washington 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 Washington County apply?
Families in Washington 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 Washington 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 Washington County might need this?
34,100 residents of Washington County are 65 or older and about 3,380 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 Washington do you cover?
All of Washington County — including Fayetteville, Springdale, Farmington, Prairie Grove and Tontitown. 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 Washington County
Start with the Arkansas caregiver program, then read how the pieces fit together.
Nearby
Counties next to Washington
The counties Washington touches, by Census boundaries — a few of those borders run across water. Ones marked with a state abbreviation are across the line, and their rules are their state's, not this one's.
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