Free toolSee what Jefferson families get paid →

Get paid to care for family in Jefferson County

Most of the 109,000 people in Jefferson County who are 65 or older are cared for at home, by a relative. Colorado Medicaid can pay you for that work.

Jefferson County at a glance

Aged 65+
109,000

19% of residents

Aged 85+
10,100

when daily help usually starts

Rank in CO
2nd

of 64 counties, by residents 65+

Median age
40.7

close to the national average

The front porch of an ordinary home, typical of Jefferson County

U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Population Estimates (Vintage 2024). Jefferson 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 Jefferson

What being a paid caregiver looks like here

About 109,000 people in Jefferson County are 65 or older — 19% of everyone who lives here. That is an older county than Colorado overall, so more families here are already doing this work. Roughly 10,100 are 85 or older, the age when daily help usually starts. Jefferson 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, 975,900 people in Colorado are 65 or older — 16% of the state, across 64 counties.

What Colorado pays family caregivers

$17–$20/hr

Source: Colorado Medicaid program data · Updated September 2026

Colorado's programs at a glance

  • CDASS
  • IHSS
  • Family CNA program
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 Colorado guide →

Towns and cities in Jefferson County

Colorado sets eligibility, not your town — so a family in Lakewood and a family at the far edge of the county apply the same way. The largest communities in Jefferson County:

  • Lakewood156,868
  • Arvada119,092
  • Westminster45,794
  • Wheat Ridge31,999
  • Golden20,151
  • Edgewater4,880
  • Littleton2,205
  • Mountain View521

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 Colorado's program:

Contact the local Case Management Agency (Single Entry Point) for a nursing-facility level-of-care assessment; must be enrolled in Health First Colorado (Medicaid) first.

Or skip the phone tag — our free 2-minute check tells you which Colorado 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. Colorado runs real Medicaid programs — like CDASS — 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?

Family caregivers in Colorado typically earn $17–$20/hr. The rate is the same across the state, including Jefferson County.

Where do families in Jefferson County apply?

Families in Jefferson County start with the state, not the county. Contact the local Case Management Agency (Single Entry Point) for a nursing-facility level-of-care assessment; must be enrolled in Health First Colorado (Medicaid) first.

Can I get paid to care for my spouse in Jefferson County?

Yes — a spouse can be paid here. The fine print for Colorado: yes — spouses can be hired under CDASS/IHSS; spouse-as-LRP homemaker capped at 7 hrs/week

How many people in Jefferson County might need this?

109,000 residents of Jefferson County are 65 or older and about 10,100 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. Colorado's programs exist to pay for exactly that care.

Which towns in Jefferson do you cover?

All of Jefferson County — including Lakewood, Arvada, Westminster, Wheat Ridge and Golden. Eligibility is set by Colorado, not by your town, so where you live inside the county does not change whether you qualify.

Program facts come from Colorado's published Medicaid program rules · Population figures from the U.S. Census Bureau · Updated September 2026. Rules change — always confirm with the program.

Nearby

Counties next to Jefferson

The counties Jefferson touches, by Census boundaries — a few of those borders run across water.

Find out in 2 minutes

Answer 5 easy questions. See your programs and pay before you share any contact info.

See if you qualify