Get paid to care for family in Honolulu County
Most of the 204,400 people in Honolulu County who are 65 or older are cared for at home, by a relative. Hawaii Medicaid can pay you for that work.
Honolulu County at a glance
- Aged 65+
- 204,400
- Aged 85+
- 31,500
- Rank in HI
- 1st
- Median age
- 40.2
20% of residents
when daily help usually starts
of 5 counties, by residents 65+
older than the country
U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Population Estimates (Vintage 2024). Honolulu 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 Honolulu
What being a paid caregiver looks like here
About 204,400 people in Honolulu County are 65 or older — 20% of everyone who lives here. That tracks with Hawaii as a whole. Roughly 31,500 are 85 or older, the age when daily help usually starts. Honolulu 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, 310,300 people in Hawaii are 65 or older — 21% of the state, across 5 counties.
What Hawaii pays family caregivers
$14–$23/hr
Your exact pay is set by the program and your care plan. We'll tell you your real number before you enroll.
Source: Hawaii Medicaid program data · Updated September 2026
Hawaii's programs at a glance
- QUEST Integration self-direction
- Spouse paid?
- Yes
- Parent paid for a child?
- Sometimes
- Waitlist
- Some programs have no waitlist.
These rules are set by the state, so they are the same in every county. Read the full Hawaii guide →
How families in Honolulu apply
You do not need a county office to start. Families in Honolulu County start with Hawaii's program:
Apply for Med-QUEST online at MyBenefits or with form DHS 1100 at a Med-QUEST Service Center (800-316-8005); once enrolled, request a long-term-services assessment through the QI health plan.
Or skip the phone tag — our free 2-minute check tells you which Hawaii program fits your family, then we help with the forms.
See if you qualify →Honolulu questions, answered honestly
Can I get paid to care for a family member in Honolulu County?
Yes. Hawaii runs real Medicaid programs — like QUEST Integration self-direction — that pay family caregivers, and they cover families in Honolulu County. We help you enroll, and applying costs you nothing.
How much do family caregivers earn in Honolulu County?
Reported figures in Hawaii are around $14–$23/hr, but rates vary — the program sets your exact pay. We'll tell you your real number before you enroll.
Where do families in Honolulu County apply?
Families in Honolulu County start with the state, not the county. Apply for Med-QUEST online at MyBenefits or with form DHS 1100 at a Med-QUEST Service Center (800-316-8005); once enrolled, request a long-term-services assessment through the QI health plan.
Can I get paid to care for my spouse in Honolulu County?
Yes — a spouse can be paid here. The fine print for Hawaii: yes — relatives including spouses and adult children can be hired under QI self-direction
How many people in Honolulu County might need this?
204,400 residents of Honolulu County are 65 or older and about 31,500 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. Hawaii's programs exist to pay for exactly that care.
Program facts come from Hawaii'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 Honolulu County
Start with the Hawaii 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.