Get paid to care for family in Lee County
Most of the 7,570 people in Lee County who are 65 or older are cared for at home, by a relative. Illinois Medicaid can pay you for that work.
Lee County at a glance
- Aged 65+
- 7,570
- Aged 85+
- 952
- Rank in IL
- 38th
- Median age
- 44.0
23% of residents
when daily help usually starts
of 102 counties, by residents 65+
older than the country
U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Population Estimates (Vintage 2024). Lee County is a rural county (Rural-Urban Continuum Code 6).
- 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 Lee
What being a paid caregiver looks like here
About 7,570 people in Lee County are 65 or older — 23% of everyone who lives here. That is an older county than Illinois overall, so more families here are already doing this work. Roughly 952 are 85 or older, the age when daily help usually starts. In a rural county, an agency aide may be a long drive away — when one is available at all. That is exactly why the state lets you be the paid caregiver instead.
Statewide, 2.3 million people in Illinois are 65 or older — 18% of the state, across 102 counties.
What Illinois pays family caregivers
$18–$20/hr
Your exact pay is set by the program and your care plan. We'll tell you your real number before you enroll.
Source: Illinois Medicaid program data · Updated September 2026
Illinois's programs at a glance
- Community Care Program (CCP)
- Home Services Program (HSP)
- MFTD Waiver (children)
- Spouse paid?
- Sometimes
- 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 Illinois guide →
Towns and cities in Lee County
Illinois sets eligibility, not your town — so a family in Dixon and a family at the far edge of the county apply the same way. The largest communities in Lee County:
- Dixon15,156
- Amboy2,224
- Ashton939
- Franklin Grove876
- Paw Paw806
- Sublette372
- Compton266
- Steward223
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Subcounty Population Estimates.
How families in Lee apply
You do not need a county office to start. Families in Lee County start with Illinois's program:
Age 60+: call the Senior HelpLine 800-252-8966 to reach the local Care Coordination Unit for a CCP assessment; under 60: apply through the local DHS-DRS Home Services Program office; medically fragile children: contact UIC DSCC.
Or skip the phone tag — our free 2-minute check tells you which Illinois program fits your family, then we help with the forms.
See if you qualify →Lee questions, answered honestly
Can I get paid to care for a family member in Lee County?
Yes. Illinois runs real Medicaid programs — like Community Care Program (CCP) — that pay family caregivers, and they cover families in Lee County. We help you enroll, and applying costs you nothing.
How much do family caregivers earn in Lee County?
Reported figures in Illinois are around $18–$20/hr, but rates vary — the program sets your exact pay. We'll tell you your real number before you enroll.
Where do families in Lee County apply?
Families in Lee County start with the state, not the county. Age 60+: call the Senior HelpLine 800-252-8966 to reach the local Care Coordination Unit for a CCP assessment; under 60: apply through the local DHS-DRS Home Services Program office; medically fragile children: contact UIC DSCC.
Can I get paid to care for my spouse in Lee County?
Sometimes — it depends on the program. The fine print for Illinois: limited — CCP: yes, any family member including a spouse may be hired (recent expansion, via agency with background check + 24-hr training); HSP: no, spouses excluded as legally responsible relatives
How many people in Lee County might need this?
7,570 residents of Lee County are 65 or older and about 952 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. Illinois's programs exist to pay for exactly that care.
Which towns in Lee do you cover?
All of Lee County — including Dixon, Amboy, Ashton, Franklin Grove and Paw Paw. Eligibility is set by Illinois, not by your town, so where you live inside the county does not change whether you qualify.
Program facts come from Illinois'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 Lee County
Start with the Illinois 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.