Marion County, IL
Get paid to care for your family member in Marion County, Illinois
About 7,590 people in Marion County are 65 or older — 21% of everyone who lives here. That is an older county than Illinois overall, so more families here are already doing this work. Roughly 887 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.
Who needs care in Marion
- People 65 and older
- 7,590
- People 85 and older
- 887
- Median age
- 41.8
- Rank in Illinois
- 37th
21% of Marion residents
the age daily help usually starts
older than the country as a whole
of 102 counties, by residents 65+
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Population Estimates (Vintage 2024). Marion County is a rural county (USDA Rural-Urban Continuum Code 7). Illinois as a whole is 18% aged 65 or older.
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 Marion County
Illinois sets eligibility, not your town — so a family in Centralia and a family at the far edge of the county apply the same way. The largest communities in Marion County:
- Centralia9,637
- Salem7,016
- Sandoval1,125
- Central City1,067
- Odin903
- Kinmundy711
- Junction City523
- Patoka508
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Subcounty Population Estimates.
How families in Marion apply
You do not need a county office to start. Families in Marion 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 →Marion questions, answered honestly
Can I get paid to care for a family member in Marion County?
Yes. Illinois runs real Medicaid programs — like Community Care Program (CCP) — that pay family caregivers, and they cover families in Marion County. We help you enroll, and applying costs you nothing.
How much do family caregivers earn in Marion 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 Marion County apply?
Families in Marion 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 Marion 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 Marion County might need this?
7,590 residents of Marion County are 65 or older and about 887 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 Marion do you cover?
All of Marion County — including Centralia, Salem, Sandoval, Central City and Odin. 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.
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