Get paid to care for family in Polk County
Most of the 75,100 people in Polk County who are 65 or older are cared for at home, by a relative. Iowa Medicaid can pay you for that work.
Polk County at a glance
- Aged 65+
- 75,100
- Aged 85+
- 7,710
- Rank in IA
- 1st
- Median age
- 36.3
15% of residents
when daily help usually starts
of 99 counties, by residents 65+
younger than the country
U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Population Estimates (Vintage 2024). Polk 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 Polk
What being a paid caregiver looks like here
About 75,100 people in Polk County are 65 or older — 15% of everyone who lives here. Polk County skews younger than Iowa overall, but the families caring for an older parent here face the same bills. Roughly 7,710 are 85 or older, the age when daily help usually starts. Agencies operate in Polk County, though families still run into gaps: no weekend coverage, a new aide every few weeks, hours that don't match real life.
Statewide, 612,400 people in Iowa are 65 or older — 19% of the state, across 99 counties.
What Iowa pays family caregivers
$2,691/month
Your exact pay is set by the program and your care plan. We'll tell you your real number before you enroll.
Source: Iowa Medicaid program data · Updated September 2026
Iowa's programs at a glance
- Consumer Choices Option (CCO)
- CDAC (agency-delivered)
- 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 Iowa guide →
Towns and cities in Polk County
Iowa sets eligibility, not your town — so a family in Des Moines and a family at the far edge of the county apply the same way. The largest communities in Polk County:
- Des Moines212,900
- Ankeny76,727
- West Des Moines48,701
- Urbandale35,312
- Johnston25,022
- Altoona22,598
- Grimes17,232
- Pleasant Hill11,942
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Subcounty Population Estimates.
How families in Polk apply
You do not need a county office to start. Families in Polk County start with Iowa's program:
Apply for Medicaid and the appropriate HCBS waiver through Iowa HHS (hhs.iowa.gov or a local office, 800-338-8366); after waiver approval and level-of-care assessment, ask the case manager to enroll in the Consumer Choices Option.
Or skip the phone tag — our free 2-minute check tells you which Iowa program fits your family, then we help with the forms.
See if you qualify →Polk questions, answered honestly
Can I get paid to care for a family member in Polk County?
Yes. Iowa runs real Medicaid programs — like Consumer Choices Option (CCO) — that pay family caregivers, and they cover families in Polk County. We help you enroll, and applying costs you nothing.
How much do family caregivers earn in Polk County?
Reported figures in Iowa are around $2,691/month, but rates vary — the program sets your exact pay. We'll tell you your real number before you enroll.
Where do families in Polk County apply?
Families in Polk County start with the state, not the county. Apply for Medicaid and the appropriate HCBS waiver through Iowa HHS (hhs.iowa.gov or a local office, 800-338-8366); after waiver approval and level-of-care assessment, ask the case manager to enroll in the Consumer Choices Option.
Can I get paid to care for my spouse in Polk County?
Not right now — but other family members often can be. The fine print for Iowa: no — a spouse cannot be the paid attendant under CDAC or CCO
How many people in Polk County might need this?
75,100 residents of Polk County are 65 or older and about 7,710 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. Iowa's programs exist to pay for exactly that care.
Which towns in Polk do you cover?
All of Polk County — including Des Moines, Ankeny, West Des Moines, Urbandale and Johnston. Eligibility is set by Iowa, not by your town, so where you live inside the county does not change whether you qualify.
Program facts come from Iowa'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 Polk County
Start with the Iowa 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.