Crow Wing County, MN
Get paid to care for your family member in Crow Wing County, Minnesota
About 17,700 people in Crow Wing County are 65 or older — 26% of everyone who lives here. That is an older county than Minnesota overall, so more families here are already doing this work. Roughly 1,950 are 85 or older, the age when daily help usually starts. There are only so many home-care agencies in a county this size, and the ones that are here do not always cover evenings, weekends, or the far end of the county.
Who needs care in Crow Wing
- People 65 and older
- 17,700
- People 85 and older
- 1,950
- Median age
- 46.0
- Rank in Minnesota
- 12th
26% of Crow Wing residents
the age daily help usually starts
older than the country as a whole
of 87 counties, by residents 65+
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Population Estimates (Vintage 2024). Crow Wing County is a smaller-city county (USDA Rural-Urban Continuum Code 4). Minnesota as a whole is 18% aged 65 or older.
What Minnesota pays family caregivers
$22.74/hr
Your exact pay is set by the program and your care plan. We'll tell you your real number before you enroll.
Source: Minnesota Medicaid program data · Updated September 2026
Minnesota's programs at a glance
- CFSS
- CDCS
- Elderly Waiver
- Spouse paid?
- Yes
- Parent paid for a child?
- Yes
- Waitlist
- Some programs have no waitlist.
These rules are set by the state, so they are the same in every county. Read the full Minnesota guide →
Towns and cities in Crow Wing County
Minnesota sets eligibility, not your town — so a family in Brainerd and a family at the far edge of the county apply the same way. The largest communities in Crow Wing County:
- Brainerd14,400
- Baxter9,186
- First Assessment UT5,975
- Breezy Point2,750
- Pequot Lakes2,462
- Crosslake2,412
- Crosby2,328
- Lake Edward2,231
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Subcounty Population Estimates.
How families in Crow Wing apply
You do not need a county office to start. Families in Crow Wing County start with Minnesota's program:
Start with a MnCHOICES/long-term care consultation assessment through your county (or call the Senior LinkAge Line); also apply for Medical Assistance (MA-LTC application).
Or skip the phone tag — our free 2-minute check tells you which Minnesota program fits your family, then we help with the forms.
See if you qualify →Crow Wing questions, answered honestly
Can I get paid to care for a family member in Crow Wing County?
Yes. Minnesota runs real Medicaid programs — like CFSS — that pay family caregivers, and they cover families in Crow Wing County. We help you enroll, and applying costs you nothing.
How much do family caregivers earn in Crow Wing County?
Reported figures in Minnesota are around $22.74/hr, but rates vary — the program sets your exact pay. We'll tell you your real number before you enroll.
Where do families in Crow Wing County apply?
Families in Crow Wing County start with the state, not the county. Start with a MnCHOICES/long-term care consultation assessment through your county (or call the Senior LinkAge Line); also apply for Medical Assistance (MA-LTC application).
Can I get paid to care for my spouse in Crow Wing County?
Yes — a spouse can be paid here. The fine print for Minnesota: yes — since 10/1/2024 spouses can be paid CFSS/PCA workers (per MN DHS bulletin); spouses also hirable under CDCS
How many people in Crow Wing County might need this?
17,700 residents of Crow Wing County are 65 or older and about 1,950 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. Minnesota's programs exist to pay for exactly that care.
Which towns in Crow Wing do you cover?
All of Crow Wing County — including Brainerd, Baxter, First Assessment UT, Breezy Point and Pequot Lakes. Eligibility is set by Minnesota, not by your town, so where you live inside the county does not change whether you qualify.
Program facts come from Minnesota'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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