Itasca County, MN
Get paid to care for your family member in Itasca County, Minnesota
About 12,200 people in Itasca County are 65 or older — 27% of everyone who lives here. That is an older county than Minnesota overall, so more families here are already doing this work. Roughly 1,320 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 Itasca
- People 65 and older
- 12,200
- People 85 and older
- 1,320
- Median age
- 47.0
- Rank in Minnesota
- 15th
27% of Itasca 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). Itasca County is a rural county (USDA Rural-Urban Continuum Code 6). 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 Itasca County
Minnesota sets eligibility, not your town — so a family in Grand Rapids and a family at the far edge of the county apply the same way. The largest communities in Itasca County:
- Grand Rapids11,244
- Deer Lake UT3,685
- Harris3,355
- Cohasset2,723
- Coleraine1,995
- Greenway1,790
- Nashwauk1,661
- Northeast Itasca UT1,294
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Subcounty Population Estimates.
How families in Itasca apply
You do not need a county office to start. Families in Itasca 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 →Itasca questions, answered honestly
Can I get paid to care for a family member in Itasca County?
Yes. Minnesota runs real Medicaid programs — like CFSS — that pay family caregivers, and they cover families in Itasca County. We help you enroll, and applying costs you nothing.
How much do family caregivers earn in Itasca 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 Itasca County apply?
Families in Itasca 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 Itasca 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 Itasca County might need this?
12,200 residents of Itasca County are 65 or older and about 1,320 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 Itasca do you cover?
All of Itasca County — including Grand Rapids, Deer Lake UT, Harris, Cohasset and Coleraine. 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.
More Minnesota counties
The programs are the same statewide — pick your county:
Find out in 2 minutes
Answer 5 easy questions. See your programs and pay before you share any contact info.