Get paid to care for family in Pennington County
Most of the 2,770 people in Pennington County who are 65 or older are cared for at home, by a relative. Minnesota Medicaid can pay you for that work.
Pennington County at a glance
- Aged 65+
- 2,770
- Aged 85+
- 341
- Rank in MN
- 63rd
- Median age
- 40.6
20% of residents
when daily help usually starts
of 87 counties, by residents 65+
older than the country
U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Population Estimates (Vintage 2024). Pennington 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 Pennington
What being a paid caregiver looks like here
About 2,770 people in Pennington County are 65 or older — 20% of everyone who lives here. That is an older county than Minnesota overall, so more families here are already doing this work. Roughly 341 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, 1.1 million people in Minnesota are 65 or older — 18% of the state, across 87 counties.
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 Pennington County
Minnesota sets eligibility, not your town — so a family in Thief River Falls and a family at the far edge of the county apply the same way. The largest communities in Pennington County:
- Thief River Falls8,779
- Rocksbury1,050
- North613
- Smiley590
- Norden358
- Sanders290
- St. Hilaire256
- Highlanding189
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Subcounty Population Estimates.
How families in Pennington apply
You do not need a county office to start. Families in Pennington 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 →Pennington questions, answered honestly
Can I get paid to care for a family member in Pennington County?
Yes. Minnesota runs real Medicaid programs — like CFSS — that pay family caregivers, and they cover families in Pennington County. We help you enroll, and applying costs you nothing.
How much do family caregivers earn in Pennington 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 Pennington County apply?
Families in Pennington 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 Pennington 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 Pennington County might need this?
2,770 residents of Pennington County are 65 or older and about 341 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 Pennington do you cover?
All of Pennington County — including Thief River Falls, Rocksbury, North, Smiley and Norden. 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.
Guides
For families in Pennington County
Start with the Minnesota caregiver program, then read how the pieces fit together.
Nearby
Counties next to Pennington
The counties Pennington touches, by Census boundaries — a few of those borders run across water.
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