Pine County, MN
Get paid to care for your family member in Pine County, Minnesota
About 7,160 people in Pine County are 65 or older — 24% of everyone who lives here. That is an older county than Minnesota overall, so more families here are already doing this work. Roughly 660 are 85 or older, the age when daily help usually starts. Out here, hiring an outside agency often is not realistic at all. Being paid to do the care yourself is not a workaround — it is how these programs were designed to work.
Who needs care in Pine
- People 65 and older
- 7,160
- People 85 and older
- 660
- Median age
- 45.8
- Rank in Minnesota
- 33rd
24% of Pine 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). Pine County is one of the most rural counties in the country (USDA Rural-Urban Continuum Code 8). 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 Pine County
Minnesota sets eligibility, not your town — so a family in Pine City and a family at the far edge of the county apply the same way. The largest communities in Pine County:
- Pine City3,865
- Pokegama2,840
- Sandstone2,466
- Hinckley1,918
- Rock Creek1,778
- Windemere1,673
- Pine City1,408
- Royalton1,095
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Subcounty Population Estimates.
How families in Pine apply
You do not need a county office to start. Families in Pine 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 →Pine questions, answered honestly
Can I get paid to care for a family member in Pine County?
Yes. Minnesota runs real Medicaid programs — like CFSS — that pay family caregivers, and they cover families in Pine County. We help you enroll, and applying costs you nothing.
How much do family caregivers earn in Pine 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 Pine County apply?
Families in Pine 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 Pine 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 Pine County might need this?
7,160 residents of Pine County are 65 or older and about 660 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 Pine do you cover?
All of Pine County — including Pine City, Pokegama, Sandstone, Hinckley and Rock Creek. 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
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