Get paid to care for family in Polk County
Most of the 1,270 people in Polk County who are 65 or older are cared for at home, by a relative. Nebraska Medicaid can pay you for that work.
Polk County at a glance
- Aged 65+
- 1,270
- Aged 85+
- 171
- Rank in NE
- 53rd
- Median age
- 43.9
24% of residents
when daily help usually starts
of 93 counties, by residents 65+
older than the country
U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Population Estimates (Vintage 2024). Polk County is one of the most rural counties in the country (Rural-Urban Continuum Code 8).
- 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 1,270 people in Polk County are 65 or older — 24% of everyone who lives here. That is an older county than Nebraska overall, so more families here are already doing this work. Roughly 171 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.
Statewide, 349,400 people in Nebraska are 65 or older — 17% of the state, across 93 counties.
What Nebraska pays family caregivers
$15/hr
Your exact pay is set by the program and your care plan. We'll tell you your real number before you enroll.
Source: Nebraska Medicaid program data · Updated September 2026
Nebraska's programs at a glance
- Personal Assistance Services (PAS)
- Aged & Disabled Waiver
- Spouse paid?
- Sometimes
- Parent paid for a child?
- Sometimes
- Waitlist
- Waitlists can be long — apply early.
These rules are set by the state, so they are the same in every county. Read the full Nebraska guide →
Towns and cities in Polk County
Nebraska sets eligibility, not your town — so a family in Stromsburg and a family at the far edge of the county apply the same way. The largest communities in Polk County:
- Stromsburg1,159
- Osceola885
- Shelby744
- Polk345
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 Nebraska's program:
Apply online via iServe Nebraska or at a local DHHS office; for the AD Waiver call 877-667-6266 to request materials.
Or skip the phone tag — our free 2-minute check tells you which Nebraska 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. Nebraska runs real Medicaid programs — like Personal Assistance Services (PAS) — 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 Nebraska are around $15/hr, 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 online via iServe Nebraska or at a local DHHS office; for the AD Waiver call 877-667-6266 to request materials.
Can I get paid to care for my spouse in Polk County?
Sometimes — it depends on the program. The fine print for Nebraska: limited — under the Aged & Disabled Waiver a spouse can be paid through the separate LRI Personal Care service only when care is extraordinary, agency-based, capped at 40 hours a week
How many people in Polk County might need this?
1,270 residents of Polk County are 65 or older and about 171 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. Nebraska's programs exist to pay for exactly that care.
Which towns in Polk do you cover?
All of Polk County — including Stromsburg, Osceola, Shelby and Polk. Eligibility is set by Nebraska, not by your town, so where you live inside the county does not change whether you qualify.
Program facts come from Nebraska'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 Nebraska 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.