Get paid to care for family in Merrimack County
Most of the 33,300 people in Merrimack County who are 65 or older are cared for at home, by a relative. New Hampshire Medicaid can pay you for that work.
Merrimack County at a glance
- Aged 65+
- 33,300
- Aged 85+
- 3,350
- Rank in NH
- 3rd
- Median age
- 43.0
21% of residents
when daily help usually starts
of 10 counties, by residents 65+
older than the country
U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Population Estimates (Vintage 2024). Merrimack County is a smaller-city county (Rural-Urban Continuum Code 4).
- 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 Merrimack
What being a paid caregiver looks like here
About 33,300 people in Merrimack County are 65 or older — 21% of everyone who lives here. That tracks with New Hampshire as a whole. Roughly 3,350 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.
Statewide, 303,300 people in New Hampshire are 65 or older — 22% of the state, across 10 counties.
What New Hampshire pays family caregivers
$15–$22/hr
Your exact pay is set by the program and your care plan. We'll tell you your real number before you enroll.
Source: New Hampshire Medicaid program data · Updated September 2026
New Hampshire's programs at a glance
- Choices for Independence (CFI) Waiver
- PCAS
- In-Home Supports Waiver (children)
- Spouse paid?
- Not right now
- Parent paid for a child?
- Sometimes
- Waitlist
- Some programs have no waitlist.
These rules are set by the state, so they are the same in every county. Read the full New Hampshire guide →
Towns and cities in Merrimack County
New Hampshire sets eligibility, not your town — so a family in Concord and a family at the far edge of the county apply the same way. The largest communities in Merrimack County:
- Concord44,674
- Hooksett15,377
- Franklin8,823
- Bow8,397
- Pembroke7,567
- Henniker6,267
- Hopkinton6,146
- Loudon5,740
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Subcounty Population Estimates.
How families in Merrimack apply
You do not need a county office to start. Families in Merrimack County start with New Hampshire's program:
Apply via NH Easy online or a district DHHS office; ServiceLink/ADRC (866-634-9412) assists with CFI; for PCAS enroll in NH Medicaid then submit a Request for Services to Granite State Independent Living.
Or skip the phone tag — our free 2-minute check tells you which New Hampshire program fits your family, then we help with the forms.
See if you qualify →Merrimack questions, answered honestly
Can I get paid to care for a family member in Merrimack County?
Yes. New Hampshire runs real Medicaid programs — like Choices for Independence (CFI) Waiver — that pay family caregivers, and they cover families in Merrimack County. We help you enroll, and applying costs you nothing.
How much do family caregivers earn in Merrimack County?
Reported figures in New Hampshire are around $15–$22/hr, but rates vary — the program sets your exact pay. We'll tell you your real number before you enroll.
Where do families in Merrimack County apply?
Families in Merrimack County start with the state, not the county. Apply via NH Easy online or a district DHHS office; ServiceLink/ADRC (866-634-9412) assists with CFI; for PCAS enroll in NH Medicaid then submit a Request for Services to Granite State Independent Living.
Can I get paid to care for my spouse in Merrimack County?
Not right now — but other family members often can be. The fine print for New Hampshire: no — none of New Hampshire's three programs pays a spouse: He-E 801.12(a)(6) (Choices for Independence), He-W 552.04(b)(3) (PCAS) and He-M 524.26(j) (In-Home Supports) all exclude spouses
How many people in Merrimack County might need this?
33,300 residents of Merrimack County are 65 or older and about 3,350 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. New Hampshire's programs exist to pay for exactly that care.
Which towns in Merrimack do you cover?
All of Merrimack County — including Concord, Hooksett, Franklin, Bow and Pembroke. Eligibility is set by New Hampshire, not by your town, so where you live inside the county does not change whether you qualify.
Program facts come from New Hampshire'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 Merrimack County
Start with the New Hampshire caregiver program, then read how the pieces fit together.
Nearby
Counties next to Merrimack
The counties Merrimack touches, by Census boundaries — a few of those borders run across water.
Find out in 2 minutes
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