Get paid to care for family in Tompkins County
Most of the 18,000 people in Tompkins County who are 65 or older are cared for at home, by a relative. New York Medicaid can pay you for that work.
Tompkins County at a glance
- Aged 65+
- 18,000
- Aged 85+
- 1,960
- Rank in NY
- 31st
- Median age
- 31.9
17% of residents
when daily help usually starts
of 62 counties, by residents 65+
close to the national average
U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Population Estimates (Vintage 2024). Tompkins County is a metro county (Rural-Urban Continuum Code 3).
- 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 Tompkins
What being a paid caregiver looks like here
About 18,000 people in Tompkins County are 65 or older — 17% of everyone who lives here. That tracks with New York as a whole. Roughly 1,960 are 85 or older, the age when daily help usually starts. Agencies operate in Tompkins County, though families still run into gaps: no weekend coverage, a new aide every few weeks, hours that don't match real life.
Statewide, 3.8 million people in New York are 65 or older — 19% of the state, across 62 counties.
What New York pays family caregivers
$18.65–$20.65/hr
Source: New York Medicaid program data · Updated September 2026
New York's programs at a glance
- CDPAP
- Spouse paid?
- Not right now
- Parent paid for a child?
- Not right now
- Waitlist
- No waitlist.
These rules are set by the state, so they are the same in every county. Read the full New York guide →
Towns and cities in Tompkins County
New York sets eligibility, not your town — so a family in Ithaca and a family at the far edge of the county apply the same way. The largest communities in Tompkins County:
- Ithaca33,768
- Ithaca21,214
- Dryden13,467
- Lansing11,949
- Groton5,539
- Newfield4,922
- Ulysses4,839
- Danby3,348
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Subcounty Population Estimates.
How families in Tompkins apply
You do not need a county office to start. Families in Tompkins County start with New York's program:
Apply through the county Department of Social Services (or Medicaid Helpline); enrolled members go through their care manager/MLTC plan, then consumer and caregiver register with PPL.
Or skip the phone tag — our free 2-minute check tells you which New York program fits your family, then we help with the forms.
See if you qualify →Tompkins questions, answered honestly
Can I get paid to care for a family member in Tompkins County?
Yes. New York runs real Medicaid programs — like CDPAP — that pay family caregivers, and they cover families in Tompkins County. We help you enroll, and applying costs you nothing.
How much do family caregivers earn in Tompkins County?
Family caregivers in New York typically earn $18.65–$20.65/hr. The rate is the same across the state, including Tompkins County.
Where do families in Tompkins County apply?
Families in Tompkins County start with the state, not the county. Apply through the county Department of Social Services (or Medicaid Helpline); enrolled members go through their care manager/MLTC plan, then consumer and caregiver register with PPL.
Can I get paid to care for my spouse in Tompkins County?
Not right now — but other family members often can be. The fine print for New York: no — spouses cannot be hired as CDPAP personal assistants
How many people in Tompkins County might need this?
18,000 residents of Tompkins County are 65 or older and about 1,960 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 York's programs exist to pay for exactly that care.
Which towns in Tompkins do you cover?
All of Tompkins County — including Ithaca, Ithaca, Dryden, Lansing and Groton. Eligibility is set by New York, not by your town, so where you live inside the county does not change whether you qualify.
Program facts come from New York'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 Tompkins County
Start with the New York 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.