Wasco County, OR
Get paid to care for your family member in Wasco County, Oregon
About 5,860 people in Wasco County are 65 or older — 22% of everyone who lives here. That is an older county than Oregon overall, so more families here are already doing this work. Roughly 568 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.
Who needs care in Wasco
- People 65 and older
- 5,860
- People 85 and older
- 568
- Median age
- 41.3
- Rank in Oregon
- 23rd
22% of Wasco residents
the age daily help usually starts
older than the country as a whole
of 36 counties, by residents 65+
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Population Estimates (Vintage 2024). Wasco County is a rural county (USDA Rural-Urban Continuum Code 7). Oregon as a whole is 20% aged 65 or older.
What Oregon pays family caregivers
$20–$24.10/hr
Source: Oregon Medicaid program data · Updated September 2026
Oregon's programs at a glance
- Independent Choices Program (ICP)
- Spousal Pay Program
- Consumer-Employed Provider program
- Spouse paid?
- Yes
- 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 Oregon guide →
Towns and cities in Wasco County
Oregon sets eligibility, not your town — so a family in The Dalles and a family at the far edge of the county apply the same way. The largest communities in Wasco County:
- The Dalles15,884
- Dufur637
- Mosier466
- Maupin421
- Antelope38
- Shaniko33
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Subcounty Population Estimates.
How families in Wasco apply
You do not need a county office to start. Families in Wasco County start with Oregon's program:
Contact the local Area Agency on Aging / APD office or call ODHS at 800-282-8096 (ADRC 1-855-673-2372) to request an assessment and ask for Independent Choices or Spousal Pay.
Or skip the phone tag — our free 2-minute check tells you which Oregon program fits your family, then we help with the forms.
See if you qualify →Wasco questions, answered honestly
Can I get paid to care for a family member in Wasco County?
Yes. Oregon runs real Medicaid programs — like Independent Choices Program (ICP) — that pay family caregivers, and they cover families in Wasco County. We help you enroll, and applying costs you nothing.
How much do family caregivers earn in Wasco County?
Family caregivers in Oregon typically earn $20–$24.10/hr. The rate is the same across the state, including Wasco County.
Where do families in Wasco County apply?
Families in Wasco County start with the state, not the county. Contact the local Area Agency on Aging / APD office or call ODHS at 800-282-8096 (ADRC 1-855-673-2372) to request an assessment and ask for Independent Choices or Spousal Pay.
Can I get paid to care for my spouse in Wasco County?
Yes — a spouse can be paid here. The fine print for Oregon: yes — spouses can be hired under ICP and the dedicated Spousal Pay Program (spouse must enroll as a provider with the Oregon Home Care Commission)
How many people in Wasco County might need this?
5,860 residents of Wasco County are 65 or older and about 568 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. Oregon's programs exist to pay for exactly that care.
Which towns in Wasco do you cover?
All of Wasco County — including The Dalles, Dufur, Mosier, Maupin and Antelope. Eligibility is set by Oregon, not by your town, so where you live inside the county does not change whether you qualify.
Program facts come from Oregon's published Medicaid program rules · Population figures from the U.S. Census Bureau · Updated September 2026. Rules change — always confirm with the program.
More Oregon counties
The programs are the same statewide — pick your county:
Find out in 2 minutes
Answer 5 easy questions. See your programs and pay before you share any contact info.