Get paid to care for family in Minnehaha County
Most of the 30,200 people in Minnehaha County who are 65 or older are cared for at home, by a relative. South Dakota Medicaid can pay you for that work.
Minnehaha County at a glance
- Aged 65+
- 30,200
- Aged 85+
- 2,850
- Rank in SD
- 1st
- Median age
- 36.2
14% of residents
when daily help usually starts
of 66 counties, by residents 65+
younger than the country
U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Population Estimates (Vintage 2024). Minnehaha County is a metro county (Rural-Urban Continuum Code 2).
- 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 Minnehaha
What being a paid caregiver looks like here
About 30,200 people in Minnehaha County are 65 or older — 14% of everyone who lives here. Minnehaha County skews younger than South Dakota overall, but the families caring for an older parent here face the same bills. Roughly 2,850 are 85 or older, the age when daily help usually starts. Agencies operate in Minnehaha County, though families still run into gaps: no weekend coverage, a new aide every few weeks, hours that don't match real life.
Statewide, 173,800 people in South Dakota are 65 or older — 19% of the state, across 66 counties.
What South Dakota pays family caregivers
$392/week
Your exact pay is set by the program and your care plan. We'll tell you your real number before you enroll.
Source: South Dakota Medicaid program data · Updated September 2026
South Dakota's programs at a glance
- Structured Family Caregiving (HOPE Waiver)
- Spouse paid?
- Yes
- Parent paid for a child?
- Not right now
- Waitlist
- There may be a waitlist — apply early.
These rules are set by the state, so they are the same in every county. Read the full South Dakota guide →
Towns and cities in Minnehaha County
South Dakota sets eligibility, not your town — so a family in Sioux Falls and a family at the far edge of the county apply the same way. The largest communities in Minnehaha County:
- Sioux Falls168,750
- Brandon10,837
- Dell Rapids3,825
- Hartford3,600
- Crooks1,369
- Baltic1,331
- Garretson1,169
- Valley Springs872
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Subcounty Population Estimates.
How families in Minnehaha apply
You do not need a county office to start. Families in Minnehaha County start with South Dakota's program:
Call Dakota at Home at 833-663-9673 or your local DSS office; financial eligibility goes through DSS and the LTSS functional assessment through DHS at the same time.
Or skip the phone tag — our free 2-minute check tells you which South Dakota program fits your family, then we help with the forms.
See if you qualify →Minnehaha questions, answered honestly
Can I get paid to care for a family member in Minnehaha County?
Yes. South Dakota runs real Medicaid programs — like Structured Family Caregiving (HOPE Waiver) — that pay family caregivers, and they cover families in Minnehaha County. We help you enroll, and applying costs you nothing.
How much do family caregivers earn in Minnehaha County?
Reported figures in South Dakota are around $392/week, but rates vary — the program sets your exact pay. We'll tell you your real number before you enroll.
Where do families in Minnehaha County apply?
Families in Minnehaha County start with the state, not the county. Call Dakota at Home at 833-663-9673 or your local DSS office; financial eligibility goes through DSS and the LTSS functional assessment through DHS at the same time.
Can I get paid to care for my spouse in Minnehaha County?
Yes — a spouse can be paid here. The fine print for South Dakota: yes — spouses may serve as the paid SFC caregiver; caregiver and recipient must live in the same home
How many people in Minnehaha County might need this?
30,200 residents of Minnehaha County are 65 or older and about 2,850 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. South Dakota's programs exist to pay for exactly that care.
Which towns in Minnehaha do you cover?
All of Minnehaha County — including Sioux Falls, Brandon, Dell Rapids, Hartford and Crooks. Eligibility is set by South Dakota, not by your town, so where you live inside the county does not change whether you qualify.
Program facts come from South Dakota'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 Minnehaha County
Start with the South Dakota caregiver program, then read how the pieces fit together.
Nearby
Counties next to Minnehaha
The counties Minnehaha touches, by Census boundaries — a few of those borders run across water. Ones marked with a state abbreviation are across the line, and their rules are their state's, not this one's.
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