Get paid to care for family in Ector County
Most of the 16,800 people in Ector County who are 65 or older are cared for at home, by a relative. Texas Medicaid can pay you for that work.
Ector County at a glance
- Aged 65+
- 16,800
- Aged 85+
- 1,490
- Rank in TX
- 44th
- Median age
- 31.6
9.9% of residents
when daily help usually starts
of 254 counties, by residents 65+
younger than the country
U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Population Estimates (Vintage 2024). Ector 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 Ector
What being a paid caregiver looks like here
About 16,800 people in Ector County are 65 or older — 9.9% of everyone who lives here. Ector County skews younger than Texas overall, but the families caring for an older parent here face the same bills. Roughly 1,490 are 85 or older, the age when daily help usually starts. Agencies operate in Ector County, though families still run into gaps: no weekend coverage, a new aide every few weeks, hours that don't match real life.
Statewide, 4.4 million people in Texas are 65 or older — 14% of the state, across 254 counties.
What Texas pays family caregivers
$13–$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: Texas Medicaid program data · Updated September 2026
Texas's programs at a glance
- Consumer Directed Services (CDS)
- STAR+PLUS HCBS
- CLASS & MDCP Waivers
- Spouse paid?
- Not right now
- Parent paid for a child?
- Not right now
- 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 Texas guide →
Towns and cities in Ector County
Texas sets eligibility, not your town — so a family in Odessa and a family at the far edge of the county apply the same way. The largest communities in Ector County:
- Odessa115,515
- Goldsmith229
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Subcounty Population Estimates.
How families in Ector apply
You do not need a county office to start. Families in Ector County start with Texas's program:
Call 877-438-5658 to join the CLASS or MDCP interest list, or 800-964-2777 for the STAR+PLUS HCBS interest list; benefits applications go through YourTexasBenefits.com or 2-1-1 Texas.
Or skip the phone tag — our free 2-minute check tells you which Texas program fits your family, then we help with the forms.
See if you qualify →Ector questions, answered honestly
Can I get paid to care for a family member in Ector County?
Yes. Texas runs real Medicaid programs — like Consumer Directed Services (CDS) — that pay family caregivers, and they cover families in Ector County. We help you enroll, and applying costs you nothing.
How much do family caregivers earn in Ector County?
Reported figures in Texas are around $13–$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 Ector County apply?
Families in Ector County start with the state, not the county. Call 877-438-5658 to join the CLASS or MDCP interest list, or 800-964-2777 for the STAR+PLUS HCBS interest list; benefits applications go through YourTexasBenefits.com or 2-1-1 Texas.
Can I get paid to care for my spouse in Ector County?
Not right now — but other family members often can be. The fine print for Texas: no — spouses cannot be paid attendants in Medicaid CDS programs; reported exception: state-funded CMPAS may allow a spouse
How many people in Ector County might need this?
16,800 residents of Ector County are 65 or older and about 1,490 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. Texas's programs exist to pay for exactly that care.
Which towns in Ector do you cover?
All of Ector County — including Odessa and Goldsmith. Eligibility is set by Texas, not by your town, so where you live inside the county does not change whether you qualify.
Program facts come from Texas'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 Ector County
Start with the Texas caregiver program, then read how the pieces fit together.
Find out in 2 minutes
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