Get paid to care for family in Columbia County
Most of the 12,200 people in Columbia County who are 65 or older are cared for at home, by a relative. Wisconsin Medicaid can pay you for that work.
Columbia County at a glance
- Aged 65+
- 12,200
- Aged 85+
- 1,190
- Rank in WI
- 26th
- Median age
- 43.7
21% of residents
when daily help usually starts
of 72 counties, by residents 65+
older than the country
U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Population Estimates (Vintage 2024). Columbia County is a smaller-city 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 Columbia
What being a paid caregiver looks like here
About 12,200 people in Columbia County are 65 or older — 21% of everyone who lives here. That tracks with Wisconsin as a whole. Roughly 1,190 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, 1.2 million people in Wisconsin are 65 or older — 20% of the state, across 72 counties.
What Wisconsin pays family caregivers
$12–$17/hr
Your exact pay is set by the program and your care plan. We'll tell you your real number before you enroll.
Source: Wisconsin DHS IRIS program data · Updated September 2026
Wisconsin's programs at a glance
- IRIS
- Family Care
- Personal Care Services (PCS)
- CLTS Waiver (children)
- Spouse paid?
- Yes
- Parent paid for a child?
- Sometimes
- Waitlist
- No waitlist.
These rules are set by the state, so they are the same in every county. Read the full Wisconsin guide →
Towns and cities in Columbia County
Wisconsin sets eligibility, not your town — so a family in Portage and a family at the far edge of the county apply the same way. The largest communities in Columbia County:
- Portage9,975
- Columbus5,429
- Lodi3,257
- Lodi3,200
- Poynette2,834
- Pacific2,780
- Dekorra2,485
- Wisconsin Dells2,453
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Subcounty Population Estimates.
How families in Columbia apply
You do not need a county office to start. Families in Columbia County start with Wisconsin's program:
Contact the local Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) or Tribal aging and disability resource specialist for eligibility screening and an in-person functional assessment, then choose IRIS over Family Care.
Or skip the phone tag — our free 2-minute check tells you which Wisconsin program fits your family, then we help with the forms.
See if you qualify →Columbia questions, answered honestly
Can I get paid to care for a family member in Columbia County?
Yes. Wisconsin runs real Medicaid programs — like IRIS — that pay family caregivers, and they cover families in Columbia County. We help you enroll, and applying costs you nothing.
How much do family caregivers earn in Columbia County?
Reported figures in Wisconsin are around $12–$17/hr, but rates vary — the program sets your exact pay. We'll tell you your real number before you enroll.
Where do families in Columbia County apply?
Families in Columbia County start with the state, not the county. Contact the local Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) or Tribal aging and disability resource specialist for eligibility screening and an in-person functional assessment, then choose IRIS over Family Care.
Can I get paid to care for my spouse in Columbia County?
Yes — a spouse can be paid here. The fine print for Wisconsin: yes — relatives, including spouses, can be hired per medicaidplanningassistance.org
How many people in Columbia County might need this?
12,200 residents of Columbia County are 65 or older and about 1,190 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. Wisconsin's programs exist to pay for exactly that care.
Which towns in Columbia do you cover?
All of Columbia County — including Portage, Columbus, Lodi, Lodi and Poynette. Eligibility is set by Wisconsin, not by your town, so where you live inside the county does not change whether you qualify.
Program facts come from Wisconsin'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 Columbia County
Start with the Wisconsin caregiver program, then read how the pieces fit together.
Nearby
Counties next to Columbia
The counties Columbia touches, by Census boundaries — a few of those borders run across water.
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