Eau Claire County, WI
Get paid to care for your family member in Eau Claire County, Wisconsin
About 19,500 people in Eau Claire County are 65 or older — 18% of everyone who lives here. That tracks with Wisconsin as a whole. Roughly 2,140 are 85 or older, the age when daily help usually starts. Agencies operate in Eau Claire County, though families still run into gaps: no weekend coverage, a new aide every few weeks, hours that don't match real life.
Who needs care in Eau Claire
- People 65 and older
- 19,500
- People 85 and older
- 2,140
- Median age
- 36.3
- Rank in Wisconsin
- 17th
18% of Eau Claire residents
the age daily help usually starts
close to the national average
of 72 counties, by residents 65+
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Population Estimates (Vintage 2024). Eau Claire County is a metro county (USDA Rural-Urban Continuum Code 3). Wisconsin as a whole is 20% aged 65 or older.
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 Eau Claire County
Wisconsin sets eligibility, not your town — so a family in Eau Claire and a family at the far edge of the county apply the same way. The largest communities in Eau Claire County:
- Eau Claire69,970
- Altoona9,302
- Washington7,506
- Pleasant Valley3,842
- Seymour3,245
- Union2,571
- Bridge Creek2,181
- Brunswick1,926
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Subcounty Population Estimates.
How families in Eau Claire apply
You do not need a county office to start. Families in Eau Claire 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 →Eau Claire questions, answered honestly
Can I get paid to care for a family member in Eau Claire County?
Yes. Wisconsin runs real Medicaid programs — like IRIS — that pay family caregivers, and they cover families in Eau Claire County. We help you enroll, and applying costs you nothing.
How much do family caregivers earn in Eau Claire 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 Eau Claire County apply?
Families in Eau Claire 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 Eau Claire 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 Eau Claire County might need this?
19,500 residents of Eau Claire County are 65 or older and about 2,140 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 Eau Claire do you cover?
All of Eau Claire County — including Eau Claire, Altoona, Washington, Pleasant Valley and Seymour. 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.
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