Free toolSee what Pierce families get paid →

Get paid to care for family in Pierce County

Most of the 7,740 people in Pierce County who are 65 or older are cared for at home, by a relative. Wisconsin Medicaid can pay you for that work.

Pierce County at a glance

Aged 65+
7,740

18% of residents

Aged 85+
742

when daily help usually starts

Rank in WI
42nd

of 72 counties, by residents 65+

Median age
38.7

close to the national average

The front porch of an ordinary home, typical of Pierce County

U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Population Estimates (Vintage 2024). Pierce County is a smaller-city county (Rural-Urban Continuum Code 1).

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 Pierce

What being a paid caregiver looks like here

About 7,740 people in Pierce County are 65 or older — 18% of everyone who lives here. That tracks with Wisconsin as a whole. Roughly 742 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

Rates vary — check with the program.

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 Pierce County

Wisconsin sets eligibility, not your town — so a family in River Falls and a family at the far edge of the county apply the same way. The largest communities in Pierce County:

  • River Falls12,807
  • Prescott4,584
  • Ellsworth3,341
  • Oak Grove2,531
  • Clifton2,280
  • River Falls2,271
  • Trenton1,947
  • Trimbelle1,722

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Subcounty Population Estimates.

How families in Pierce apply

You do not need a county office to start. Families in Pierce 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 →

Pierce questions, answered honestly

Can I get paid to care for a family member in Pierce County?

Yes. Wisconsin runs real Medicaid programs — like IRIS — that pay family caregivers, and they cover families in Pierce County. We help you enroll, and applying costs you nothing.

How much do family caregivers earn in Pierce 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 Pierce County apply?

Families in Pierce 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 Pierce 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 Pierce County might need this?

7,740 residents of Pierce County are 65 or older and about 742 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 Pierce do you cover?

All of Pierce County — including River Falls, Prescott, Ellsworth, Oak Grove and Clifton. 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.

Nearby

Counties next to Pierce

The counties Pierce 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.

Find out in 2 minutes

Answer 5 easy questions. See your programs and pay before you share any contact info.

See if you qualify