Last reviewed October 2026 by the Family Lantern team against the sources listed below. Programs and rates change; confirm details with the program or provider.
Home care is usually billed by the hour, and the rate depends on the type of help, the schedule, and the provider. The figures below are statewide survey medians, not quotes. Use them as a starting point, then ask each provider for their current rates in writing.
What the most recent survey shows
In CareScout’s 2025 Cost of Care Survey, conducted July–November 2025, the median rate for a non-medical in-home caregiver in New York State was $35 an hour. At 44 hours a week for a year, that works out to about $80,080.
This is a statewide median. CareScout publishes some figures by metro area, but we have not confirmed a separate Buffalo figure, so treat $35 as a reference point rather than a local price. Rates in Western New York can be higher or lower than the state median.
Why one quote differs from another
Non-medical home care (help with bathing, dressing, meals, and companionship) is priced differently from skilled care delivered by nurses or therapists. Skilled home health ordered by a doctor is often paid for by Medicare or other insurance rather than by the hour.
Within non-medical care, the price can change with the schedule. Ask whether evenings, weekends, holidays, overnight shifts, or live-in arrangements are billed at a different rate, and whether there is a minimum number of hours per visit or per week.
Questions that make quotes comparable
Ask every provider the same questions: What is the hourly rate for the schedule we need? Is there a minimum visit length? Are there extra charges for mileage, errands, or holidays? How often are we billed, and what is the cancellation policy?
Also ask whether caregivers are employees of the agency or independent workers, because that affects who handles payroll taxes, insurance, and replacement caregivers.
Help paying for care
Some families qualify for Medicaid home care, veterans’ benefits, long-term care insurance, or New York’s EISEP program for adults 60 and older. Our guide to private-pay versus covered care explains each option. Erie County residents can also call NY Connects at (716) 858-8526 for free guidance on local programs.