Sussex County, DE
Get paid to care for your family member in Sussex County, Delaware
About 86,300 people in Sussex County are 65 or older — 32% of everyone who lives here. That is an older county than Delaware overall, so more families here are already doing this work. Roughly 6,410 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.
Who needs care in Sussex
- People 65 and older
- 86,300
- People 85 and older
- 6,410
- Median age
- 52.9
- Rank in Delaware
- 2nd
32% of Sussex residents
the age daily help usually starts
older than the country as a whole
of 3 counties, by residents 65+
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Population Estimates (Vintage 2024). Sussex County is a smaller-city county (USDA Rural-Urban Continuum Code 4). Delaware as a whole is 22% aged 65 or older.
What Delaware pays family caregivers
$13–$21/hr
Your exact pay is set by the program and your care plan. We'll tell you your real number before you enroll.
Source: Delaware Medicaid program data · Updated September 2026
Delaware's programs at a glance
- DSHP-Plus self-directed care
- Spouse paid?
- Yes
- Parent paid for a child?
- Yes
- Waitlist
- No waitlist.
These rules are set by the state, so they are the same in every county. Read the full Delaware guide →
Towns and cities in Sussex County
Delaware sets eligibility, not your town — so a family in Seaford and a family at the far edge of the county apply the same way. The largest communities in Sussex County:
- Seaford8,952
- Georgetown8,098
- Milford8,045
- Millsboro7,864
- Laurel4,395
- Milton3,773
- Lewes3,702
- Selbyville3,285
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Subcounty Population Estimates.
How families in Sussex apply
You do not need a county office to start. Families in Sussex County start with Delaware's program:
Call the DMMA Central Intake Unit at 866-940-8963 to request an application; eligibility determination (financial + nursing-facility level of care) can take up to 3 months.
Or skip the phone tag — our free 2-minute check tells you which Delaware program fits your family, then we help with the forms.
See if you qualify →Sussex questions, answered honestly
Can I get paid to care for a family member in Sussex County?
Yes. Delaware runs real Medicaid programs — like DSHP-Plus self-directed care — that pay family caregivers, and they cover families in Sussex County. We help you enroll, and applying costs you nothing.
How much do family caregivers earn in Sussex County?
Reported figures in Delaware are around $13–$21/hr, but rates vary — the program sets your exact pay. We'll tell you your real number before you enroll.
Where do families in Sussex County apply?
Families in Sussex County start with the state, not the county. Call the DMMA Central Intake Unit at 866-940-8963 to request an application; eligibility determination (financial + nursing-facility level of care) can take up to 3 months.
Can I get paid to care for my spouse in Sussex County?
Yes — a spouse can be paid here. The fine print for Delaware: yes — spouses and other relatives can be hired under DSHP-Plus self-directed attendant care (the separate state-funded Personal Attendant Services program excludes spouses)
How many people in Sussex County might need this?
86,300 residents of Sussex County are 65 or older and about 6,410 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. Delaware's programs exist to pay for exactly that care.
Which towns in Sussex do you cover?
All of Sussex County — including Seaford, Georgetown, Milford, Millsboro and Laurel. Eligibility is set by Delaware, not by your town, so where you live inside the county does not change whether you qualify.
Program facts come from Delaware'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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