Merrimack County, NH
Get paid to care for your family member in Merrimack County, New Hampshire
About 33,300 people in Merrimack County are 65 or older — 21% of everyone who lives here. That tracks with New Hampshire as a whole. Roughly 3,350 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 Merrimack
- People 65 and older
- 33,300
- People 85 and older
- 3,350
- Median age
- 43.0
- Rank in New Hampshire
- 3rd
21% of Merrimack residents
the age daily help usually starts
older than the country as a whole
of 10 counties, by residents 65+
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Population Estimates (Vintage 2024). Merrimack County is a smaller-city county (USDA Rural-Urban Continuum Code 4). New Hampshire as a whole is 22% aged 65 or older.
What New Hampshire pays family caregivers
$15–$22/hr
Your exact pay is set by the program and your care plan. We'll tell you your real number before you enroll.
Source: New Hampshire Medicaid program data · Updated September 2026
New Hampshire's programs at a glance
- Choices for Independence (CFI) Waiver
- PCAS
- In-Home Supports Waiver (children)
- Spouse paid?
- Yes
- Parent paid for a child?
- Sometimes
- Waitlist
- Some programs have no waitlist.
These rules are set by the state, so they are the same in every county. Read the full New Hampshire guide →
Towns and cities in Merrimack County
New Hampshire sets eligibility, not your town — so a family in Concord and a family at the far edge of the county apply the same way. The largest communities in Merrimack County:
- Concord44,674
- Hooksett15,377
- Franklin8,823
- Bow8,397
- Pembroke7,567
- Henniker6,267
- Hopkinton6,146
- Loudon5,740
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Subcounty Population Estimates.
How families in Merrimack apply
You do not need a county office to start. Families in Merrimack County start with New Hampshire's program:
Apply via NH Easy online or a district DHHS office; ServiceLink/ADRC (866-634-9412) assists with CFI; for PCAS enroll in NH Medicaid then submit a Request for Services to Granite State Independent Living.
Or skip the phone tag — our free 2-minute check tells you which New Hampshire program fits your family, then we help with the forms.
See if you qualify →Merrimack questions, answered honestly
Can I get paid to care for a family member in Merrimack County?
Yes. New Hampshire runs real Medicaid programs — like Choices for Independence (CFI) Waiver — that pay family caregivers, and they cover families in Merrimack County. We help you enroll, and applying costs you nothing.
How much do family caregivers earn in Merrimack County?
Reported figures in New Hampshire are around $15–$22/hr, but rates vary — the program sets your exact pay. We'll tell you your real number before you enroll.
Where do families in Merrimack County apply?
Families in Merrimack County start with the state, not the county. Apply via NH Easy online or a district DHHS office; ServiceLink/ADRC (866-634-9412) assists with CFI; for PCAS enroll in NH Medicaid then submit a Request for Services to Granite State Independent Living.
Can I get paid to care for my spouse in Merrimack County?
Yes — a spouse can be paid here. The fine print for New Hampshire: yes — CFI participant-directed and PCAS both allow hiring a spouse (PCAS: caregiver may not be the participant's durable power of attorney)
How many people in Merrimack County might need this?
33,300 residents of Merrimack County are 65 or older and about 3,350 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. New Hampshire's programs exist to pay for exactly that care.
Which towns in Merrimack do you cover?
All of Merrimack County — including Concord, Hooksett, Franklin, Bow and Pembroke. Eligibility is set by New Hampshire, not by your town, so where you live inside the county does not change whether you qualify.
Program facts come from New Hampshire'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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