Malheur County, OR
Get paid to care for your family member in Malheur County, Oregon
About 5,600 people in Malheur County are 65 or older — 17% of everyone who lives here. Malheur County skews younger than Oregon overall, but the families caring for an older parent here face the same bills. Roughly 592 are 85 or older, the age when daily help usually starts. In a rural county, an agency aide may be a long drive away — when one is available at all. That is exactly why the state lets you be the paid caregiver instead.
Who needs care in Malheur
- People 65 and older
- 5,600
- People 85 and older
- 592
- Median age
- 36.1
- Rank in Oregon
- 25th
17% of Malheur residents
the age daily help usually starts
close to the national average
of 36 counties, by residents 65+
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Population Estimates (Vintage 2024). Malheur County is a rural county (USDA Rural-Urban Continuum Code 6). Oregon as a whole is 20% aged 65 or older.
What Oregon pays family caregivers
$20–$24.10/hr
Source: Oregon Medicaid program data · Updated September 2026
Oregon's programs at a glance
- Independent Choices Program (ICP)
- Spousal Pay Program
- Consumer-Employed Provider program
- 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 Oregon guide →
Towns and cities in Malheur County
Oregon sets eligibility, not your town — so a family in Ontario and a family at the far edge of the county apply the same way. The largest communities in Malheur County:
- Ontario11,957
- Nyssa3,269
- Vale2,057
- Adrian160
- Jordan Valley138
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Subcounty Population Estimates.
How families in Malheur apply
You do not need a county office to start. Families in Malheur County start with Oregon's program:
Contact the local Area Agency on Aging / APD office or call ODHS at 800-282-8096 (ADRC 1-855-673-2372) to request an assessment and ask for Independent Choices or Spousal Pay.
Or skip the phone tag — our free 2-minute check tells you which Oregon program fits your family, then we help with the forms.
See if you qualify →Malheur questions, answered honestly
Can I get paid to care for a family member in Malheur County?
Yes. Oregon runs real Medicaid programs — like Independent Choices Program (ICP) — that pay family caregivers, and they cover families in Malheur County. We help you enroll, and applying costs you nothing.
How much do family caregivers earn in Malheur County?
Family caregivers in Oregon typically earn $20–$24.10/hr. The rate is the same across the state, including Malheur County.
Where do families in Malheur County apply?
Families in Malheur County start with the state, not the county. Contact the local Area Agency on Aging / APD office or call ODHS at 800-282-8096 (ADRC 1-855-673-2372) to request an assessment and ask for Independent Choices or Spousal Pay.
Can I get paid to care for my spouse in Malheur County?
Yes — a spouse can be paid here. The fine print for Oregon: yes — spouses can be hired under ICP and the dedicated Spousal Pay Program (spouse must enroll as a provider with the Oregon Home Care Commission)
How many people in Malheur County might need this?
5,600 residents of Malheur County are 65 or older and about 592 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. Oregon's programs exist to pay for exactly that care.
Which towns in Malheur do you cover?
All of Malheur County — including Ontario, Nyssa, Vale, Adrian and Jordan Valley. Eligibility is set by Oregon, not by your town, so where you live inside the county does not change whether you qualify.
Program facts come from Oregon's published Medicaid program rules · Population figures from the U.S. Census Bureau · Updated September 2026. Rules change — always confirm with the program.
More Oregon counties
The programs are the same statewide — pick your county:
Find out in 2 minutes
Answer 5 easy questions. See your programs and pay before you share any contact info.