Bristol County, RI
Get paid to care for your family member in Bristol County, Rhode Island
About 11,300 people in Bristol County are 65 or older — 23% of everyone who lives here. That is an older county than Rhode Island overall, so more families here are already doing this work. Roughly 1,360 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 Bristol
- People 65 and older
- 11,300
- People 85 and older
- 1,360
- Median age
- 44.7
- Rank in Rhode Island
- 5th
23% of Bristol residents
the age daily help usually starts
older than the country as a whole
of 5 counties, by residents 65+
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Population Estimates (Vintage 2024). Bristol County is a smaller-city county (USDA Rural-Urban Continuum Code 1). Rhode Island as a whole is 20% aged 65 or older.
What Rhode Island pays family caregivers
$15/hr
Your exact pay is set by the program and your care plan. We'll tell you your real number before you enroll.
Source: Rhode Island Medicaid program data · Updated September 2026
Rhode Island's programs at a glance
- Personal Choice Program
- Independent Provider Program
- Spouse paid?
- Not right now
- Parent paid for a child?
- Not right now
- Waitlist
- Some programs have no waitlist.
These rules are set by the state, so they are the same in every county. Read the full Rhode Island guide →
Towns and cities in Bristol County
Rhode Island sets eligibility, not your town — so a family in Bristol and a family at the far edge of the county apply the same way. The largest communities in Bristol County:
- Bristol22,023
- Barrington17,027
- Warren11,095
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Subcounty Population Estimates.
How families in Bristol apply
You do not need a county office to start. Families in Bristol County start with Rhode Island's program:
Apply for Medicaid LTSS through RI DHS (call 855-697-4347 or The Point at 401-462-4444), then choose the Personal Choice self-directed option through one of the three partner agencies.
Or skip the phone tag — our free 2-minute check tells you which Rhode Island program fits your family, then we help with the forms.
See if you qualify →Bristol questions, answered honestly
Can I get paid to care for a family member in Bristol County?
Yes. Rhode Island runs real Medicaid programs — like Personal Choice Program — that pay family caregivers, and they cover families in Bristol County. We help you enroll, and applying costs you nothing.
How much do family caregivers earn in Bristol County?
Reported figures in Rhode Island are around $15/hr, but rates vary — the program sets your exact pay. We'll tell you your real number before you enroll.
Where do families in Bristol County apply?
Families in Bristol County start with the state, not the county. Apply for Medicaid LTSS through RI DHS (call 855-697-4347 or The Point at 401-462-4444), then choose the Personal Choice self-directed option through one of the three partner agencies.
Can I get paid to care for my spouse in Bristol County?
Not right now — but other family members often can be. The fine print for Rhode Island: no — spouses are prohibited from being hired in both Personal Choice and the IP Program (adult children and other relatives allowed)
How many people in Bristol County might need this?
11,300 residents of Bristol County are 65 or older and about 1,360 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. Rhode Island's programs exist to pay for exactly that care.
Which towns in Bristol do you cover?
All of Bristol County — including Bristol, Barrington and Warren. Eligibility is set by Rhode Island, not by your town, so where you live inside the county does not change whether you qualify.
Program facts come from Rhode Island's published Medicaid program rules · Population figures from the U.S. Census Bureau · Updated September 2026. Rules change — always confirm with the program.
More Rhode Island counties
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