Smith County, TX
Get paid to care for your family member in Smith County, Texas
About 44,800 people in Smith County are 65 or older — 18% of everyone who lives here. That is an older county than Texas overall, so more families here are already doing this work. Roughly 4,830 are 85 or older, the age when daily help usually starts. Agencies operate in Smith County, though families still run into gaps: no weekend coverage, a new aide every few weeks, hours that don't match real life.
Who needs care in Smith
- People 65 and older
- 44,800
- People 85 and older
- 4,830
- Median age
- 37.5
- Rank in Texas
- 18th
18% of Smith residents
the age daily help usually starts
close to the national average
of 254 counties, by residents 65+
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Population Estimates (Vintage 2024). Smith County is a metro county (USDA Rural-Urban Continuum Code 3). Texas as a whole is 14% aged 65 or older.
What Texas 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: Texas Medicaid program data · Updated September 2026
Texas's programs at a glance
- Consumer Directed Services (CDS)
- STAR+PLUS HCBS
- CLASS & MDCP Waivers
- Spouse paid?
- Not right now
- Parent paid for a child?
- Not right now
- Waitlist
- Waitlists can be long — apply early.
These rules are set by the state, so they are the same in every county. Read the full Texas guide →
Towns and cities in Smith County
Texas sets eligibility, not your town — so a family in Tyler and a family at the far edge of the county apply the same way. The largest communities in Smith County:
- Tyler112,219
- Whitehouse9,781
- Lindale7,227
- Bullard4,730
- Hideaway3,402
- Troup2,086
- Arp987
- Noonday777
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Subcounty Population Estimates.
How families in Smith apply
You do not need a county office to start. Families in Smith County start with Texas's program:
Call 877-438-5658 to join the CLASS or MDCP interest list, or 800-964-2777 for the STAR+PLUS HCBS interest list; benefits applications go through YourTexasBenefits.com or 2-1-1 Texas.
Or skip the phone tag — our free 2-minute check tells you which Texas program fits your family, then we help with the forms.
See if you qualify →Smith questions, answered honestly
Can I get paid to care for a family member in Smith County?
Yes. Texas runs real Medicaid programs — like Consumer Directed Services (CDS) — that pay family caregivers, and they cover families in Smith County. We help you enroll, and applying costs you nothing.
How much do family caregivers earn in Smith County?
Reported figures in Texas 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 Smith County apply?
Families in Smith County start with the state, not the county. Call 877-438-5658 to join the CLASS or MDCP interest list, or 800-964-2777 for the STAR+PLUS HCBS interest list; benefits applications go through YourTexasBenefits.com or 2-1-1 Texas.
Can I get paid to care for my spouse in Smith County?
Not right now — but other family members often can be. The fine print for Texas: no — spouses cannot be paid attendants in Medicaid CDS programs; reported exception: state-funded CMPAS may allow a spouse
How many people in Smith County might need this?
44,800 residents of Smith County are 65 or older and about 4,830 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. Texas's programs exist to pay for exactly that care.
Which towns in Smith do you cover?
All of Smith County — including Tyler, Whitehouse, Lindale, Bullard and Hideaway. Eligibility is set by Texas, not by your town, so where you live inside the county does not change whether you qualify.
Program facts come from Texas'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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