Home health care is designed to assist individuals recovering from an illness, injury, or surgery, as well as those managing chronic conditions. This wide range of care services can be provided at home, and the goal is to help patients recover and regain independence. For anyone who needs extra care and wants to remain in their home, proper care and support can make all the difference. But how much do you know about this kind of care? Here are 52 home health statistics to think about.
The Basic Details on Home Health Agencies
It is essential to understand the basic details of home health agencies and how they work. There are a large number of these agencies operating in the US and around the world, and their origins date back to the early 1800s. With over one million people working in the industry just in the US and millions receiving care, home health is a big part of medical support for many older Americans.
1. As of 2023, there were 11,506 home health agencies in the United States (Statista, 2025).
2. For-profit agencies make up 83.5% of total health care agencies (Centers for Disease Control, 2020).
3. The first home health care agency was started by the Ladies Benevolent Society (LBS) in Charleston, SC, back in 1813 (Buhler-Wilkerson, 2001, via LibreTexts Medicine).
4. Nearly 1.4 million people work in the United States home health care industry (Statista, 2024).
5. Three million patients received and ended care during the year 2020 (Centers for Disease Control, 2020).
How the Home Health Market is Growing
Not only is the home health care market important and valuable, but it’s also growing rapidly. That’s good news for individuals looking for jobs in the industry and for those who need care, too. Since the aging population is growing right along with the home health care market, having supportive professionals who can help improve the quality of life for older Americans is essential.
6. In 2024, the US home health care market had a value of $100.95 billion (Fortune Business Insights, 2025).
7. Current projections show the industry growing to a value of $176.30 billion by 2032 (Fortune Business Insights, 2025).
8. Globally, the home health care market is projected to reach $587 billion by 2031 (GlobeNewswire, 2025).
Stats on the Aging Population
People are living longer, and as the Baby Boomer generation ages, there will be an influx of elderly individuals who need care and support. Most of them want or need to stay in their homes, which means they will require some care in that location. While not everyone needs this level of care as they age, many people do, at least at a very late age or if they have a medical condition.
9. The number of Americans over 65 continues to grow, with 58 million in 2022 and 82 million by 2050, which is a 47% increase (Population Reference Bureau, 2024).
10. By 2050, the number of people in the US who are 85 or older is projected to reach 19 million, which will be 5% of the total population (Institute on Aging, 2025).
11. As of 2022, approximately 17.3% of the total US population was age 65 or older (America’s Health Rankings, 2024).
Prevalence of Conditions Requiring Home Health Care
Many different types of conditions may require home health care professionals. Whether someone is suffering from dementia or heart disease, or there are other issues they’re facing, different conditions can require a person to need home health care services. Not everyone who needs this kind of care is elderly, but the vast majority of patients are between 60 and 65 years old.
12. An estimated 7.2 million Americans age 65 and older are living with Alzheimer’s dementia in 2025 (Alzheimer’s Association, 2025).
13. Of the 7.2 million people aged 65 and older with Alzheimer’s dementia in the United States, 4.4 million are women and 2.8 million are men. (Alzheimer’s Association, 2025).
14. In 2022, one in five deaths, or 702,880 people, died from heart disease (Centers for Disease Control, 2024).
15. 2 million Americans have type 1 diabetes (American Diabetes Association, 2025).
16. Nearly 95% of people who are over the age of 60 have at least one chronic health condition, with nearly 80% managing two or more conditions (National Council on Aging, 2025).
Seniors Are Focused on Aging in Place
The goal of most seniors who own their homes, as well as many who rent a place they love and have lived in for a long time, is to age in place or remain at home for as long as possible, safely and independently. That’s far easier to do when they can have the compassionate, quality care they’re looking for. From activities of daily living to more medical-based needs, having care can help seniors stay in their homes instead of being transferred to a nursing home or assisted living facility.
17. In 2022, a relatively small number of people (1.3 million) 65 and older lived in nursing homes. However, the percentage of the population increased with age, ranging from 1% for people 65-74 and 3% for people 75-84 to 8% for people over 85 (Administration for Community Living, 2023).
18. Women need care longer (3.7 years) than men (2.2 years) (Administration for Community Living, 2025).
It can cost approximately $70,800 per year in an assisted living facility (Genworth, 2024).
20. During any given year, nearly 17% of the US population provides care for a senior member of their family (Caregiving, 2020).
Life Expectancy Trends Are Impacting Home Health
One of the reasons for an increase in home health care jobs over the next decade and beyond is the life expectancy numbers. The pandemic affected those numbers negatively, but they are expected to come back up again. People are simply living longer than they used to, and the number of people living into their 90s and past 100 is also increasing. Individuals in these age brackets generally require more care than their younger counterparts, even if they are generally healthy.
21. In 2021, there were 89,739 people in the US who were 100 years of age or older (Population Division of the United Nations, via The Hill, 2023).
22. 85% of centenarians (people aged 100 or over) are women, while just 15% are men (Boston University Medical Campus, 2023).
23. The COVID-19 pandemic reduced the overall life expectancy numbers by three years on average, but numbers are expected to rise again (Harvard Health Publishing, 2022).
Home Health Aide and Nurse Numbers
Many caregivers are unpaid family members or friends of an older person, but there are also millions of licensed nurses and other health aides, as well. Many home health aides go on to become nurses later in life, and many nurses actually work in home health agencies, where they travel to patients’ homes to provide check-ins and medical care, including physical therapy, dressing changes, monitoring vital signs, and more.
24. Between 2014 and 2023, the number of direct care workers increased from 3.5 million to 5 million due to growing demand for long-term care. (Alzheimer’s Association, 2025).
25. There are nearly 4.7 million registered nurses (RNs) nationwide. Of all licensed RNs, 89% are employed in nursing (American Association of Colleges of Nursing, 2025).
26. 70% of nurses worked as aides or home health workers before becoming Registered Nurses (Health Resources & Services Administration, 2024).
27. The average annual salary for a home health care worker in the United States is $33,177, but experienced workers can earn up to $80,000 annually (Talent, 2024).
28. A nurse can expect a median pay salary of $93,600 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025).
Current Home Health Care Patients and Their Needs
Most of the home health care patients in the US have Medicare, which is designed for adults aged 65 or older. These individuals need a variety of services from the service providers who help them. Some patients may need specific forms of medical care, while others may require companionship, help with daily life activities, and assistance with medical appointments and other errands.
29. Every year, approximately 12 million Americans receive home health care services (Market, 2025).
30. Approximately 86% of home health care patients are age 65 or older (Market, 2025).
31. Medicare is the largest company for payments involving home health care services, with approximately 42% of visits (Market, 2025).
32. Nearly 90% of people who use home health care prefer to stay in their own homes (Market, 2025).
Support and Outcomes With Home Health Care
Home health care can be beneficial for patients. The majority of them showed more improvement when they received help after being discharged from the hospital. When doctors look into the support patients have and get them what they need, patients are much more likely to see success. This also reduces readmission rates, keeping patients away from a cycle of frequent hospitalizations that can further compromise their health.
33. Patients discharged with home health care had an 80.2% improvement in activities of daily living vs. patients who didn’t have help at home (JAMA, 2019).
34. Routine home care accounts for 98% of all hospice care for those who choose to die at home (HealthCare Appraisers, 2024).
35. In 2020, hospital stays with an expected payer of Medicare had the highest readmission rate (17.0 per 100 index admissions) (AHRQ, 2023).
36. The average cost of readmissions was 12.4% higher than the average cost of index admissions (AHRQ, 2023).
37. Only 26% of physician discharge summaries include information about the patient’s physical functioning (AHRQ, 2021).
Not All Home Health Agencies Offer Every Service
Finding the right home care service matters. Most services offer a similar level of care, but that’s not the case with every agency. Additionally, it’s important to find an agency that feels comfortable and welcoming, as compassionate care can be so much more valuable to a patient’s mental health than someone who clearly doesn’t want to be there or help them.
38. 78% of home health agencies are Medicaid-certified and generally offer nursing, physical therapy, and hospice care (Statista, 2024).
39. In 2016, 98.7% of home health agencies were Medicare-certified, providing a variety of services to Medicare recipients needing extra care (Statista, 2024).
40. In 2020, 8.3% of Medicare beneficiaries on the FFS (fee for service) model used some form of home health care (CMS, 2024).
Satisfaction, Visit Numbers, and Costs of Home Health Care
Most patients are happy with the home health care they receive, and they feel comfortable with the workers who come into their homes to help them. Medicare will cover a set amount of care within a specific time period for most recipients, but a patient needing more may have out-of-pocket costs; those can be high depending on the type and level of care that’s needed.
41. Clients are very satisfied with their home health care overall, with 91% expressing their satisfaction (Market, 2025).
42. There were 424 million home health care visits in 2020, an increase of 7.6% from 2013 (Market, 2025).
43. Medicare typically covers up to 8 hours per day or 28 per week, whichever comes first, but may go up to 35 hours per week if requested by the healthcare provider (Medicare, 2025).
44. Many home health care services are covered by Medicare, and a patient would pay $0 for those services (Medicare, 2025).
45. The hourly median cost for a home health aide is $30, with the monthly cost being $6,483
across the United States (Genworth, 2024).
Compare the Costs: Home Health vs. Institutional Care
In some cases, home health care can cost more than assisted living, but it is not usually the case. These costs often depend on the level of home care received and the number of hours required. Averages are important, but they aren’t necessarily accurate for everyone. A patient who only needs a small amount of home care may see far lower costs than they would in a nursing facility or other institution.
46. The average annual cost of a home health aide is $77,792, with a private room in a nursing home costing $127,750 (Genworth, 2024).
47. The average assisted living facility costs $70,800 annually, while adult day care typically costs approximately $26,000 (Genworth, 2024).
48. States have very different rates for home health care, with Alabama costing $57,200 per year and Hawaii costing $97,240 per year (Genworth, 2024).
Challenges Facing the Home Health Industry
The home health industry is facing some challenges. There are worker shortages, cost issues, concerns with Medicare and other insurance reimbursement, and ongoing issues that need to be solved. However, as the industry continues to grow and more workers are brought in to help care for the aging population, patients can get quality care, and workers can experience rewarding careers full of purpose.
49. The rising costs of home health care are predicted to continue, with an increase of up to 8.5% in 2024 (Unbiased, 2024).
50. 69% of company leaders say their caregiver shortages are “Very Painful” or “Extremely Painful” (AxisCare, 2024).
51. Highly variable schedules for home health nurses increase their chances of leaving by up to 20% (Penn LDI, 2023).
52. Patient neglect to follow medical advice or treatment plans, provided for various reasons such as a misunderstanding, can complicate the management of their condition and slow down their recovery process (Nursing Education, 2024).
The Bottom Line on Home Health Statistics
It’s easy to see that home health is a complex and dynamic area of the healthcare field, with many details involved. The landscape of home health is changing, too, because the population is aging, and more people need care. Additionally, seniors are looking for ways to age in place and remain in their homes so they don’t have to move to skilled nursing facilities or assisted living communities. Having home health support can make that easier and provide peace of mind.
When recovering from illness or injury, transitioning from a hospital stay, or working to regain independence, being able to do so in the privacy and comfort of your home is an added benefit to helping you reach your goals faster. Boost Home Healthcare delivers the care you or your loved one needs in the space you love.
Ready to learn more about how home health services can support your aging parents’ care needs? Start your assessment today by connecting to a Boost Home Healthcare location near you.
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