Quick summary: Unpaid family caregivers in the US provide an estimated $590 billion worth of care each year, with more than 37 million people contributing 34.5 billion hours of unpaid work that would otherwise fall to professional services. New research from Polaris Home Care ranks states by the per capita value of this labour, with Alaska leading at £1,654 per resident, 28% above the national average, pointing towards significant regional variation in both caregiving demand and the cost of replacing it. The findings carry clear implications for public policy, as an ageing population will place growing pressure on families who already absorb enormous care costs without recognition or financial support.
Unpaid family caregivers across the US contribute an estimated $590 billion annually in care that would otherwise require professional services, according to new research from home care agency Polaris Home Care.
The analysis ranks states by the per capita value of unpaid care, using local wages for home health and personal care aides. It comes as demographic pressures on families continue to intensify with an ageing population.
Alaska tops the ranking at £1,654 per resident, a figure 28% higher than the national average. Alaskan families provided around 89 million hours of unpaid care in 2024, equivalent to £1.23 billion in economic value.
Top 10 states by per capita value of unpaid family care
- Alaska: £1,654 per capita. Average caregiver wage £13.80. Total economic value £1.23 billion
- Washington: £1,639 per capita. Average caregiver wage £16.48. Total economic value £13.06 billion
- Kentucky: £1,596 per capita. Average caregiver wage £12.63. Total economic value £7.32 billion
- Maryland: £1,561 per capita. Average caregiver wage £13.57. Total economic value £9.78 billion
- Oregon: £1,557 per capita. Average caregiver wage £15.07. Total economic value £6.65 billion
- Maine: £1,533 per capita. Average caregiver wage £13.62. Total economic value £2.16 billion
- Massachusetts: £1,486 per capita. Average caregiver wage £14.23. Total economic value £10.61 billion
- Connecticut: £1,481 per capita. Average caregiver wage £13.75. Total economic value £5.45 billion
- New Hampshire: £1,480 per capita. Average caregiver wage £13.09. Total economic value £2.09 billion
- New York: £1,472 per capita. Average caregiver wage £13.92. Total economic value £29.24 billion
Nationally, more than 37 million Americans provide unpaid care to family members, accounting for 34.5 billion hours of work each year. At professional rates, this would be valued at £431 billion. Values were calculated by combining estimated unpaid care hours per state with average 2024 wages for home health and personal care aides, then scaling by population.
A largely invisible economic contribution
Greg Kemper, CEO of Polaris Home Care, said: “The financial impact of family caregiving often goes unrecognised, yet our research shows the enormous economic value of this unpaid work. Our findings estimate that more than one in ten Americans provides unpaid care to family members.”
He added: “Translating these hours of work into their equivalent paid value highlights the huge contribution family caregivers make every day in households across the US, while the state by state ranking shines a light on the states that may benefit from increased caregiver support or more accessible professional services.”
Kemper also pointed to longer term pressures from population ageing. “This is a vital issue to be addressed with the ageing population across the nation. According to Census figures, the population aged 65 and over grew by an unprecedented rate of 38.6% in just ten years between 2010 and 2020. As the population ages, care needs will grow too. Therefore, any potential areas for reform, support, or improvement, should be addressed now, and these figures can help with that future planning.”
Experts note that while unpaid care delivers significant financial savings, it also places considerable demands on families. As demographic shifts continue, policies to ease this burden, including better access to professional home care services, could become increasingly important.
Unpaid family caregiving is valued at up to £1,654 per resident in top states according to new research.