Valuing the Invaluable 2026

Family caregivers provide the majority of long-term services and supports in the United States, assisting adults with disabilities and complex health needs with daily tasks of living, complex medical and nursing tasks, and coordination of medical and social services—nearly all without pay. Drawing on Caregiving in the US 2025, this report estimates that the 59 million caregivers of adults provided 49.5 billion hours of care in 2024 at an average value of $20.41 per hour. This sums to a total economic value of $1.01 trillion for all adult caregiving in 2024. 

Using new methods that reflect the full range and intensity of caregiving tasks, the analysis highlights the growing demands placed on caregivers and the substantial value of their work. The report also presents state-level estimates demonstrating variation in the local economic value of caregiving, driven by differences in wages and the cost of care in each state. Read the full report.

Key takeaways:

• An estimated 59 million family caregivers helped an adult family member, neighbor, or friend with daily activities during the year; about 37 million of these caregivers (63 percent) provided care each month.
• All together, these family caregivers provided a total of 49.5 billion hours of care during the year, adding up to a total economic value of $1.01 trillion (an average of $20.41 per hour).
• The economic value of family caregiving exceeded the total amount of federal, state, and local Medicaid spending in 2024 ($932 billion).