1,830.3 thousand jobs
Home health care services employed 1,830.3 thousand people in the US in December 2025.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics1,816.3 thousand jobs
Home health care services employed 1,816.3 thousand people in December 2024.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics1,661.4 thousand jobs
Home health care services employed 1,661.4 thousand people in December 2023.
U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsSource: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Why this market is moving now
- Home health care employment grew from 1,501.9 thousand in December 2021 to 1,830.3 thousand in December 2025.
- The latest BLS reading, September 2026, is 1,894.2 thousand (preliminary).
- Medicare paid $16.0 billion to over 12,000 home health agencies in 2024.
- MedPAC's March 2026 report recommends a 7% cut to the 2026 Medicare base payment rate for home health agencies in 2027.
Key figures
Each figure links to the page it came from.
| Figure | Value | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home health care services employed 1,830.3 thousand people in the US in December 2025. | 1,830.3 thousand jobs | 2025 | U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics |
| Home health care services employed 1,816.3 thousand people in December 2024. | 1,816.3 thousand jobs | 2024 | U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics |
| Home health care services employed 1,661.4 thousand people in December 2023. | 1,661.4 thousand jobs | 2023 | U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics |
| Home health care services employed 1,894.2 thousand people in September 2026 (preliminary). | 1,894.2 thousand jobs | 2026 | U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics |
| There were approximately 12,200 home health agencies and 7,000 hospice agencies in the US in 2025. | 12,200 home health agencies | 2025 | Enhabit, Inc. (SEC Form 10-K, citing CMS provider data) |
| Enhabit cites a CMS projection of approximately $174 billion spent on broader home health expenditures in 2025. | 174 USD billion (projected, broader home health expenditures) | 2025 | Enhabit, Inc. (SEC Form 10-K, citing CMS National Health Expenditures) |
| Enhabit's home health segment generated $813.8 million of net service revenue in 2025, 76.8% of its total. | 813.8 USD million | 2025 | Enhabit, Inc. (SEC Form 10-K) |
| Enhabit operated 249 home health and 117 hospice locations across 34 states at the end of 2025. | 249 home health locations | 2025 | Enhabit, Inc. (SEC Form 10-K) |
| Medicare's total payments for home health care were $16.0 billion in 2024. | 16.0 USD billion | 2024 | Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) |
| About 2.7 million Medicare beneficiaries used home health care in 2024. | 2.7 million beneficiaries | 2024 | Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) |
| Over 12,000 home health agencies participated in Medicare in 2024. | 12,000+ agencies | 2024 | Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) |
| MedPAC projects a fee-for-service Medicare margin of 19% for freestanding home health agencies in 2026. | 19 % projected FFS Medicare margin | 2026 | Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) |
| MedPAC recommended that Congress cut the 2026 Medicare base payment rate for home health agencies by 7% for calendar year 2027. | 7 % recommended payment reduction | 2027 | Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) |
Companies to watch
Enhabit
Operated 249 home health and 117 hospice locations in 34 states at the end of 2025.
What the full report covers
- 1
Executive summary
The answer on two pages: size, growth and what drives it.
- 2
Market size and outlook
History, the current year and a five-year view with base, low and high cases.
- 3
Segments and regions
Splits by product, buyer and geography across the US, Europe and MEA.
- 4
Company profiles
The main players, how they compete and where they are investing.
- 5
Data and method
Every figure in Excel, with the sources and assumptions behind it.
- 01Executive summary
The answer in one page: size, direction and what moves it - 02Market definition and scope
What is in and out of the United States market - 03Market size, 2021 to 2025
Historical series and growth rates - 04Outlook to 2031
Base, low and high scenarios with stated assumptions - 05Rules, policy and deadlines
Regulation and programmes that change demand - 06Drivers and barriers
What accelerates or slows adoption, by customer segment - 07Prices, costs and margins
Unit economics where public data allows - 08Competitive landscape
8 to 12 company profiles with recent moves - 09Opportunities and risks
For new entrants, suppliers and investors - 10Method and sources
Every assumption and source, listed
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Frequently asked questions
How many people work in home health care in the US?
The Bureau of Labor Statistics shows home health care services employed 1,830.3 thousand people in December 2025 and 1,894.2 thousand in September 2026 (preliminary).
How fast is home health employment growing?
BLS data show employment rose from 1,501.9 thousand in December 2021 to 1,830.3 thousand in December 2025.
How many home health agencies are there?
MedPAC says over 12,000 agencies participated in Medicare in 2024. Enhabit's 10-K, citing CMS data, says about 12,200 home health agencies operated in 2025.
How much does Medicare spend on home health?
MedPAC reports Medicare's total payments for home health care were $16.0 billion in 2024, for about 2.7 million beneficiaries. Enhabit's 10-K also cites a CMS projection of about $174 billion for broader home health expenditures in 2025.
Who are the main home health companies?
Enhabit is one public provider: its home health segment had $813.8 million of net service revenue in 2025 across 249 locations.
Are Medicare home health payments going to be cut?
MedPAC's March 2026 report recommends Congress reduce the 2026 Medicare base payment rate for home health agencies by 7% for 2027. It is a recommendation, not law. MedPAC projects a 19% margin for freestanding agencies in 2026.
Sources and method
The figures on this page come from the public sources listed below. Read how we work.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Current Employment Statistics, series CES6562160001 (Home health care services, all employees, thousands) (2026-10)
CES6562160001 2025 December 1830.3
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Current Employment Statistics, series CES6562160001 (Home health care services, all employees, thousands) (2026-10)
CES6562160001 2024 December 1816.3
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Current Employment Statistics, series CES6562160001 (Home health care services, all employees, thousands) (2026-10)
CES6562160001 2023 December 1661.4
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Current Employment Statistics, series CES6562160001 (Home health care services, all employees, thousands) (2026-10)
CES6562160001 2026 September 1894.2 preliminary
- Enhabit, Inc. (SEC Form 10-K, citing CMS provider data): Enhabit, Inc. Annual Report on Form 10-K for fiscal year 2025 (2026-03-05)
there were approximately 12,200 home health agencies and 7,000 hospice agencies nationwide in 2025
- Enhabit, Inc. (SEC Form 10-K, citing CMS National Health Expenditures): Enhabit, Inc. Annual Report on Form 10-K for fiscal year 2025 (2026-03-05)
projected approximately $174 billion to be spent on broader home health expenditures
- Enhabit, Inc. (SEC Form 10-K): Enhabit, Inc. Annual Report on Form 10-K for fiscal year 2025 (2026-03-05)
generated $813.8 million in Net service revenue, or 76.8% of Enhabit’s total Net service revenue.
- Enhabit, Inc. (SEC Form 10-K): Enhabit, Inc. Annual Report on Form 10-K for fiscal year 2025 (2026-03-05)
As of December 31, 2025, we operated 249 home health and 117 hospice locations across 34 states.
- Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC): Home health care services payment system (Payment Basics, revised October 2026) (2026-10-15)
in 2024, total payments were $16.0 billion.
- Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC): Home health care services payment system (Payment Basics, revised October 2026) (2026-10-15)
About 2.7 million beneficiaries used home health care in 2024.
- Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC): Home health care services payment system (Payment Basics, revised October 2026) (2026-10-15)
Over 12,000 agencies participated in the program in 2024.
- Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC): Report to the Congress: Medicare Payment Policy, March 2026, Chapter 8: Home health care services (2026-03)
We project a FFS Medicare margin of 19 percent for freestanding HHAs in 2026.
- Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC): Report to the Congress: Medicare Payment Policy, March 2026, Chapter 8: Home health care services (2026-03)
For calendar year 2027, the Congress should reduce the 2026 Medicare base payment rate for home health agencies by 7 percent.
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