CallataGuidesBusiness phone system for agencies providing services for the elderly and persons with disabilities in Alabama
342 agencies providing services for the elderly and persons with disabilities operated in Alabama in 2023. Where they are, how big their teams are, and what phone service costs them.
- Establishments
- 342CBP 2023
- Employees
- 9,757mid-March 2023
- Per 100k residents
- 6.6U.S. 11.8
- State rank
- 32nd of 51by count
The in-home care agency industry in Alabama
County Business Patterns counts 342 establishments in Alabama classified as Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (NAICS 624120) for 2023. They employed 9,757 people in mid-March and reported $217.0 million in annual payroll. That is the 32nd highest count among the 51 states and DC with published figures. Agencies providing services for the elderly and persons with disabilities make up 0.32% of the 105,720 business establishments in the state.
Per 100,000 residents (2024 estimate) Alabama has 6.6 agencies providing services for the elderly and persons with disabilities, 44.0% below the national rate of 11.8. The average establishment has 28.5 employees against 37.9 nationally. Payroll per employee is $22,241, 23.6% below the U.S. figure of $29,098.
| Measure | Alabama | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Establishments | 342 | 40,265 |
| Mid-March employees | 9,757 | 1,527,355 |
| Annual payroll | $217,007,000 | $44,442,733,000 |
| Employees per establishment | 28.5 | 37.9 |
| Payroll per employee | $22,241 | $29,098 |
| Establishments per 100,000 residents | 6.6 | 11.8 |
Census County Business Patterns 2023 (mid-March employment; annual payroll). Employees and payroll flagged high-noise are shown but not used in the text. Residents: Census Vintage 2024 estimates.
Where agencies providing services for the elderly and persons with disabilities in Alabama are concentrated
Census published in-home care agency counts for 20 metro or micropolitan areas that include part of Alabama. The largest is Birmingham, AL, with 89 establishments. Single-state metro and micropolitan areas account for 90% of the statewide total; the rest are outside any published area or in areas Census suppressed.
| Area | Establishments | Employees | Per 100k residents |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham, AL | 89 | 3,343 | 7.5 |
| Huntsville, AL | 33 | 927 | 6.1 |
| Mobile, AL | 32 | 742 | 7.8 |
| Montgomery, AL | 28 | 1,113 | 7.2 |
| Columbus, GA-AL | 22 | 303 | 6.8 |
| Tuscaloosa, AL | 20 | 565 | 7.1 |
| Dothan, AL | 19 | 447 | 12.3 |
| Daphne, AL | 16 | 499 | 6.1 |
| Decatur, AL | 16 | 456 | 10.0 |
| Auburn, AL | 14 | 401 | 6.8 |
| Florence, AL | 10 | — | 6.4 |
| Gadsden, AL | 8 | 130 | 7.8 |
| Anniston, AL | 6 | 126 | 5.2 |
| Fort Payne, AL | 5 | — | 6.8 |
| LaGrange, GA-AL | 4 | — | 3.8 |
| Albertville, AL | 4 | 30 | 3.9 |
| Cullman, AL | 3 | — | 3.2 |
| Alexander City, AL | 3 | — | 7.4 |
| Selma, AL | 3 | 22 | 8.4 |
| Eufaula, AL-GA | 3 | — | 11.2 |
Source: Census County Business Patterns 2023; population from Census Vintage 2024 estimates.
Team sizes at agencies providing services for the elderly and persons with disabilities in Alabama
31.5% of Alabama's agencies providing services for the elderly and persons with disabilities with employees had fewer than five people in March 2023, compared with 35.3% nationally. 46.5% had fewer than ten. That is the size of team where a missed call usually means nobody was free, not that nobody was on staff.
| Employment size | Establishments | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–4 employees | 107 | 31.5% | 35.3% |
| 5–9 employees | 51 | 15.0% | 15.5% |
| 10–19 employees | 54 | 15.9% | 14.7% |
| 20–49 employees | 77 | 22.6% | 17.7% |
| 50 or more employees | 51 | 15.0% | 16.8% |
Employment-size classes count establishments by mid-March 2023 employment. Establishments with no March employees are excluded from the size classes, so shares are of establishments with employees. Source: Census County Business Patterns 2023.
What agencies providing services for the elderly and persons with disabilities in Alabama use the phone for
Non-medical home care agencies schedule caregivers across many client homes, so the phone is used constantly for shift changes, call-outs and new inquiries. Families looking for care often call several agencies in one afternoon.
Typical inbound and outbound calls for agencies providing services for the elderly and persons with disabilities in Alabama:
- A case manager calls with a referral.
- A family member calls to adjust the weekly schedule.
- A family calls to ask about care for a parent coming home from the hospital.
Calls after closing time
Caregiver call-outs often come early in the morning or late at night, so after-hours routing to an on-call coordinator is important.
Callata voicemail is transcribed and triaged for urgency, and business-hours routing decides where calls go once you close.
What a phone system costs an in-home care agency in Alabama
Agencies providing services for the elderly and persons with disabilities in Alabama average 28.5 employees, so the comparison uses a 29-person team. Per-seat business phone plans bill every one of those people. At month-to-month list prices checked September 28, 2026, 29 users on RingCentral RingEX Core cost $870.00 a month and 29 on Ooma Office Pro cost $723.55. On Callata the same 29 people cost $579.00 a month, less than either per-seat plan.
The annual difference against RingCentral's monthly list price comes to $3,492. Some vendors discount annual contracts; the table shows month-to-month prices.
| Provider (plan) | Pricing basis | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Callata (Callata Office) | $99 incl. 5 users, $20 per extra user | $579.00 | $6,948.00 |
| Quo (Starter) | $19.00 per user | $551.00 | $6,612.00 |
| Nextiva (Core) | $23.00 per user | $667.00 | $8,004.00 |
| Ooma (Office Pro) | $24.95 per user | $723.55 | $8,682.60 |
| Dialpad (Standard) | $27.00 per user | $783.00 | $9,396.00 |
| RingCentral (RingEX Core) | $30.00 per user | $870.00 | $10,440.00 |
Competitor prices are each vendor's published month-to-month list price per user for its lowest plan that includes business calling and texting, checked September 28, 2026: Quo Starter $19, Nextiva Core $23, Ooma Office Pro $24.95 (Essentials excludes texting; one-time $29.95 activation not included), Dialpad Standard $27, RingCentral RingEX Core $30 ($20 billed annually). Prices exclude taxes and fees and may change; annual contracts lower some competitors' prices.
Area codes in Alabama
Alabama has 7 geographic area codes in service according to NANPA. You can choose local numbers in the area codes your clients and families know, subject to carrier inventory, or port your current number for free.
| Area code | Exchanges | Time zone | In service since | Overlay with |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 256 | 786 | Central | 1998 | 938 |
| 205 | 785 | Central | 1947 | 659 |
| 334 | 784 | Central | 1995 | 483 |
| 251 | 528 | Central | 2001 | none |
| 938 | 193 | Central | 2010 | 256 |
| 659 | 177 | Central | 2019 | 205 |
| 483 | 11 | Central | 2026 | 334 |
Exchanges are NANPA-assigned central office codes (NPA-NXX) in the rate centers matched to the area's named places. Source: NANPA utilized code and NPA reports.
How Callata works for agencies providing services for the elderly and persons with disabilities in Alabama
Callata is a business phone system priced at $99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user. Callata Office includes up to 3 local business numbers, unlimited inbound calling, 1,500 pooled outbound US and Canada minutes per user each month, a browser softphone that can also ring your cell, voicemail with transcription, call recording with AI summaries, business-hours routing and E911 on every number.
If you already have a number in Alabama, porting it to Callata is free. Texting from a local number requires a one-time carrier registration (10DLC, $49), and the numbers available in any area code depend on carrier inventory when you choose them.
Optional AI agents (receptionist, sales, support or scheduler) can answer calls after hours or when nobody picks up, take messages, text, email and transfer to your team. They are billed from prepaid AI minutes at $0.25 per minute, identify themselves as AI, and may only place outbound calls to people who consented, between 8am and 9pm.
Frequently asked questions
How many agencies providing services for the elderly and persons with disabilities are in Alabama?
342 in 2023, according to Census County Business Patterns. They employed 9,757 people in mid-March.
Which Alabama metro area has the most agencies providing services for the elderly and persons with disabilities?
Birmingham, AL, with 89 establishments in 2023.
What does a phone system cost a 29-person in-home care agency?
$870.00 a month on RingCentral RingEX Core or $723.55 on Ooma Office Pro at month-to-month list prices (checked September 28, 2026); $579.00 on Callata ($99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user).
Do I need to register to text customers from a Alabama number?
Yes. US carriers require business texting from local numbers to be registered (10DLC). On Callata the registration is a one-time $49 fee, and texting turns on once it is approved.