15 of the 30 Medicare-certified nursing homes in Polk County, Iowa (50%) are for-profit, and all are listed below. Nurse staff turnover runs 61%, 10.9 points higher than the 50.1% across all homes there. 1 of the 15 graded homes earn an A and 4 earn a D or F. Prairie Vista Village in Altoona grades highest at A (92 out of 100).
How for-profit homes in Polk County, Iowa compare
This group set against every nursing home in Polk County, Iowa, from the current CMS release.
Nursing hours per resident per day
3.76
All homes in Polk County, Iowa: 4.22
Worse than the local average
Nurse staff turnover
61%
All homes in Polk County, Iowa: 50.1%
Worse than the local average
Average ElderGrade score
69.6/100
All homes in Polk County, Iowa: 75.8/100
Worse than the local average
Grade spread
B
C
D
1 grade A, 7 grade B, 3 grade C, 4 grade D,
The best-graded for-profit home in Polk County, Iowa is
Prairie Vista Village
in Altoona, IA, grade A, 92/100.
Every for-profit nursing home in Polk County, Iowa
Prairie Vista Village runs on 4.47 nurse hours per resident day, roughly 16% above the national average, and its weekend staffing holds about 16% below its own weekday level, a dip worth asking about if your family visits mainly on Saturdays and Sundays. Staff turnover sits at 37.3%, better than the 45.8% national figure, which matters for whether your parent sees the same faces month to month. Five deficiencies on the current record, none at harm or jeopardy level and none abuse-related, with the last inspection in May 2025. It's a for-profit LLC with 46 beds, small enough that you can reasonably expect the administrator to know your mother's name.
Brio Of Johnston runs a for-profit limited liability operation with 36 certified beds in Polk County, and its nurse staffing sits at 4.57 hours per resident day, roughly 18% above the national average. That margin narrows on weekends, when coverage drops about 10% below the home's own weekday pace. Staff turnover lands at 55.1%, nearly ten points above the national figure, which means the people delivering that care are cycling through faster than average. Twelve deficiencies sit on the current record, one serious enough to involve harm or jeopardy, with a single fine of $6,923 and an inspection dated April 2026. The staffing and quality measure ratings hold at 4 stars each; inspection results sit lower at 3.
Karen Acres runs a tight ship on inspections and quality measures, a four-star health inspection record and five stars on clinical quality, with no deficiencies at the harm level and nothing abuse-related. The trade-off sits in daily staffing: 3.27 nurse hours per resident, roughly 15% under the national average, and weekends run about 7% thinner than weekdays. That gap matters most when a resident needs help on a Saturday afternoon. Turnover is the bright spot, 37.5% versus 45.8% nationally, so caregivers tend to stick around, which helps in a 35-bed building where everyone knows everyone. One recent inspection, June 2025, with ten deficiencies on record but none serious.
Kennybrook Village sits in Grimes with 40 certified beds and an individual for-profit owner. The nurse staffing number is the standout: 4.54 hours per resident day, roughly 18% above the national average, which is why CMS gives it 4 stars on staffing. Weekend coverage drops about 12% from weekday levels, so ask how that plays out on Saturdays. Turnover runs 49.1%, a bit above the national 45.8%, not alarming, but worth knowing. Twelve deficiencies are on record, none at harm or jeopardy level and none abuse-related, and the last inspection was January 2026. Inspection and quality measures both sit at 3 stars.
The Rehabilitation Center of Des Moines runs 74 certified beds under for-profit LLC ownership, and its nurse staffing sits at 3.91 hours per resident day, barely a nose above the national average of 3.86. Weekends thin out about 13% from weekday coverage, so the care you'd see on a Saturday looks lighter than midweek. Turnover is 35.9%, better than the 45.8% national figure, which matters for continuity. What pulls the record down is inspection history: 34 deficiencies on file, including one at harm or jeopardy level and three tied to abuse, with the last survey dated September 2025. The quality measure score of 5 out of 5 contrasts sharply with a 2 out of 5 on both staffing and health inspections, worth asking about directly before deciding.
Sunny View Care Center in Ankeny runs 94 certified beds under for-profit LLC ownership, and the staffing numbers are where I'd start. At 3.34 nurse hours per resident day, it sits about 14% under the national average of 3.86, and weekends dip roughly 15% below its own weekday levels, so coverage thins out exactly when families tend to visit. Turnover at 44.4% is essentially at the national average, meaning the workforce churns steadily without being an outlier either way.
The bigger concern is the inspection record: 42 deficiencies on file, one serious enough to reach harm or jeopardy level, with the last inspection dated January 2026. Quality and staffing measures land mid-range, but that inspection history is what pulls the overall picture down.
Accura Healthcare of South Des Moines runs 89 beds under limited liability ownership, and its staffing numbers look decent on paper, 3.93 nurse hours per resident day, a hair above the national average, though weekends drop about 13% below its own weekday coverage. The trouble sits elsewhere: 67 deficiencies on the current record, including four at the harm or jeopardy level and seven tied to abuse, with two fines totaling $52,632. Staff turnover runs 47.6%, higher than the national average, and the health inspection rating sits at 1 out of 5. The most recent inspection was July 2025, so the record is current, not stale. Good weekday staffing alone doesn't offset that inspection history.
University Park runs on thinner nurse staffing than most homes, 3.41 hours per resident day against a national average of 3.86, and weekends dip about 10% below what it manages during the week. The bigger number is turnover: 97.5% of nursing staff leaving annually, roughly double the national rate, which means the people caring for residents are constantly new. Inspections in March 2026 turned up 22 deficiencies, one tied to abuse, though none rose to the level of actual harm. Its quality measure scores look strong on paper, but those rest on data the staff has to collect and report accurately, and a workforce that turns over almost completely every year makes consistency hard. For-profit corporate ownership, 108 beds.
The Bridges at Ankeny runs on thinner nurse coverage than most Iowa homes, 3.55 hours per resident day against a national average of 3.86, and weekends drop about 12% below its own weekday level, exactly when families tend to visit. Staff turnover is the harder number to get past: 99.1% a year means roughly the entire nursing staff turns over annually, against a national rate near 46%. Its current inspection record carries 39 deficiencies, two of them serious enough to reach harm or jeopardy level, plus a $14,015 fine. The five-star quality measure score reflects how residents are doing clinically; the two-star inspection and staffing ratings reflect what's happening around them.
Harmony West Des Moines runs 113 beds under corporate ownership, and the numbers explain the record. Nurse staffing sits at 3.59 hours per resident day against a national average of 3.86, and weekends dip roughly 10% below its own weekday level, so coverage is thinnest exactly when families tend to visit. Staff turnover is 58.9%, well above the 45.8% national figure, which makes consistent care hard to sustain.
The inspection history is the heavier problem: 46 deficiencies on the current record, including one at the harm level and five tied to abuse. The health inspection rating is 1 out of 5, with the most recent inspection dated March 5, 2026. Quality measures score better at 3 out of 5, but that sits alongside a 2 out of 5 for staffing.
Altoona Nursing and Rehabilitation Center carries 48 deficiencies on its current record, including one tied to abuse, though none reached the harm or jeopardy level. The 106-bed for-profit home in Polk County was inspected most recently on March 19, 2026. Where the numbers get harder to explain away is staffing: CMS gives it 1 out of 5 stars there, and its annual turnover sits at 97.8 percent against a national average of 45.8 percent. That means the aides and nurses caring for residents are, almost without exception, new to the building each year. Inspection and quality measures each land at 2 stars. Families weighing this home against others nearby should ask directly how they hold onto caregivers.
Greater Southside runs on 3.44 nurse hours per resident per day, about 11% under the national average, and weekends drop roughly 22% below its own weekday staffing. That thinner coverage adds up over time: 62.3% of staff left last year against a 45.8% national rate, and CMS flags the home as a Special Focus Facility. The inspection record backs that up, 66 deficiencies, including 8 at harm or jeopardy level and 8 tied to abuse, with four fines totaling $166,443. The most recent inspection was June 2025. For a family weighing this one, the staffing and inspection numbers are the ones that matter most.
Azria Health Park Place carries 70 certified beds under for-profit LLC ownership, and the numbers tell a hard story. Three-and-a-half nurse staffing hours per resident day sits about 9% under the national average, and weekends dip roughly 12% below the home's own weekday levels, so the thinnest coverage lands when families are most likely to visit. Staff turnover near 70% runs well above the national 46%, which means the people providing care keep changing. On inspections, the record shows 70 deficiencies, including three at harm or jeopardy level and five tied to abuse, plus $36,875 in fines. CMS has placed this home in its Special Focus Facility program, a designation reserved for the most persistently troubled nursing homes.
Pine Acres holds 140 certified beds in West Des Moines under for-profit LLC ownership, and the nurse staffing figure, 3.84 hours per resident day, sits roughly even with the national average, though weekends run about 7% thinner than weekdays. The record is where the trouble shows: 85 deficiencies, nine of them at harm or jeopardy level and three abuse-related, plus $353,109 in fines across three CMS actions. Staff turnover is 56.9% against a national 45.8%, and CMS has placed the home in its Special Focus Facility program, a designation reserved for the most persistently poor performers. The last inspection was January 8, 2026.
Royal Oaks is a 115-bed for-profit home in Urbandale that CMS has placed in its Special Focus Facility program, a designation reserved for the homes with the most persistent problems. The inspection record backs that up: 71 deficiencies, seven serious enough to put residents in harm's way, two tied to abuse, and three fines totaling $122,945. Staffing runs about 6% under the national average, and the gap widens on weekends, when coverage drops roughly 9% below its own weekday level. Turnover sits at 66.7%, well above the 45.8% national figure, so the people caring for residents are constantly changing. If you're considering this one, ask hard questions about what's changed since the May 2025 inspection.
Frequently asked questions
How many for-profit nursing homes are there in Polk County, Iowa?
There are 15 for-profit Medicare-certified nursing homes in Polk County, Iowa, 50% of the 30 nursing homes there.
Are for-profit nursing homes better staffed?
In Polk County, Iowa they average 3.76 total nursing hours per resident per day, against 4.22 for all nursing homes in Polk County, Iowa, a difference of -0.46 hours. Staff turnover averages 61% against 50.1%.
Which for-profit nursing home grades best in Polk County, Iowa?