33 Government-Run Nursing Homes in California

Nurse hours

6.40 /day

Staff turnover

7%

Serious cites

0

Alameda County Medical Center D/P SNF runs on a government hospital district license with 109 certified beds, and the numbers behind its record are unusually steady. Nurse staffing sits at 6.40 hours per resident day, roughly two-thirds above the national average, and weekend coverage dips only about 7% from weekday levels, a gap that's small compared to what most homes show. Staff turnover is 6.9% against a national average near 46%, which matters because consistent caregivers tend to know residents' routines. The 18 deficiencies on record include none at the harm or jeopardy level and none tied to abuse, and the most recent inspection was in August 2024. All three CMS star ratings, health inspection, quality measures, and staffing, come in at 5 out of 5.

Nurse hours

6.03 /day

Staff turnover

28%

Serious cites

0

The Fresno Veterans Home is state-run and staffed at 6.03 nurse hours per resident day, roughly 56% above the national average of 3.86. Weekend coverage dips about 12% below its own weekday levels, so ask how that plays out on a Sunday. Staff turnover sits at 28.3% against a national average near 46%, which matters for whether you see the same faces month to month. The record shows 29 deficiencies, none at harm or jeopardy level and none abuse-related, with the most recent inspection dated January 30, 2026. All three CMS star ratings, health inspection, quality measures, and staffing, come in at 4 or 5 out of 5.

Nurse hours

5.67 /day

Staff turnover

23%

Serious cites

0

The state-run veterans home in Barstow runs on 5.67 nurse hours per resident per day, roughly half again what the typical American nursing home provides, and its staff tends to stay: turnover sits near 23 percent against a national average close to 46. Weekend coverage does dip about 11 percent below weekday levels, worth asking about. Inspectors have cited 12 deficiencies, none at the level of actual harm or jeopardy, though two involve abuse, which is a category families should ask about directly. The last full inspection was April 23, 2026, so the record is recent, and the home holds top federal marks across health inspections, quality measures, and staffing alike.

Nurse hours

10.32 /day

Staff turnover

31%

Serious cites

0

State-run homes in California don't usually post nurse staffing of 10.32 hours per resident day, that's roughly two and a half times the national figure, and it shows up in the five-star staffing rating. Weekend coverage holds within about 4% of weekday levels, so the care doesn't thin out on Saturdays, and turnover at 31.3% sits well below the 45.8% national average. The catch is oversight: 25 deficiencies on the current record, including two tied to abuse, with the most recent inspection in May 2026 and a two-star health inspection rating. None of those deficiencies rose to harm or jeopardy level, which matters, but the volume is worth asking about directly.

Nurse hours

4.80 /day

Staff turnover

17%

Serious cites

0

The state-run veterans home in Chula Vista runs 4.80 nurse hours per resident per day, roughly a quarter above the national average, with a 5/5 CMS staffing rating and turnover at 17.3 percent, well under the 45.8 percent national figure. Those numbers help explain its B grade, but the 34 deficiencies on file matter too, including one at the harm level and two abuse-related citations, with a single $8,018 fine. Weekend staffing dips about 12 percent below its own weekday level. A January 2026 inspection is recent enough to trust. Solid staffing and stable workforce; the citation record is the piece to weigh.

Nurse hours

5.82 /day

Staff turnover

35%

Serious cites

0

The state-run veterans home in West Los Angeles has 312 certified beds and a nurse staffing level of 5.82 hours per resident day, roughly 51% above the national average of 3.86. That staffing cushion is real, and it shows in a 35.3% turnover rate that beats the national 45.8%. The catch is inspections: a 2-out-of-5 health inspection rating, with 46 deficiencies on the current record. None were flagged at the harm or jeopardy level, but three are abuse-related, which families should ask about directly. The most recent inspection was December 12, 2025, so the record is current. Strong hands-on care, weaker regulatory track record.

Nurse hours

5.92 /day

Staff turnover

39%

Serious cites

0

The state-run Veterans Home of California in Redding employs nurses at 5.92 hours per resident day, roughly 53% above the national average of 3.86, and its staff turnover of 38.9% sits below the national 45.8%. That staffing depth shows up in the CMS ratings: 5 out of 5 for staffing, quality measures, and 4 out of 5 on health inspections, with the most recent inspection dated April 2026. The record isn't spotless. Twenty-one deficiencies are documented, including one at the harm or jeopardy level and three tied to abuse, plus a single fine of $8,278. Weekend coverage drops about 16% below weekday levels. Strong day-to-day staffing, a handful of serious findings worth asking about directly.

Nurse hours

8.33 /day

Staff turnover

n/a

Serious cites

0

Zuckerberg San Francisco General's skilled nursing unit is run by the city and county, and it shows in the numbers: 8.33 nurse hours per resident day, roughly double the national average. Weekend staffing dips about 14 percent below its own weekday level, which is worth knowing if your family visits or calls on Saturdays and Sundays. The current record carries 12 deficiencies, none at the harm or jeopardy level and none abuse-related, and the last inspection was in January 2026. With 30 beds, it's small enough that staffing and oversight stay close to the residents.

Nurse hours

7.12 /day

Staff turnover

38%

Serious cites

0

Mountains Community Hospital's skilled nursing unit runs on a hospital district's license with just 19 certified beds, and its inspection record is clean where it counts: ten deficiencies on file, none at the harm level, none tied to abuse, and a survey completed in June 2025. The staffing picture cuts against expectations, though. Reported nurse hours come to 7.12 per resident day, roughly 84 percent above the national figure, yet CMS scores staffing 1 out of 5 and weekend coverage drops about 10 percent below weekdays. Turnover sits at 37.5 percent, better than the 45.8 percent national rate. Quality measures land mid-range at 3 out of 5.

Nurse hours

7.02 /day

Staff turnover

26%

Serious cites

0

Nurse staffing at this state-run veterans home runs about 7.02 hours per resident day, roughly 82% above the national average, and it earns the top CMS staffing rating. Turnover sits at 26.2%, well under the national 45.8%. Those are real strengths. The inspection side is where it gets complicated: 41 deficiencies on record, including 3 at the harm or jeopardy level and 2 tied to abuse. The last inspection was March 2026. Weekend staffing dips about 15% below its own weekday levels, so the strong average thins out on Saturdays and Sundays. CMS rates the health inspection 3 out of 5 stars and quality measures 2 out of 5. Plenty of hands on weekdays, but a documented history worth asking about directly.

Nurse hours

8.73 /day

Staff turnover

12%

Serious cites

0

O'Connor Hospital's skilled nursing unit is small, 24 beds, and county-run, which tends to mean steadier staffing than the for-profit average, and the numbers bear that out. Nurse staffing sits at 8.73 hours per resident day, well over twice the national figure, and weekend coverage only dips about 10% below weekdays instead of falling off a cliff. Staff turnover is 11.5% against a national 45.8%, so the people caring for residents largely stay put. The tradeoff is paperwork: 23 deficiencies on the current record, though none rose to harm or jeopardy and none involved abuse, and the last inspection was recent, in August 2025.

Nurse hours

4.31 /day

Staff turnover

13%

Serious cites

0

Hazel Hawkins runs on a hospital district's budget, and the numbers show where the money goes: nurse staffing at 4.31 hours per resident per day, about 12% above the national average, with a 5-star staffing rating to match. Turnover sits at 13.3% against a national average of 45.8%, that kind of retention is rare and usually means residents see the same faces. The catch is weekends, when coverage drops roughly 15% below the home's own weekday level. Inspections turned up 28 deficiencies, one abuse-related, though none at the harm or jeopardy level, and the last visit was September 2025.

Nurse hours

7.89 /day

Staff turnover

n/a

Serious cites

0

Nurse staffing at Helen Bernardy Center runs about 7.89 hours per resident day, roughly double the national average of 3.86. Weekends dip only about 7 percent below its own weekday levels, so coverage stays fairly steady rather than thinning out when families tend to visit. The health inspection record shows 13 deficiencies, none at the harm or jeopardy level and none abuse-related, with the most recent inspection dated March 2026. It's a government hospital-district home with 43 certified beds, and its quality measure and health inspection ratings both sit at the top of CMS's scale. The staffing rating is one notch lower, which is worth asking about directly if you tour.

Nurse hours

4.87 /day

Staff turnover

n/a

Serious cites

0

Surprise Valley Community Hospital's skilled nursing unit is a 22-bed government-run operation in Cedarville, and the staffing numbers here tell an unusual story. Total nursing time runs 4.87 hours per resident day, roughly a quarter above the national average, with weekends barely dipping below weekday coverage, which matters in a small rural home where backup staff aren't easy to call in. Inspections in May 2025 turned up 22 deficiencies, none at the harm or jeopardy level, though four were abuse-related; that's a lot of paperwork findings for a building this size, and worth asking about directly. The hospital district owns it, so there's no corporate parent to chase if something goes wrong.

Nurse hours

7.00 /day

Staff turnover

24%

Serious cites

0

Kaweah Health Skilled Nursing Center is run by the local hospital district, and its staffing reflects that: 7.00 nurse hours per resident day, roughly 81% above the national average. Weekend coverage dips only about 5% below weekday levels, so care doesn't thin out much on Saturdays and Sundays. Turnover sits at 23.6%, about half the national rate, which matters more than any single inspection score because it means the people caring for residents tend to stick around. The inspection record shows 25 deficiencies, one at the harm level, with no abuse citations, and the most recent survey was in January 2026. Quality measures score 5/5, though the staffing star comes in lower at 3/5 despite those hours.

Nurse hours

6.90 /day

Staff turnover

12%

Serious cites

0

The Villas At Poway runs on unusually deep nurse staffing, 6.90 hours per resident day against a national average of 3.86, and weekend coverage only dips about 12% below its weekday level, so care doesn't thin out as much when families visit. Staff turnover sits at 11.8% while the national figure is 45.8%, which means the people caring for residents tend to stick around. The tradeoff shows up in its inspection history: 40 deficiencies currently on record, including one at the harm level and three tied to abuse, plus ten fines totaling $57,124. Its last inspection was in May 2025, so the picture is recent. Strong staffing and retention, but the survey record is the thing to ask about directly.

Nurse hours

6.53 /day

Staff turnover

51%

Serious cites

0

John C. Fremont Healthcare District's skilled nursing unit runs on unusually heavy staffing for its size: 6.53 nurse hours per resident day, roughly 69% above the national average, which matters a lot in a 16-bed hospital-based unit where residents tend to be sicker. The tradeoff shows up elsewhere. Weekend coverage drops about 15% below its own weekday level, and annual turnover sits at 51.2%, higher than the 45.8% national figure, so the hours are there, but the faces change. Fifteen deficiencies appear on the current record, none at harm or jeopardy level and none abuse-related, with the last inspection in February 2026. As a government hospital-district home, it answers to public oversight rather than a chain.

Nurse hours

4.57 /day

Staff turnover

n/a

Serious cites

0

Lompoc Valley Medical Center's skilled nursing unit runs on government-hospital-district money, and it shows in the staffing: 4.57 nurse hours per resident day, roughly 18 percent above the national average of 3.86. That's a real cushion, though weekends dip about 16 percent below the home's own weekday levels, so coverage isn't perfectly even. The inspection record is the strongest part of the story, a 5-star health inspection rating, a survey completed in March 2026, and 19 deficiencies on file with none at the harm or jeopardy level. Three of those are abuse-related, which is worth asking about directly. Quality measures sit at 4 stars, staffing at 4 stars. For a 110-bed public facility, the pattern is steady rather than spotless.

Nurse hours

4.19 /day

Staff turnover

51%

Serious cites

0

Oakdale Nursing and Rehabilitation Center runs on a hospital-district license with 115 certified beds, and its staffing is the strongest card it holds, 4.19 nurse hours per resident day, roughly 9% above the national figure. That headcount comes with a catch: weekends run about 12% leaner than weekdays, and turnover sits at 51.4%, higher than the 45.8% national average, so the faces around a resident change fairly often. The inspection record shows 33 deficiencies with none at the harm or jeopardy level and nothing abuse-related, and the most recent state visit was in March 2025. Nothing here suggests danger; it reads more like a home getting the basics right while working through a long list of smaller problems.

Nurse hours

5.64 /day

Staff turnover

24%

Serious cites

0

Baldwin Gardens runs on unusually heavy staffing for a 59-bed home, 5.64 nurse hours per resident day against a national average of 3.86, with turnover at 24.3% versus 45.8% nationally. That continuity matters, though weekend coverage dips about 9% below weekday levels. The tradeoff sits in the inspection record: 35 deficiencies, one tied to abuse, though none rose to harm or jeopardy, and the most recent survey is recent enough to trust. Quality measures scored lower than staffing did, which is worth asking about directly. Federal ownership is uncommon in this setting and can mean different oversight than a chain. Ask about that abuse citation and what changed after it.