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166 Independent Nursing Homes in Iowa

166 of the 388 Medicare-certified nursing homes in Iowa (43%) are independently owned, and all are listed below. 66 of the 166 graded homes earn an A and 4 earn a D or F. They average 4.09 nursing hours per resident per day, 0.27 hours above the 3.82 for every home in Iowa. Iowa Veterans Home in Marshalltown grades highest at A (99 out of 100).

How independently owned homes in Iowa compare

This group set against every nursing home in Iowa, from the current CMS release.

Nursing hours per resident per day

4.09

All homes in Iowa: 3.82

Better than the local average

Nurse staff turnover

41.2%

All homes in Iowa: 44.1%

Better than the local average

Average ElderGrade score

81.4/100

All homes in Iowa: 77.9/100

Better than the local average

Grade spread

A
B
C

66 grade A, 81 grade B, 15 grade C, 4 grade D,

The best-graded independently owned home in Iowa is Iowa Veterans Home in Marshalltown, IA, grade A, 99/100.

Every independently owned nursing home in Iowa

Showing 1 to 20 of 166, best-graded first.

A

99/100

St Francis Manor

Grinnell, IA · Poweshiek County

CMS 5/578 bedsNon-profitMedicaid
Nurse hours
4.85 /day
Staff turnover
28%
Serious cites
0

St Francis Manor runs on unusually deep staffing for a nursing home, 4.85 nurse hours per resident day, roughly a quarter above the national average, and its weekend coverage drops only about 12% from weekdays, which is a smaller dip than many homes show. Staff turnover sits at 27.6% against a national 45.8%, so the people caring for residents tend to stay. The inspection record is thin: two deficiencies total, none at the harm or jeopardy level, though one is abuse-related, which is worth asking about directly. The most recent inspection was in May 2026. As a nonprofit, there's no owner extracting a margin.

A

99/100

Iowa Veterans Home

Marshalltown, IA · Marshall County

CMS 5/5702 bedsGovernmentMedicaid
Nurse hours
4.74 /day
Staff turnover
25%
Serious cites
0

The Iowa Veterans Home in Marshalltown runs 702 certified beds as a state government operation, and the numbers behind its record are unusually steady. Nurse staffing sits at 4.74 hours per resident day, about 23 percent above the national average of 3.86, and weekend coverage dips only about 14 percent below its own weekday level, a gap that's common but worth knowing if your visits fall on Saturdays or Sundays. Staff turnover is 24.7 percent against a national average of 45.8 percent, meaning caregivers here tend to stay. The home carries just two deficiencies on its current record, neither at the harm level and none abuse-related, with its last inspection dated April 16, 2026.

A

97.5/100

Story Medical Senior Care

Nevada, IA · Story County

CMS 5/560 bedsGovernmentMedicaid
Nurse hours
4.79 /day
Staff turnover
29%
Serious cites
0

Story Medical Senior Care runs on county ownership, and the numbers back up what that stability usually buys: 4.79 nurse hours per resident day, roughly a quarter above the national average, with staff turnover at 29.3% against a national 45.8%. Five deficiencies on the current record, none at the harm or jeopardy level, though three are abuse-related, worth asking about directly. Weekend staffing drops about 18% below weekday levels, a common pattern but still a gap you'd want to know about. The last inspection was April 30, 2026, so the record is recent. Quality and staffing measures both sit at the top of CMS's scale.

A

96/100

Sunrise Terrace Nursing & Rehabilitation Center

Winfield, IA · Henry County

CMS 5/546 bedsFor-profitMedicaid
Nurse hours
4.14 /day
Staff turnover
12%
Serious cites
0

Sunrise Terrace runs a tight ship on paper, and the numbers hold up. Staffing sits at 4.14 nurse hours per resident day, about 7% above the national average, and weekend coverage dips only slightly below weekdays, a modest gap that suggests the schedule doesn't fall apart on Saturdays. The standout is turnover: 12.1% against a national average near 46%, which means the people caring for your family member are more likely to still be there next year. One deficiency on the current record, none involving harm or abuse, and the most recent inspection was in July 2025. A for-profit corporation owns it, so watch the margins, but the state survey results are recent and clean.

A

96/100

Woodland Terrace

Waverly, IA · Bremer County

CMS 5/5100 bedsNon-profitMedicaid
Nurse hours
4.44 /day
Staff turnover
41%
Serious cites
0

Woodland Terrace runs a hundred beds in Waverly as a nonprofit, and its staffing is the strongest part of the picture: 4.44 nurse hours per resident day, roughly 15 percent above the national average of 3.86. Weekend hours dip about 6 percent below its own weekday level, and staff turnover sits at 40.9 percent, a few points better than the 45.8 percent national figure. The record isn't clean, though. Fourteen deficiencies are on file, including one at the harm or jeopardy level and two tied to abuse. Inspectors last visited in May 2025. So you're weighing generous daily staffing and strong quality measures against a citation history that includes serious findings, worth asking the administrator directly how those were resolved.

A

96/100

Meth-Wick Health Center

Cedar Rapids, IA · Linn County

CMS 5/569 bedsNon-profitMedicaid
Nurse hours
4.92 /day
Staff turnover
41%
Serious cites
0

Nurse staffing at Meth-Wick runs 4.92 hours per resident day, about 27% above the national average, and the weekend dip is modest, roughly 11% below its own weekday level, which is smaller than what many homes show. Staff turnover sits at 40.5%, below the national 45.8%, and the inspection record is thin: two deficiencies total, none at the harm level and none abuse-related, with the most recent inspection in July 2025. This is a nonprofit home in Cedar Rapids with a stable workforce, recent clean surveys, and staffing that holds up on weekends, the things that tend to matter most when you're choosing care for someone you love.

A

96/100

Spurgeon Manor

Dallas Center, IA · Dallas County

CMS 5/555 bedsNon-profitMedicaid
Nurse hours
5.21 /day
Staff turnover
37%
Serious cites
0

Spurgeon Manor runs on 5.21 nursing hours per resident per day, which is about a third more than the national average of 3.86. That extra coverage holds up on weekends too, down roughly 8% from its own weekdays, but still well above what most homes staff any day. Staff turnover sits at 36.6%, noticeably under the 45.8% national figure, so the people caring for residents tend to stick around. The nonprofit's inspection record shows 8 deficiencies, none at the harm level and none abuse-related, with a state survey completed in September 2025. Its staffing and quality ratings both come in at 5 out of 5.

A

94.5/100

Heartland Care Center

Marcus, IA · Cherokee County

CMS 5/538 bedsNon-profitMedicaid
Nurse hours
4.45 /day
Staff turnover
36%
Serious cites
0

Heartland Care Center runs 38 beds in Marcus under nonprofit ownership, and the staffing numbers are the first thing that stands out: 4.45 nurse hours per resident day, roughly 15 percent above the national average. Weekend coverage dips about 20 percent below its own weekday level, which is common but worth knowing if your visits fall on Saturdays or Sundays. Staff turnover sits at 35.5 percent, better than the 45.8 percent national figure, so the people caring for residents tend to stick around longer than elsewhere. The inspection record shows 18 deficiencies, none at harm or jeopardy level and none abuse-related, with the most recent inspection in May 2026.

A

94.5/100

Titonka Care Center

Titonka, IA · Kossuth County

CMS 5/526 bedsNon-profitMedicaid
Nurse hours
4.15 /day
Staff turnover
25%
Serious cites
0

Titonka Care Center runs on a nonprofit model with 26 beds, and the staffing numbers are its strongest card: 4.15 nurse hours per resident day, about 7% above the national average. Turnover sits at 25% against a national 45.8%, which matters in a small rural home where knowing residents is half the job. The catch is weekends, when coverage drops roughly 22% below its own weekday level. Nine deficiencies are on record, none involving harm or abuse, and the most recent inspection was April 2026, so the picture is current. Quality and inspection ratings both land at 4 out of 5, staffing at 5.

A

94.5/100

Childserve Habilitation Center

Johnston, IA · Polk County

CMS 5/574 bedsNon-profitMedicaid
Nurse hours
10.30 /day
Staff turnover
34%
Serious cites
0

Childserve Habilitation Center runs on a level of nursing hours that's unusual even among well-staffed homes, 10.30 per resident per day, against a national average of 3.86. Weekend coverage dips below its own weekday pace, but the baseline is high enough that it stays well ahead of most places. State inspectors turned up 11 deficiencies on the current record, none at the harm or jeopardy level, though three involve abuse, which families should ask about directly. Annual turnover of 33.9% is meaningfully lower than the 45.8% national figure, so the people doing the work tend to stay. The last inspection was in May 2025, so the record is recent.

A

94/100

Bethany Home

Dubuque, IA · Dubuque County

CMS 5/566 bedsNon-profitMedicaid
Nurse hours
4.50 /day
Staff turnover
32%
Serious cites
0

Bethany Home runs on 4.50 nurse staffing hours per resident day, roughly 16% above the national average, and its weekend coverage dips about 13% below its own weekday level, a gap worth asking about if you're planning visits or worrying about Saturday-night response times. Staff turnover sits at 32.1%, well under the 45.8% national figure, which suggests less churn than most places and more familiar faces on the floor. The inspection record is thin: two deficiencies total, none at harm or jeopardy level, none abuse-related, with the last survey in May 2025. Corporate for-profit ownership, 66 beds, and a clean survey history carry real weight here.

A

94/100

Clarence Nursing Home

Clarence, IA · Cedar County

CMS 5/546 bedsFor-profitMedicaid
Nurse hours
3.58 /day
Staff turnover
30%
Serious cites
0

Clarence Nursing Home runs 46 certified beds under corporate for-profit ownership, and its recent inspection history is genuinely clean, a July 2025 survey with seven deficiencies on record, none of them rising to harm or jeopardy. The two abuse-related citations are worth asking about directly, since those tend to describe how the home handles incidents rather than the incidents themselves. Staffing sits at 3.58 nurse hours per resident day, about 7% under the national average, and weekends run roughly 10% thinner than weekdays, so coverage isn't perfectly even. What offsets that is retention: 30% turnover against a national 45.8% means aides and nurses here tend to stay.

A

94/100

Scottish Rite Park Inc

Des Moines, IA · Polk County

CMS 5/551 bedsNon-profitMedicaid
Nurse hours
5.15 /day
Staff turnover
14%
Serious cites
0

Scottish Rite Park runs on unusually steady staffing for a 51-bed nonprofit home in Des Moines. Nurses provide 5.15 hours per resident day, roughly a third more than the national average, and only 14% of staff left last year, against a national rate near 46%. Weekend coverage dips about 12% from weekday levels, which is worth asking about, but the bigger caution sits in the inspection record: nine deficiencies, three serious enough to involve harm or jeopardy, and six fines totaling $60,726. The most recent state visit was June 2025, so the record is current. Strong care numbers paired with real compliance problems, that mix is what a B reflects.

A

94/100

Wilton Retirement Community

Wilton, IA · Muscatine County

CMS 5/534 bedsNon-profitMedicaid
Nurse hours
5.36 /day
Staff turnover
28%
Serious cites
0

Wilton Retirement Community runs a small 34-bed nonprofit home in Muscatine County, and the staffing numbers stand out: 5.36 nurse hours per resident day, roughly 39% above the national average. Weekend coverage dips about 10% below its own weekday level, which is worth knowing if you're planning visits or worrying about Saturday care. Staff turnover sits at 28.3% against a national 45.8%, so the people caring for residents tend to stay. On the record: seven deficiencies, none at harm or jeopardy level, one abuse-related, with the most recent inspection dated December 31, 2025. Five stars on health inspections, five on staffing, four on quality measures.

A

93/100

Friendship Haven, Inc

Fort Dodge, IA · Webster County

CMS 4/5155 bedsNon-profitMedicaid
Nurse hours
4.41 /day
Staff turnover
40%
Serious cites
0

Friendship Haven runs 155 certified beds as a nonprofit corporation, and its nurse staffing sits at 4.41 hours per resident day, roughly 14% above the national average of 3.86. That cushion shows up in turnover too: 40.1% annually against a national 45.8%, and weekend coverage only dips about 6% below weekdays, so care doesn't fall off a cliff on Saturdays. The tradeoff is inspection history. The current record carries 16 deficiencies, five of them abuse-related, though none rose to harm or jeopardy, and the last survey was in July 2025, so it's recent. Quality measures score well, and the staffing numbers are the real story here, steady hands, adequate hours, and a survey record that's worth asking about directly.

A

93/100

Lone Tree Health Care Center Inc

Lone Tree, IA · Johnson County

CMS 5/544 bedsFor-profitMedicaid
Nurse hours
4.45 /day
Staff turnover
32%
Serious cites
0

Lone Tree Health Care Center runs 4.45 nursing hours per resident each day, roughly 15% above the national average, and its staff turnover of 32.4% sits well under the 45.8% national figure, a sign people tend to stay. Weekend coverage dips about 10% below weekday levels, worth asking about if your family visits Saturdays or Sundays. The inspection record shows 8 deficiencies with none at the harm level, though one is abuse-related, and the most recent inspection was November 2025. This is a small for-profit home, 44 beds, in Johnson County.

A

93/100

St Luke's Helen G Nassif Transitional Care Center

Cedar Rapids, IA · Linn County

CMS 5/546 bedsNon-profitMedicaid
Nurse hours
4.21 /day
Staff turnover
37%
Serious cites
0

St Luke's Helen G Nassif runs 46 certified beds as a nonprofit, with nurse staffing at 4.21 hours per resident day, roughly 9% above the national average. Weekend coverage dips about 14% below its own weekday level, a gap worth asking about if your family visits mainly on Saturdays and Sundays. Staff turnover sits at 36.6%, well under the national 45.8%, which suggests caregivers tend to stay. The current record shows six deficiencies, none at the harm or jeopardy level and none abuse-related, and the most recent inspection was in March 2026. All three CMS star ratings, health inspection, quality measures, and staffing, come in at 4 or 5 out of 5.

A

93/100

Mayflower Home

Grinnell, IA · Poweshiek County

CMS 5/540 bedsNon-profitMedicaid
Nurse hours
4.65 /day
Staff turnover
41%
Serious cites
0

Mayflower Home runs on 4.65 nurse staffing hours per resident day, well above the national average, and weekends dip only about 10% below its own weekday level, a modest drop, not a staffing cliff. Turnover sits at 40.5%, better than the 45.8% typical elsewhere, and its six deficiencies include nothing at the harm level and nothing abuse-related, with the last inspection in May 2025. The church-affiliated nonprofit has 40 certified beds, so it's small enough that you can ask pointed questions about who covers nights and weekends. The numbers describe steady, well-staffed care without red flags, worth a visit to see whether the day-to-day matches.

A

92.5/100

Buchanan County Health Center

Independence, IA · Buchanan County

CMS 5/539 bedsGovernmentMedicaid
Nurse hours
4.19 /day
Staff turnover
26%
Serious cites
0

Buchanan County Health Center runs on county ownership, and the numbers that stand out most are the ones about people. Nurse staffing sits at 4.19 hours per resident day, roughly 8% above the national average, and the staff stays: turnover is 26.3% against a national rate near 46%. Weekends are leaner, though, about 19% below the home's own weekday coverage. The inspection record is mixed, 12 deficiencies, one serious enough to involve harm or jeopardy, plus a single $4,011 fine, and the last inspection was fairly recent, in March 2026. Quality and inspection ratings both came in at 4 out of 5, but those 12 deficiencies and the thin weekend hours are what pull the overall picture down.

A

92/100

Riceville Family Care And Therapy Center

Riceville, IA · Mitchell County

CMS 5/534 bedsGovernmentMedicaid
Nurse hours
3.48 /day
Staff turnover
26%
Serious cites
0

Riceville Family Care and Therapy Center is city/county owned, which is unusual, most Iowa nursing homes are for-profit, and that shows up in how it's run. Weekend nursing coverage drops about 14% below its own weekday level, and overall nurse staffing sits around 3.48 hours per resident day, roughly 10% under the national average. What stands out is retention: 25.9% turnover against a national 45.8% means aides and nurses tend to stay, which matters more for daily care than a staffing number alone. Five deficiencies on record, none involving harm or abuse, and a March 2026 inspection rounds out a record with real consistency behind it.

Frequently asked questions

How many independently owned nursing homes are there in Iowa?
There are 166 independently owned Medicare-certified nursing homes in Iowa, 43% of the 388 nursing homes there.
Are independently owned nursing homes better staffed?
In Iowa they average 4.09 total nursing hours per resident per day, against 3.82 for all nursing homes in Iowa, a difference of +0.27 hours. Staff turnover averages 41.2% against 44.1%.
Which independently owned nursing home grades best in Iowa?
Iowa Veterans Home in Marshalltown, IA, grade A, 99 out of 100.
Does being independently owned mean a nursing home is safe?
No. Of the 166 graded independently owned homes in Iowa, 66 grade A and 4 grade D or F.
Do independently owned nursing homes in Iowa accept Medicaid?
164 of the 166 are certified to accept Medicaid. See Medicaid and nursing homes.

Before you shortlist in Iowa