144 of the 338 Medicare-certified nursing homes in Minnesota (43%) are independently owned, and all are listed below. 58 of the 144 graded homes earn an A and 8 earn a D or F. They average 4.41 nursing hours per resident per day, 0.22 hours above the 4.19 for every home in Minnesota. Fairview University Trans Serv in Minneapolis grades highest at A (99 out of 100).
How independently owned homes in Minnesota compare
This group set against every nursing home in Minnesota, from the current CMS release.
Nursing hours per resident per day
4.41
All homes in Minnesota: 4.19
Better than the local average
Nurse staff turnover
41%
All homes in Minnesota: 42.2%
Better than the local average
Average ElderGrade score
80.4/100
All homes in Minnesota: 79.4/100
Better than the local average
Grade spread
A
B
C
58 grade A, 60 grade B, 18 grade C, 8 grade D,
The best-graded independently owned home in Minnesota is
Fairview University Trans Serv
in Minneapolis, MN, grade A, 99/100.
Every independently owned nursing home in Minnesota
Park River Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center in Coon Rapids is a for-profit, individually owned home with 98 certified beds, and the numbers pull in two directions. Nurse staffing runs 4.58 hours per resident day, about 19% above the national average, and turnover at 41.7% is better than the 45.8% national figure, so there are real people on the floor, though weekend coverage dips roughly 6% below its own weekday level. The trouble sits in inspections: a 1-out-of-5 health inspection rating, 41 deficiencies on the current record, three at harm or jeopardy level and four abuse-related, with the most recent inspection dated April 27, 2026. Strong staffing and quality measure scores don't cancel out that inspection history.
Bywood East runs on thin staffing: 2.43 nurse hours per resident per day against a national average of 3.86, and weekends drop about 17% below its own weekday coverage. The inspection record is the bigger concern, 77 deficiencies on file, including 7 at the harm or jeopardy level and 13 tied to abuse, which is why CMS has placed it in the Special Focus Facility program, a designation reserved for the country's most persistently troubled homes. Its quality measure stars look good on paper, but those reflect resident assessments rather than the care environment itself, and a 1-star inspection rating with the most recent survey dated May 2026 tells you regulators keep finding problems. Turnover at 36.8% runs below the national figure, so the issue isn't retention, it's how few staff there are.
Southside Care Center is a 17-bed for-profit home in Minneapolis that Medicare has flagged for its Special Focus Facility program, a designation reserved for the homes with the most persistent compliance problems. The record backs that up: 62 deficiencies, including two at the harm or jeopardy level and two tied to abuse, alongside a one-star health inspection rating. Nurse staffing sits at 2.13 hours per resident day, roughly 45% under the national average, and weekends run about 7% thinner than weekdays. The quality measure rating looks better at four stars, but that's self-reported data, and it doesn't offset a staffing and inspection picture this thin.
Tweeten Lutheran runs about 0.95 nurse hours per resident per day, roughly a quarter of the national average, and weekend coverage drops another 20% below its own weekday level. Annual turnover sits at 81%, well above the 45.8% norm, and its current inspection record carries 34 deficiencies, including 4 at the harm or jeopardy level and 4 tied to abuse. The most recent inspection was in April 2026.
Frequently asked questions
How many independently owned nursing homes are there in Minnesota?
There are 144 independently owned Medicare-certified nursing homes in Minnesota, 43% of the 338 nursing homes there.
Are independently owned nursing homes better staffed?
In Minnesota they average 4.41 total nursing hours per resident per day, against 4.19 for all nursing homes in Minnesota, a difference of +0.22 hours. Staff turnover averages 41% against 42.2%.
Which independently owned nursing home grades best in Minnesota?