47 of the 96 Medicare-certified nursing homes in South Dakota (49%) are independently owned, and all are listed below. 9 of the 47 graded homes earn an A and 3 earn a D or F. Nurse staff turnover runs 45%, 3.2 points lower than the 48.2% across all homes there. Oakview Terrace in Freeman grades highest at A (97 out of 100).
How independently owned homes in South Dakota compare
This group set against every nursing home in South Dakota, from the current CMS release.
Nursing hours per resident per day
4.01
All homes in South Dakota: 3.79
Better than the local average
Nurse staff turnover
45%
All homes in South Dakota: 48.2%
Better than the local average
Average ElderGrade score
74/100
All homes in South Dakota: 71.3/100
Better than the local average
Grade spread
A
B
C
9 grade A, 20 grade B, 15 grade C, 3 grade D,
The best-graded independently owned home in South Dakota is
Oakview Terrace
in Freeman, SD, grade A, 97/100.
Every independently owned nursing home in South Dakota
The staffing numbers at United Living Community look strong at first glance, 4.78 nurse hours per resident day, well above the national average, and CMS agrees, giving it 4 out of 5 staffing stars. But weekends run about 12% leaner than weekdays, so the coverage your family member gets on a Saturday won't match a Tuesday. Turnover sits at 50%, higher than the national 45.8%, meaning the people providing that care are often new. The inspection record is where things get concerning: 22 deficiencies, including 2 at the harm level and 5 abuse-related, plus $33,027 in fines. That combination is what pulls the overall picture down to a C.
Centerville Care and Rehab runs 42 certified beds under corporate ownership, and its nurse staffing sits at 3.31 hours per resident day, roughly 14% under the national average of 3.86. Weekends thin out further, running about 18% below the home's own weekday coverage, which matters when you're thinking about who's on hand on a Saturday night.
The inspection record shows 19 deficiencies, including one at the harm or jeopardy level and two tied to abuse. One fine totaling $55,059 has been levied. Staff turnover comes in at 43.9%, slightly better than the national 45.8%, and the most recent inspection was May 2025. The staffing and quality measure ratings both land at 2 out of 5.
Bethany Home in Brandon has plenty of hands on deck, 4.66 nurse hours per resident day, roughly a fifth more than the national average, and that staffing shows up in its four-out-of-five staffing rating. But the numbers stop looking good there. State inspectors have cited 27 deficiencies on the current record, four of them at the level where residents were actually harmed or put in jeopardy, and four tied to abuse. The health inspection and quality ratings both sit at the bottom of the scale, and the home has paid three fines totaling $51,350. Weekend coverage runs about 14 percent thinner than weekdays, and 54 percent of staff turned over last year, above the national rate.
Sanford Chamberlain Care Center is a 44-bed nonprofit home in Brule County, and the numbers show a place where care quality and safety have been real problems. Sixteen deficiencies sit on the current record, eight of them serious enough to cause harm or put residents in jeopardy, and four tied to abuse. Federal fines total nearly $125,000 across four penalties. Staffing tells a mixed story: nurses provide 3.69 hours per resident day, which is below the national average, and weekend coverage drops about 6% below weekday levels even as turnover hits 56.9%, well above the national 45.8%. The last inspection was in August 2025, so the record is current.
Winner Regional Healthcare Center sits in a small South Dakota town and puts more direct nursing time into each resident than most homes in the country, about five hours a day against a national figure near four. That cushion matters, and it's the main reason inspections look solid, with the most recent visit in December 2024. The trouble is what the numbers show underneath the surface: weekend coverage drops roughly a fifth below its own weekday pace, and more than two-thirds of staff turned over last year, well above the typical rate. Eighteen deficiencies sit on the record, including three tied to abuse and one involving actual harm. Quality scores are weak despite the staffing.
Wilmot Care Center has enough hands on deck, 4.20 nurse staffing hours per resident day, roughly 9% above the national average, but almost everything else on its record is a problem. The home has been flagged as a Special Focus Facility, the CMS watch list for homes with a pattern of serious, repeated deficiencies: 18 total on the current record, two of them at the harm or jeopardy level, plus two fines totaling $28,028. Its last inspection was in March 2025. Staff turnover sits at 60.5% against a national average of 45.8%, and weekend staffing drops about 11% below the home's own weekday level. The staffing is there; the consistency and the compliance record are not.
Medicine Wheel Village sits in Eagle Butte with 50 certified beds and a staffing picture that looks strong on paper, 4.79 nurse hours per resident day, about 24% above the national average, with turnover at 31.4% versus 45.8% nationally. Weekends run roughly 16% leaner than weekdays, so coverage isn't perfectly even. The trouble is what inspections have found: 27 deficiencies, including one at the harm or jeopardy level and three tied to abuse, plus a $22,636 fine and a place in CMS's Special Focus Facility program. Quality measure scores look good, but a recent inspection and that many citations on record are the numbers that matter most for daily safety.
Frequently asked questions
How many independently owned nursing homes are there in South Dakota?
There are 47 independently owned Medicare-certified nursing homes in South Dakota, 49% of the 96 nursing homes there.
Are independently owned nursing homes better staffed?
In South Dakota they average 4.01 total nursing hours per resident per day, against 3.79 for all nursing homes in South Dakota, a difference of +0.22 hours. Staff turnover averages 45% against 48.2%.
Which independently owned nursing home grades best in South Dakota?