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Nursing Homes in Iowa

388 nursing homes across 248 cities in Iowa, from official CMS records.

Source: CMS Care Compare — Nursing Home Compare (public domain, data.cms.gov). Data may lag; verify details with the facility.

About nursing homes in Iowa

This page lists 388 nursing homes across 248 cities in Iowa, compiled from CMS Care Compare — Nursing Home Compare. Browse by city to see individual facilities, their addresses, and CMS overall star ratings where published. The counts and ratings below let you compare options in your area before you visit or call.

Frequently asked questions about nursing homes

How are nursing homes rated by CMS?

CMS gives each Medicare-certified nursing home an overall rating of 1 to 5 stars based on three domains: health inspections, staffing, and quality measures. The overall rating is a weighted summary of those three scores.

What does a CMS star rating mean for nursing homes?

Five stars means the nursing home is rated much above average compared with other nursing homes, and one star means much below average. Ratings are based on government-reported data and are a comparison tool, not a guarantee of care.

How often are nursing homes inspected?

State survey agencies conduct unannounced health inspections of nursing homes on a regular cycle — federal rules require at least one every 15 months, with the average around 9 to 15 months. Inspection findings are part of the published rating.

What is the difference between a nursing home and an assisted living facility?

Nursing homes provide 24/7 skilled nursing care and medical supervision for people who need it, and they are regulated and rated by CMS. Assisted living facilities provide help with daily activities but generally do not provide the same level of skilled medical care.

These answers are informational and based on the public-domain CMS Care Compare — Nursing Home Compare dataset and CMS program rules. They are not medical advice.

How to choose a nursing home

Look at the three component ratings, not just the overall stars. Health inspection results, staffing levels, and quality measures each tell a different part of the story — a home can be strong on inspections but weaker on staffing.

Check the profile for certified beds, average residents per day, and any penalties recorded in the last two years. These figures come from the same public-domain CMS dataset and give a sense of the home's size and regulatory history.

Visit in person if you can. Ask about staff-to-resident ratios, turnover, and how the home handles care planning. Ratings summarize government-reported measures and are a starting point, not a substitute for your own questions.

This guidance is informational only and is not medical advice. Always discuss care decisions with a qualified healthcare professional.

Ratings summarize government-reported measures — they don't capture your personal needs. Visit the facility, ask about staffing and services, and use CMS checklists. This profile is informational only and is not a recommendation.

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