Nursing homes in California
How CMS rates the state's 1,164 certified nursing homes, where they are concentrated, and how that compares with the national dataset.
At a glance
- Nursing homes
- 1,164
- CMS-certified
- Rated by CMS
- 1,153
- of 1,164
- Counties
- 55
- CMS data
- 2026-08-21
How California compares
The state's CMS overall rating profile against the full national dataset, on the same scale.
CMS overall rating distribution
How California's certified nursing homes spread across the CMS five-star overall rating, compared with the national dataset.
View as a table
| Rating | Providers | Share | National |
|---|---|---|---|
| CMS overall rating 5 | 288 | 24.7% | 20.7% |
| CMS overall rating 4 | 222 | 19.1% | 19.0% |
| CMS overall rating 3 | 243 | 20.9% | 19.3% |
| CMS overall rating 2 | 212 | 18.2% | 20.5% |
| CMS overall rating 1 | 188 | 16.2% | 19.6% |
| Not rated | 11 | 0.9% | 0.9% |
| Total | 1,164 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
State shares are calculated from the 1,164 CMS-certified nursing homes in California; national shares from all 14,700 in this dataset. CMS overall star ratings are shown exactly as CMS publishes them and summarize past data, not current conditions. Facilities CMS does not rate are counted separately and never treated as zero.
CMS-reported data
California’s largest divergence from the national dataset is at 5★: 24.7% of the state’s facilities against 20.7% nationally (+4.1 points). This reflects what CMS publishes for these facilities and is not a judgement about care quality in either population.
Where facilities are concentrated
The counties holding the largest share, with the full directory available below.
The 8 largest counties hold 68% of the state’s 1,164 nursing homes, across 55 counties in total.
- Los Angeles County369 · 32%Search →
- San Diego County82 · 7%Search →
- Orange County72 · 6%Search →
- Alameda County69 · 6%Search →
- San Bernardino County55 · 5%Search →
- Riverside County54 · 5%Search →
- Santa Clara County50 · 4%Search →
- Sacramento County37 · 3%Search →
Browse all 55 counties and 345 cities
Research federal records
CMS publishes enforcement and staffing records alongside the star ratings. These open the search workspace pre-filtered.
Related research
Frequently asked questions
How many nursing homes are in California?
This dataset includes 1,164 CMS-certified nursing homes across 55 counties in California, from the official CMS Provider Information file. The counties with the most are Los Angeles County, San Diego County, Orange County, Alameda County, San Bernardino County.
How are California nursing homes rated?
Each home carries the CMS five-star overall rating plus health-inspection, staffing, and quality-measure ratings. In this dataset, 288 are rated 5 stars, 188 are rated 1 star, and 11 are not rated by CMS.
How does California compare with the national dataset?
1,153 of 1,164 California facilities carry a CMS overall rating (99%), against 99% nationally across 14,700 facilities. The rating distribution above shows the state and national shares side by side. Differences reflect what CMS publishes and are not a judgement about care quality.
How can I verify a nursing home in California with official sources?
SeniorCareRating.com organizes public CMS data and is not affiliated with CMS. Confirm current details on the official CMS Care Compare site and with the facility before making decisions.