Nursing homes in North Carolina
How CMS rates the state's 420 certified nursing homes, where they are concentrated, and how that compares with the national dataset.
At a glance
- Nursing homes
- 420
- CMS-certified
- Rated by CMS
- 416
- of 420
- Counties
- 97
- CMS data
- 2026-08-21
How North Carolina compares
The state's CMS overall rating profile against the full national dataset, on the same scale.
CMS overall rating distribution
How North Carolina'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 | 85 | 20.2% | 20.7% |
| CMS overall rating 4 | 71 | 16.9% | 19.0% |
| CMS overall rating 3 | 84 | 20.0% | 19.3% |
| CMS overall rating 2 | 84 | 20.0% | 20.5% |
| CMS overall rating 1 | 92 | 21.9% | 19.6% |
| Not rated | 4 | 1.0% | 0.9% |
| Total | 420 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
State shares are calculated from the 420 CMS-certified nursing homes in North Carolina; 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
North Carolina’s largest divergence from the national dataset is at 1★: 21.9% of the state’s facilities against 19.6% nationally (+2.3 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 33% of the state’s 420 nursing homes, across 97 counties in total.
- Mecklenburg County29 · 7%Search →
- Wake County22 · 5%Search →
- Guilford County20 · 5%Search →
- Buncombe County19 · 5%Search →
- Forsyth County14 · 3%Search →
- Durham County13 · 3%Search →
- New Hanover County11 · 3%Search →
- Gaston County10 · 2%Search →
Browse all 97 counties and 199 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 North Carolina?
This dataset includes 420 CMS-certified nursing homes across 97 counties in North Carolina, from the official CMS Provider Information file. The counties with the most are Mecklenburg County, Wake County, Guilford County, Buncombe County, Forsyth County.
How are North Carolina nursing homes rated?
Each home carries the CMS five-star overall rating plus health-inspection, staffing, and quality-measure ratings. In this dataset, 85 are rated 5 stars, 92 are rated 1 star, and 4 are not rated by CMS.
How does North Carolina compare with the national dataset?
416 of 420 North Carolina 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 North Carolina 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.