Nursing homes in Iowa: ratings, cost & how to choose

Iowa has 387 Medicare/Medicaid-certified nursing homes. Here’s how to choose one, what the ratings really mean, and how families pay — with the honest data no referral service will show you.

Across Iowa’s 387 homes, the average CMS overall rating is 3.1 of 5 stars; 93 have an immediate-jeopardy citation on record; 2 are on the CMS Special Focus watch list; 10 are Special Focus candidates — not on the list, but under watch; CMS has levied about $7,486,404 in fines statewide.

Find & compare Iowa nursing homes

Browse every Iowa home with its un-blended CMS rating, inspection citations, staffing, fines, ownership, and “follow-the-money” finances: all Iowa nursing homes → or search near your ZIP →.

How to read the rating

Read the health-inspection star first — it’s the surveyor-assigned score and the hardest to game (though CMS ranks it within Iowa, so it’s not nationally comparable). Weigh staffing and turnover next; the quality-measure star is self-reported. Our rating guide explains where each can mislead.

What it costs, and how to pay

The median for a semi-private nursing-home room in Iowa is about $9,277/month (U.S. median $9,581). Medicare covers only short rehab, not long-term custodial care — most long stays are paid privately then by Medicaid. See Iowa Medicaid eligibility & waivers →, model it in My Plan, or run the cost planner.

Next steps

How to choose a nursing home → · Reading an inspection report →

Compiled from public CMS, HUD/USDA, and state records; general information, not advice. Verify specifics with the facility and Iowa agencies.