Page 29 of Best Assisted Living in Iowa

Why trust this guide? Our editorial team analyzed 310 assisted living communities in IA using IA Dept. of Inspections, Appeals & Licensing (DIAL) data, inspection records, complaints, amenities, and facility-level details. How we rank assisted living in IA
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We analyzed These are the facilities in Iowa our team has analyzed — not a count of every assisted living provider in Iowa.
310 homes
Other senior care options in Iowa:

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Info below is compiled from the IA Dept. of Inspections, Appeals & Licensing (DIAL), senior community websites & trusted data sources such as Walk Score & BBB.

Communities are listed from highest-ranked to lowest-ranked based on our methodology.

Care Types in This Table AL (Assisted Living): Housing with help for daily activities like bathing, dressing, and medication, without 24-hour skilled nursing. NH (Nursing Home): 24/7 skilled nursing care for residents with complex, ongoing medical needs. SNF (Skilled Nursing Facility): Round-the-clock nursing care, often for recovery after surgery, injury, or illness. MC (Memory Care): Secured, specialized care for people living with Alzheimer's or dementia. RC (Respite Care): Short-term temporary care that gives family caregivers a break. RESC (Residential Care): Personal care and daily-living support in a smaller, more intimate residential setting. IL (Independent Living): Community living with dining, activities, and transportation for active seniors who need little personal care. HOS (Hospice Care): Comfort-focused care for those with a terminal illness, prioritizing quality of life over treatment. PC (Palliative Care): Comfort-focused care for serious illness at any stage, including alongside curative treatment.
City and state of the facility. Used for mapping and state-average comparisons.
Licensed bed capacity (maximum allowed). Not the same as how many beds are currently filled.
A 0–100 score of a facility's regulatory inspection record, shown as a letter and compared with other facilities of the same kind in the same state. This is a proprietary Assisted Living Magazine grade. It is not a government rating. A dash means we have no inspection data for that facility.
Indicates whether residents are allowed to have pets in the facility.
Third-party neighborhood walkability score (0–100). Convenience/context metric, not a healthcare quality measure.
Description of bed or unit types offered (e.g. assisted living, memory care), as reported in state or facility disclosures.
Number of years the company has been in operation.
Reported or derived occupancy for the facility—typically how fully licensed capacity is utilized. Compare across peers in the same market.
Count of regulatory inspections in the reporting window. Higher volume can reflect more oversight visits, complaint-driven surveys, or routine licensure cycles.
Inspection events categorized as complaint-related by the state regulator.
Harmony West Des Moines
AL
HOS
NH
PC
RESC
RC
SNF
West Des Moines
55
Facility 55
IA AVG 73
Rank #173 / 289
B+No
9
Facility 9
IA AVG 45
Rank #276 / 302
--
97.6%
Facility 97.6%
IA AVG 61.5%
Rank #8 / 259
--
Guttenberg Care Center
AL
NH
SNF
Guttenberg
46
Facility 46
IA AVG 73
Rank #204 / 289
?No
26
Facility 26
IA AVG 45
Rank #224 / 302
--
71.7%
Facility 71.7%
IA AVG 61.5%
Rank #97 / 259
--
River Valley Place of Fort Madison
AL
MC
RC
Fort Madison
70
Facility 70
IA AVG 73
Rank #115 / 289
-Yes--
18
Facility 18
IA AVG 18
Rank #107 / 232
44.3%
Facility 44.3%
IA AVG 61.5%
Rank #232 / 259
10
6
Facility 6
IA AVG 6
Rank #233 / 265
South Hills Senior Living
AL
Waterloo
116
Facility 116
IA AVG 73
Rank #40 / 289
-Yes
11
Facility 11
IA AVG 45
Rank #270 / 302
Studio / 1 Bed / 2 Bed----
Woodlands Creek Senior Living
AL
IL
MC
Clive
--Yes
21
Facility 21
IA AVG 45
Rank #242 / 302
-
23
Facility 23
IA AVG 18
Rank #71 / 232
---
Willow Dale Wellness Village
AL
HOS
IL
NH
SNF
Battle Creek
40
Facility 40
IA AVG 73
Rank #225 / 289
A-No
2
Facility 2
IA AVG 45
Rank #297 / 302
--
74.3%
Facility 74.3%
IA AVG 61.5%
Rank #92 / 259
--
Chatham Oaks Inc.
AL
Iowa City (Weber)
16
Facility 16
IA AVG 73
Rank #286 / 289
ANo----12
3
Facility 3
IA AVG 6
Rank #89 / 265
Life Center
AL
IL
MC
NH
SNF
Des Moines (Waveland Park)
72
Facility 72
IA AVG 73
Rank #108 / 289
-No
51
Facility 51
IA AVG 45
Rank #117 / 302
-----
Glen Oaks Alzheimer’s Special Care Center
AL
MC
Urbandale
--Yes
66
Facility 66
IA AVG 45
Rank #64 / 302
Private / Shared Suite----
Brookdale Sioux City
AL
IL
NH
RESC
Sioux City
--Yes
59
Facility 59
IA AVG 45
Rank #87 / 302
Studio / 1 Bed / 2 Bed----

Rank badges are statewide and care-type specific: each assisted living community is ranked against every other IA assisted living community we track that reports that metric, not just the 310 on this page. See how we rank facilities

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Harmony West Des Moines

5010 Grand Ridge Drive, West Des Moines, IA 50265
Overview of Harmony West Des Moines

Harmony West Des Moines provides nursing home care, skilled nursing, assisted living, hospice care, palliative care, residential care, and respite care in West Des Moines, IA. Skilled nursing has licensed nurses on site around the clock. Assisted living and residential care help with daily living needs, while hospice supports residents nearing the end of life and palliative care focuses on comfort during serious illness. Respite care offers a short stay for a family caregiver who needs to travel or recover.

The range of care levels, along with respite care, may suit a resident whose needs may grow over time or a family seeking temporary support. The community has 55 beds, placing it in the smaller community range where staff and residents may get to know each other. Nearly all beds are filled at the time represented by the 98% occupancy rate, which may affect availability.

Total nurse staffing is 3h 33m per resident per day. This represents the overall nurse staffing time allocated to each resident daily. Rehabilitation includes orthopedic care and programs for stroke and other neurological conditions, giving residents support focused on these recovery needs. Short term rehabilitation provides a time limited setting focused on recovery.

Payment options include Medicare, Medicaid, and private pay, so families can use the payment source that applies to their situation. Karah D. serves as the director.

Contact Harmony West Des Moines

Overview of Guttenberg Care Center

Guttenberg Care Center provides nursing home care, assisted living and skilled nursing in Guttenberg, IA. Nursing home and skilled nursing services provide licensed nursing care on site around the clock, while assisted living supports daily tasks such as bathing, dressing and medication management. The range of care levels may suit a resident whose needs grow over time and who may be able to remain in the same community.

The center has 46 beds, making it a smaller community where staff and residents can get to know one another. Its 72% occupancy means some beds are currently unoccupied. Guttenberg Care Center is part of ABCM and follows a person-directed care philosophy centered on each resident’s needs and preferences.

Total nurse staffing is 3 hours and 17 minutes per resident per day, representing the daily hands-on nursing time allocated to each resident. Payment options include Medicare, Medicaid and private pay.

Contact Guttenberg Care Center

Overview of River Valley Place of Fort Madison

River Valley Place of Fort Madison’s license in Fort Madison, IA, names assisted living, memory care, and respite care. The license here is written as an assisted living program for people with dementia, and the secured, supervised part of that is memory care. Assisted living covers the daily tasks. A usual caregiver facing a trip or a recovery period can put a resident into respite care meanwhile.

Marlene Siverly is the administrator for 70 beds, and pets are allowed. The spread may suit a family whose needs shift over trime, or whose caregiver needs a short break.

Contact River Valley Place of Fort Madison

Overview of South Hills Senior Living

South Hills Senior Living is an assisted living community in Waterloo, Iowa. Assisted living includes help with daily tasks such as dressing, bathing, and medication, while allowing a resident to maintain a personal living space.

Residents can choose a studio, one bedroom, or two bedroom apartment, making the community a possible fit for someone who needs daily support and prefers either a private or shared living arrangement. The community has 116 beds, allows pets, and is administered by Greg Zumbach.

Contact South Hills Senior Living

Overview of Woodlands Creek Senior Living

Considerably one of the trusted senior living communities in the city, Woodlands Creek offers independent living, assisted living, and memory care lifestyle in a warm and welcoming environment for the residents– making them feel right at home. The retirement home strives in promoting an engaging social life for the seniors to create endless possibilities for them as well as develop meaningful relationships that blossom into wonderful memories. Woodlands is the home where people and interests are mattered and cared for.

The resident lifestyle of independent living seniors is focused on maintaing an active lifestyle by offering them a range of scheduled activities. Assisted living levels of care offer a range of services focused on the individualized and personal care needs of its residents: transportation, a geriatric physician, and a 24/7 nursing staff– the same goes for the memory care unit.

Starting Price $3,870/Month

Contact Woodlands Creek Senior Living

Overview of Willow Dale Wellness Village

Willow Dale Wellness Village provides nursing home and skilled nursing care, assisted living, hospice care, and independent living in Battle Creek, IA. Skilled nursing and nursing home care provide licensed nursing support on site around the clock, while assisted living helps residents with daily tasks such as dressing, bathing, and medication management while they keep their own apartment.

Independent living provides private living with community services and no daily care. Hospice care supports residents receiving end-of-life care. Because multiple care levels are available in one community, Willow Dale Wellness Village may suit a resident whose needs may grow over time.

The community has 40 beds, representing a smaller setting where staff and residents can get to know each other. Total nurse staffing is 4 hours 22 minutes per resident each day, representing the daily nurse staffing time assigned across residents.

Payment options include Medicare, Medicaid, and private pay. Medicare can cover short-term skilled care after a hospital stay rather than long-term residence, Medicaid may help when savings do not cover a long stay, and private pay means the family pays directly. Rehabilitation services support residents who need rehabilitation, while beauty and barber services allow residents to handle grooming at the community.

Contact Willow Dale Wellness Village

Overview of Chatham Oaks

Chatham Oaks is an assisted living community in Iowa City’s Weber neighborhood. Residents receive help with daily tasks such as dressing, bathing, and medication while keeping their own apartment.

With 16 beds, Chatham Oaks is a smaller community where staff and residents can get to know one another. It may be a good fit for someone who prefers a smaller setting, and Lydia Olson-Kelley serves as the administrator.

Contact Chatham Oaks Inc.

Overview of Life Center

Offering excellent memory care, long-term care, skilled nursing, and rehabilitation services, The Life Center is a dependable senior living community in Des Moines, IA that helps residents maintain a sense of individuality and freedom while receiving additional support. The community features a reliable nursing team available 24-hours a day and an extensive rehabilitative program, featuring physical, speech, and occupational therapies that help residents maintain their highest level of functionality.

Residents also delight in an array of convenient services that help them live a maintenance-free lifestyle such as housekeeping, laundry, package delivery services, and more. A registered dietician carefully reviews the residents’ therapeutic diets to ensure they are receiving the proper nutrition and nourishment. With Life Center, residents are guaranteed to lead the lifestyle they deserve surrounded by compassionate support and care.

Contact Life Center

Overview of Glen Oaks Alzheimer’s Special Care Center

Dedicated to serving residents with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, Glen Oaks Alzheimer’s Special Care Center is a one-story memory care community in Urbandale, Iowa. The home at 8525 Urbandale Avenue sits in an average walkable neighborhood, scoring 66 for walkability, making it accessible for visiting families who can run some errands on foot while having easy access to nearby services.

Glen Oaks Alzheimer’s Special Care Center offers flexibility in housing with private and shared suite options, letting families pick the living arrangement that best suits their loved one’s comfort level and care needs. Such memory care communities typically provide a structured, secure environment with specialized programming designed for occupants experiencing cognitive decline. The one-story layout bolsters safety and ease of movement for residents with memory impairment, eliminating the confusion that multiple floors or complex building layouts entail.

For families examining memory care options, Glen Oaks Alzheimer’s Special Care Center offers an opportunity to tour it and observe how the physical design, daily routines, and staff interactions support occupants with Alzheimer’s. An on-site visit lets you assess the security features, activity programming, and overall atmosphere to determine if the home’s approach matches your loved one’s needs and your family’s priorities for specialized memory care.

Contact Glen Oaks Alzheimer’s Special Care Center

Overview of Brookdale Sioux City

Thirty-two years in, Charter Senior Living of Northpark Place is still doing what it was built for: housing 60 residents across assisted living, independent living, and residential care in Sioux City, Iowa. Jean Stevens runs the place. The neighborhood is walkable enough that residents and visitors can knock out an errand or two on foot (Walk Score 59), though it’s not the kind of area where you’d ditch a car altogether.

Rehabilitation services, nursing services, and 24-hour staffing cover the medical side, and a dedicated Short-Term Stays program exists for people who need a bridge, not a permanent move. Life outside the care schedule looks like happy hours, walking clubs, and group outings, plus a fitness center, an arts and crafts studio, a chapel, and concierge help when residents need it. Pharmacy support and free transportation mean fewer outside errands fall on family members. Pets are allowed, which matters more than people expect when someone’s leaving a house they’ve lived in for decades.

Money-wise: studios start at $3,295 a month, and a larger unit type runs $4,595. State inspectors in Iowa have tended to zero in on medication management and how well the community documents its care planning.

Put it together and Charter Senior Living of Northpark Place reads like a community built for two overlapping groups: people settling in for ongoing assisted living support, and people using the Short-Term Stays track to recover from something and then move on. The mix of nursing coverage, round-the-clock staffing, and a defined short-term option is what makes that dual purpose work.

Contact Brookdale Sioux City

Weighting overview

  • 35%
    Resident Experience
  • 25%
    Regulatory
  • 15%
    Visual Media
  • 10%
    Website
  • 10%
    Stability
  • 5%
    Environment
01

Resident & Family Experience 35%

The single largest share of every ranking. Aggregated review sentiment and volume from major platforms — the closest signal to real resident experience.

  • Includes
  • Review Sentiment
  • Review Volume
02

Regulatory & Safety Record 25%

State inspection records, citations, and complaint visits. We weight per-inspection rates more heavily than raw counts.

  • Includes
  • State Inspections
  • Citations/Inspection
  • % Inspections w/ Citations
  • Complaint Visits
  • Accreditations
  • BBB Rating
03

Visual Media & Transparency 15%

Communities that publish high-quality visuals give families a real preview. No photos or tours = a negative transparency signal.

  • Includes
  • Video Tours
  • Virtual Walkthroughs
  • Photo Quantity
  • Photo Quality
04

Website & Operator Transparency 10%

Site quality and whether the operator publishes basic accountability information — staff names, contact details, ownership.

  • Includes
  • Website Content
  • Mobile Usability
  • Staff Info Available
  • Owner Info Available
05

Community Stability 10%

Operational signals indicating whether a community is well-run and meeting demand.

  • Includes
  • Occupancy Rate
  • Bed Options
06

Environment & Pricing 5%

Walkability and pricing transparency. Walk Score is weighted higher for Independent Living than for Memory Care, where most residents do not leave unaccompanied.

  • Includes
  • Walk Score
  • Pricing Transparency
No paid rankings Communities cannot pay to influence placement.
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Frequently Asked Questions about Assisted Living in Iowa

What's the difference between assisted living and memory care in Iowa?

Assisted living in Iowa supports residents with daily activities (bathing, dressing, medication management) while preserving independence. Memory care is a specialized form of assisted living for residents living with Alzheimer's or dementia, and adds 24/7 secured environments, dementia-trained staff, and structured routines designed to reduce confusion and wandering.

What's the difference between assisted living and a nursing home in Iowa?

Assisted living in Iowa is a residential model focused on housing, hospitality, and help with daily activities. Nursing homes (skilled nursing facilities) provide 24/7 medical care from licensed nurses for residents with significant health needs, and are regulated more strictly under both state and federal CMS rules.

Does Iowa Medicaid cover assisted living?

Iowa Medicaid does not directly pay room-and-board for assisted living, but most states (including Iowa) offer Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) waivers that can offset the cost of care services delivered inside a licensed community. Eligibility, waitlists, and covered services vary — check directly with the state Medicaid agency.

What is assisted living?

Assisted living combines private or semi-private apartments with help on activities of daily living (meals, bathing, dressing, medication management) and a social calendar — for residents who need some support but do not need 24/7 medical care.

How many assisted living facilities are listed on this page?

This page features 310 assisted living facilities in Iowa. Use the filters and comparison tools above to compare ratings, amenities, and pricing.

How do I choose the right assisted living facility in Iowa?

Start by matching the level of care offered to the resident's current and anticipated needs, then compare licensing status, staff-to-resident ratios, recent inspection results, and pricing. Tour at least two or three communities in Iowa, talk to current residents and families, and confirm what is included in the base rate versus billed as add-on services.

What should I look for when visiting assisted living facilities in Iowa?

Pay attention to staff interactions with residents, cleanliness and odor, food quality at meal times, the activity calendar, and how questions about pricing and care plans are answered. Ask to see the most recent state inspection report, the move-out / level-of-care-change policy, and a sample monthly bill that lists every fee.

Assisted Living in Iowa at a glance

Avg Monthly Cost: $5,500The average monthly cost across facilities in Iowa. Reflects published or estimated base rates and can vary with care level, room type, and amenities. Individual facilities can vary widely from this average.
National Average: $5,600
Avg Walk Score: 45/ 100The average Walk Score across facilities in Iowa. A third-party neighborhood walkability score (0–100) measuring convenience and context, not healthcare quality. Individual facilities can vary widely from this average.
National Average: 50/ 100
Avg No. of Beds: 73The average licensed bed capacity across facilities in Iowa. Individual facilities can vary widely from this average.
National Average: 90