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Why trust this guide?
Our editorial team analyzed 346 nursing homes in CA using CMS data, inspection records, complaints, amenities, and facility-level details. How we rank nursing homes in CA
Video Tour: Top-rated Nursing Homes facilities in California.
Watch this Video to see California's Top-rated Senior Communities
Avg Overall CMS Rating:3.1/ 5The average Overall CMS Rating for all CMS-certified nursing homes in California. Ratings combine health inspections, staffing, and quality measures, with inspections weighted most. Individual facilities can vary widely from this average.
National Average:3.2/ 5
Avg Staffing Rating:3.1/ 5The average Staffing Rating across all CMS-certified nursing homes in California. Reflects nursing staff hours per resident per day (including RNs), adjusted for residents' care needs. Individual facilities can vary widely from this average.
National Average:3.4/ 5
Avg Health Insp. Rating:2.8/ 5The average Health Inspection Rating across all CMS-certified nursing homes in California. Based on each facility's recent inspections and complaint investigations, weighing the number, scope, and severity of deficiencies. Individual facilities can vary widely from this average.
Info below is compiled from CMS reports & the CA Dept. of Social Services (CDSS), senior community websites & trusted data sources such as Walk Score & BBB.
Communities are listed from highest to lowest based on our ranking methodology.
Overview of Harrison Villa of Mt. San Antonio Gardens
Harrison Villa, located inside Mt San Antonio Gardens’ campus in Pomona, CA, is a senior living community that offers assisted living services for residents in need of high-acuity care. Harrison Villa is modeled on the groundbreaking Green House® concept to create an authentic, caring home environment for residents to thrive in. The residents are provided individualized care and support, especially for activities of daily living.
Harrison Villa residents are not only provided quality healthcare, they also offer a variety of amenities designed to enhance their daily life. Such includes carefully prepared meals, indoor and outdoor common space for relaxation and socialization, and regular activities that promote the residents overall well being.
Between the serene sea and the charm of Carlsbad Village, Carlsbad by the Sea Care Center offers a distinctive care experience, specializing in rehabilitation and skilled nursing services. The center provides 33 accommodations, some featuring captivating ocean views, consistently earning recognition from My InnerView and the National Research Corporation as one of the top 10 percent of skilled nursing centers nationwide. With a dedicated and welcoming staff committed to recuperation and rehabilitation, this San Diego County location ensures residents’ peace of mind.
As an integral part of the award-winning oceanfront Carlsbad By The Sea, this care center prioritizes resident needs, emphasizing personal attention and fostering a genuine sense of family. Round-the-clock professional nursing ensures the well-being of residents, complemented by rehabilitative physical, occupational, and speech therapies for comprehensive medical care. Carlsbad by the Sea Care Center encourages exploration, questions, and personalized guided tours, extending an invitation for individuals, friends, or loved ones. Accepting Medicare A and B along with private payments, the center offers flexible solutions tailored to each individual. The resident-centric approach allows individuals to live on their terms, with gourmet dining choices, complimentary Wi-Fi, and more. A level of care and human connection unfolds best through firsthand experience.
VI at La Jolla Village is a senior living community located at 8515 Costa Verde Boulevard in the University City neighborhood of San Diego, California. Operated by Classic Residence Management and administered by Stephanie Boudreau, the high-rise continuing care retirement community (CCRC) provides a full continuum of care, incorporating independent living, assisted living, memory support, and skilled nursing.
The campus contains 783 beds across a range of housing configurations, including suites, standard apartments, and penthouses. The community holds a 69 percent occupancy rate, with skilled nursing residents staying an average of 79 days during rehabilitation. Nursing care levels average roughly 5 hours and 16 minutes per resident daily.
Lifestyle amenities include a salt-filtered pool, movie theater, library, salon, private gardens, and an active resident council. The property is pet-friendly and sits near the VA Medical Center-San Diego in a highly walkable neighborhood with a walk score of 88.
Family representatives can contact the Costa Verde Boulevard office to schedule an in-person tour or check apartment floor plan availability.
Enjoy the picturesque scenery of Sand Hill Road, Palo Alto, CA, with the astounding senior living community of VI at Palo Alto offering assisted living, independent living, memory care, and skilled nursing. The community features cozy and purposely built residences in variations of one-bedroom, two-bedroom, and three-bedroom floor plans, ensuring relaxation and security at its finest. A kind and highly trained team lends extra hands for seniors to live their golden years doing what they love.
With the seniors’ well-being in mind, the community conducts engaging activities and enjoyable programs to ensure they maintain an active and happy lifestyle. Have an unforgettable dining experience with delectable and healthy meals catering to nutritional needs and preferences. VI at Palo Alto is a safe place for seniors seeking solace in their golden years with its serene spaces and friendly community guiding you every step of the way.
Everyday is a life-enhancing opportunity at The Reutlinger Community, a charming senior living community in Contra Costa County, Danville, CA, offering independent living, assisted living, memory care, rehabilitation, and skilled nursing. With its continuum of care services, residents are guaranteed to gracefully age in place with seamless transition should their needs evolve. Residents are welcomed into beautifully designed studios, one-bedroom apartments, and memory care units that perfectly align with their tastes and needs.
With 24-hour team availability, residents and their loved ones can rest easy knowing they will be constantly supported by care partners who are truly invested in their health and happiness. Residents are empowered to continue living life to the fullest with lifelong learning programs, activities and opportunities for socialization offered by the community. Beautiful community amenities, including cozy lounge areas, dining rooms, an art room and physical fitness studio, provides relaxing space for exploration and enjoyment.
Covenant Living at the Samarkand is a senior living community that mainly provides services for residential living, assisted living, and skilled nursing seniors. The senior living community is dedicated to empowering all residents to live on their terms. The resort-like community boasts a relaxing and calming experience for its residents because it allows them to choose a lifestyle that matches their needs independently.
The Covenant Senior Living lifestyle is all about convenience and individuality. Many of their amenities and services are designed to ensure that a resident’s needs are met and satisfied. These include a library, wellness center, courtyard, and garden, and an arts and crafts studio, while services include housekeeping, laundry, and transportation.
Ideally located in the beautiful setting of Thousand Oaks, CA, OakView Health Center is a trusted community that offers assisted living, memory care, rehabilitation, and skilled nursing. A kind and highly trained team strives to provide the highest quality of care and support 24/7 for residents’ needs. With a cozy and nurturing environment, residents ease their worries and feel a sense of belonging.
A carefully curated calendar of life enrichment programs is also conducted to keep residents active and socially engaged. There’s no need to worry about mealtimes with delicious and healthy meals catering to residents’ dietary needs and preferences served three times daily. The community received a five-star rating from the Center for Medicare Services, proving its exceptional quality.
Canterbury Woods sits on Renaissance Drive in Williamsville, a village in Erie County with a walk score of 81; that’s high. Residents’ families can park the car and actually walk to whatever they need nearby. The 50-bed nursing home has been open since 1999, and it runs as part of the Episcopal Church Home and Affiliates Life Care Community, a continuing care retirement network, under operator Shaida Behnam.
Right now, 41 of those 50 beds are filled, which puts occupancy at 82 percent. Residents get 5 hours and 6 minutes of combined nursing care every single day. For a nursing home, that’s a lot of hands-on time, and it tends to matter more to families than almost anything else on a profile like this one.
Canterbury Woods takes Medicare and private pay, so there’s some room for families figuring out how to cover the bill. And if your parent has a dog or a cat they refuse to leave behind? Good news: pets are allowed here.
As for the state inspections, they’ve generally circled around the stuff you’d expect a nursing home to get checked on: infection control, fire safety, whether staff are properly trained and credentialed, food service, resident rights, and basic upkeep of the building.
Put it all together and Canterbury Woods reads like a place built for real nursing care, not a lifestyle community with a nurse on call. The staffing hours back that up. Whether someone’s coming in for a few weeks of rehab or settling in for the long haul, the daily care hours are the thing that actually tells you what living here looks like.
Ridgeview Health Center is a peaceful sanctuary where residents can receive personalized care, including assisted living, memory care, 24-hour skilled nursing, and rehabilitation. The center is dedicated to providing unfaltering attention to the wellness of its elderly residents, through their distinctive floor plans and emergency response available 24/7. They boast full-time wellness nurses and highly trained caregivers, equipped with advanced medication technologies. They place a great deal of importance on the residents’ independence and personal choices, ensuring that each individual has the freedom to live their life the way they choose. This home also offers a salon and barber, scenic drives, shopping trips, and spiritual wellness options such as bible studies and church services. Residents can enjoy their meals while maintaining their health goals as the center offers options to satisfy their palate while being healthy. They provide a myriad of avenues for residents to enjoy various activities as well, such as Wheel of Fortune, bingo and card games, themed and holiday events, live music performances, craft and ceramics classes, painting workshops, museum visits, and so much more.
Overview of The Terraces at San Joaquin Gardens a CCRC
The Terraces at San Joaquin Gardens has been a pioneer in making residents feel welcomed and comfortable for its independent living, assisted living, memory care, and skilled nursing residents. Seniors live a vibrant lifestyle where they can pursue individual goals and needs with additional support. The Terraces is a safe and secure continuing retirement community that ensures seniors and their families the best senior care.
The Terraces at San Joaquin Gardens maintain an active lifestyle for its residents to take advantage of– a dining experience that provides delicious meals created by an executive chef, wellness programs planned for those who want to stay active with social, intellectual, and cultural opportunities found in their yoga and dance classes.
Every nursing home above is evaluated across five weighted categories using CMS data including Care Compare, Payroll-Based Journal, and Medicare Cost Reports.
How we're paid:If we help you find a home and you move in, that home may pay us a referral fee. This never affects where they rank or what you pay. Learn more
Frequently Asked Questions about Nursing Homes in California
What's the difference between assisted living and a nursing home in California?
Assisted living in California 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 California Medicaid cover nursing home care?
Yes — California Medicaid covers nursing home care for residents who meet income, asset, and medical-need eligibility requirements. Most CMS-certified nursing homes accept Medicaid as a primary payer once long-term-care eligibility is established.
What is nursing home care?
Nursing homes (also called skilled nursing facilities) provide 24/7 medical care from licensed nurses, rehabilitation services, and long-term custodial care for residents with significant health or functional needs.
How many nursing homes are listed on this page?
This page features 346 nursing homes in California. Use the filters and comparison tools above to compare ratings, amenities, and pricing.
How do I choose the right nursing home in California?
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 California, 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 nursing homes in California?
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.
If you move into a community through us, that community may pay us a referral fee. This never changes your cost or which options we recommend. Learn more
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