Best states for senior care
We ranked every state by the measured quality and access of its Medicare-certified care — using official CMS five-star ratings and U.S. Census data. Here's how they compare.
How we rank
The Cura Rank Care Score (0–100) is our own transparent composite — not an official CMS metric. It blends three things every family cares about:
- 50% — Quality: the average CMS overall five-star rating across all rated facilities in the state.
- 30% — Consistency: the share of facilities rated 4 or 5 stars (your odds of finding excellent care).
- 20% — Access: nursing homes per 10,000 residents aged 65+ (supply relative to demand).
It measures the care system, not weather, taxes or cost of living. Always evaluate individual facilities — a top state still has weak facilities, and vice versa.
Top-ranked states
#1
Utah
Strong
Avg 3.5★ · 34% rated 4-5★
#2
New Jersey
Strong
Avg 3.4★ · 43% rated 4-5★
#3
Rhode Island
Strong
Avg 3.2★ · 38% rated 4-5★
Full ranking — all 50 states + DC
| Rank | State | Care Score | Avg rating | % 4-5★ | NH / 10k 65+ | Facilities |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Utah | 3.5★ | 34.3% | 2.2 | 370 | |
| #2 | New Jersey | 3.4★ | 43.2% | 2.0 | 718 | |
| #3 | Rhode Island | 3.2★ | 38.2% | 3.3 | 136 | |
| #4 | Minnesota | 3.2★ | 31.2% | 3.2 | 812 | |
| #5 | Connecticut | 3.1★ | 32.7% | 2.7 | 376 | |
| #6 | Arkansas | 3.2★ | 31.3% | 3.9 | 517 | |
| #7 | South Dakota | 3.2★ | 30.0% | 5.5 | 223 | |
| #8 | Iowa | 3.1★ | 31.6% | 6.4 | 767 | |
| #9 | Wisconsin | 3.1★ | 31.1% | 2.8 | 758 | |
| #10 | Indiana | 3.1★ | 30.5% | 4.2 | 1,089 | |
| #11 | Maine | 3.2★ | 31.0% | 2.4 | 171 | |
| #12 | Massachusetts | 3.1★ | 27.7% | 2.6 | 873 | |
| #13 | Kansas | 3.1★ | 28.4% | 5.6 | 689 | |
| #14 | New Hampshire | 3.1★ | 30.4% | 2.4 | 171 | |
| #15 | North Dakota | 3.2★ | 25.6% | 5.2 | 168 | |
| #16 | Pennsylvania | 3.1★ | 27.1% | 2.5 | 1,748 | |
| #17 | Maryland | 3.2★ | 36.5% | 2.0 | 523 | |
| #18 | Kentucky | 3.0★ | 29.8% | 3.2 | 604 | |
| #19 | Colorado | 3.3★ | 28.8% | 2.2 | 699 | |
| #20 | Nebraska | 3.0★ | 27.4% | 5.1 | 413 | |
| #21 | North Carolina | 3.2★ | 32.0% | 2.1 | 1,036 | |
| #22 | Ohio | 3.1★ | 23.6% | 4.1 | 2,441 | |
| #23 | Alabama | 3.1★ | 28.4% | 2.3 | 703 | |
| #24 | Idaho | 3.2★ | 25.4% | 2.3 | 260 | |
| #25 | Tennessee | 3.0★ | 28.2% | 2.4 | 805 | |
| #26 | Wyoming | 3.1★ | 20.5% | 3.1 | 127 | |
| #27 | West Virginia | 2.9★ | 26.5% | 3.2 | 283 | |
| #28 | Louisiana | 2.9★ | 23.5% | 3.3 | 893 | |
| #29 | Hawaii | 3.5★ | 35.3% | 1.4 | 136 | |
| #30 | Michigan | 3.1★ | 25.4% | 2.1 | 1,341 | |
| #31 | Montana | 2.9★ | 20.6% | 2.5 | 194 | |
| #32 | Delaware | 3.2★ | 26.6% | 1.9 | 124 | |
| #33 | Illinois | 2.8★ | 23.8% | 2.9 | 1,873 | |
| #34 | Virginia | 3.1★ | 29.3% | 1.9 | 944 | |
| #35 | Oklahoma | 2.9★ | 21.0% | 4.1 | 849 | |
| #36 | South Carolina | 3.2★ | 31.3% | 1.7 | 560 | |
| #37 | Washington | 3.3★ | 33.5% | 1.4 | 529 | |
| #38 | Alaska | 3.2★ | 25.0% | 1.8 | 72 | |
| #39 | New York | 3.1★ | 34.2% | 1.6 | 1,274 | |
| #40 | Texas | 2.9★ | 17.1% | 2.7 | 5,328 | |
| #41 | District of Columbia | 3.3★ | 19.8% | 1.9 | 86 | |
| #42 | Mississippi | 2.7★ | 20.6% | 3.8 | 534 | |
| #43 | Missouri | 2.7★ | 22.0% | 4.2 | 1,012 | |
| #44 | Vermont | 2.9★ | 19.7% | 2.2 | 76 | |
| #45 | California | 3.2★ | 20.5% | 1.8 | 7,488 | |
| #46 | Florida | 3.1★ | 29.0% | 1.4 | 2,645 | |
| #47 | Oregon | 3.1★ | 25.9% | 1.5 | 375 | |
| #48 | Georgia | 2.7★ | 17.8% | 2.0 | 1,233 | |
| #49 | New Mexico | 2.8★ | 19.9% | 1.6 | 297 | |
| #50 | Arizona | 3.2★ | 19.3% | 0.9 | 789 | |
| #51 | Nevada | 2.8★ | 14.7% | 1.1 | 566 |
Sources: CMS Provider Data Catalog (ratings) and U.S. Census Bureau (population 65+). Click a state for its full healthcare-quality guide.