You are already doing the part most families skip.
Most people tour three buildings, meet a director who is genuinely lovely, and decide on a feeling. You went looking for the file. That is the right instinct: the file is where the difference between two identical-looking homes actually shows up. It is just long, and dull, and written for somebody else. That part we can do for you.
Not sure where to start?
We do the calling. You do the choosing.
The promise
You get your answer. Or your money back.
No recommendation in three business days? The $199 goes back. No forms.
Start with your city
Every city page ranks the full licensed set for that market, with what the record shows on each one.
Los Angeles, CA378 rankedChicago, IL93 rankedSan Diego, CA86 rankedSt. Louis, MO84 rankedDallas, TX82 rankedBaltimore, MD82 rankedHouston, TX79 rankedCincinnati, OH79 ranked
Miami, FLSan Antonio, TXLas Vegas, NVIndianapolis, INRiverside, CAPhiladelphia, PAProvidence, RIJacksonville, FLOklahoma City, OKDetroit, MILouisville, KYPortland, ORSacramento, CAHonolulu, HIWichita, KSFort Worth, TXFresno, CATulsa, OKColumbus, OHMilwaukee, WIPhoenix, AZAtlanta, GAPittsburgh, PAAustin, TXDenver, COKansas City, MOOmaha, NEAlbuquerque, NMTucson, AZMinneapolis, MNOrlando, FLCharlotte, NCBirmingham, ALNew York, NYLittle Rock, ARLong Beach, CAMemphis, TNCleveland, OHRichmond, VATampa, FLWilmington, DESan Francisco, CASeattle, WAEl Paso, TXColorado Springs, CONashville, TNBoise, IDDes Moines, IAVirginia Beach, VASalt Lake City, UTSan Jose, CAWashington, DCOakland, CAStockton, CAJackson, MSBoston, MALexington, KYBridgeport, CTNew Orleans, LAMesa, AZAnaheim, CARaleigh, NCCharleston, WVCorpus Christi, TXBillings, MTCharleston, SCArlington, TXFargo, NDBakersfield, CAManchester, NHSioux Falls, SDHenderson, NVAnchorage, AKPortland, MENewark, NJBurlington, VTCheyenne, WY
Every state
Alabama277Alaska29Arizona204Arkansas268California1,303Colorado260Connecticut251Delaware71District of Columbia19Florida804Georgia422Hawaii74Idaho129Illinois757Indiana580Iowa456Kansas385Kentucky318Louisiana332Maine136Maryland279Massachusetts459Michigan498Minnesota442Mississippi247Missouri548Montana115Nebraska243Nevada109New Hampshire114New Jersey410New Mexico119New York669North Carolina489North Dakota107Ohio1,048Oklahoma393Oregon170Pennsylvania764Rhode Island107South Carolina244South Dakota136Tennessee380Texas1,322Utah124Vermont59Virginia350Washington261West Virginia171Wisconsin392Wyoming50
Common questions
How many nursing homes are there in the United States?
17,905 Medicare-certified nursing homes are listed on Palmelle, drawn from federal CMS records and refreshed on the federal release schedule.
What is the difference between a nursing home and assisted living?
A nursing home provides skilled nursing care on site 24 hours a day and is licensed and inspected federally by CMS. Assisted living provides help with daily activities, is licensed by the state rather than CMS, and generally costs less.
How does Palmelle rank nursing homes?
Each facility carries a Clarity Score from 0 to 10 built from federal CMS inspection results, staffing data, penalties and quality measures. A facility with no usable federal record is shown as not yet scored — never as a zero and never as an average.
Is the inspection record public?
Yes. CMS publishes survey results, deficiency citations and penalties for every certified nursing home. It is public, and it is long. Palmelle's job is reading it.
