U.S. News & World Report evaluated nearly 15,000 nursing homes nationwide for its latest ratings, with 1-in-5 rated as “best.” More than two dozen New Jersey facilities earned the distinction.

Released Nov. 12, the 2025 Best Nursing Homes assessment highlights facilities that excel in “Short-Term Rehabilitation,” “Long-Term Care” or both. In New Jersey, 28 facilities were “high performing,” achieving best in both short- and long-term considerations.

According to U.S. News, it defines nursing homes as offering either short- or long-term care as well as assistance with daily living activities, such as bathing, dressing, managing medications or chronic diseases, and rehabilitation.

The publication recognized 10 metropolitan areas as having the greatest number of “Best Nursing Homes” nationwide. New Jersey facilities earned recognition via their inclusion in both the New York and Philadelphia regions.

U.S. News listed the metros alphabetically. The list also included: Boston; Chicago; Miami-Fort Lauderdale; Minneapolis-St. Paul; Phoenix; San Diego and San Francisco-Oakland; and Washington.

NJ nursing homes, by the numbers

Out of the state’s 346 total nursing homes, U.S. News said it rated 338 facilities: 336 for short-term care; 315 in long-term care; and 313 for both.

Of the evaluated New Jersey outposts, 108 were high performing in either short or long (81 achieved best in the former; 55 achieved in the latter).

Twenty-eight New Jersey nursing homes ranked High Performing – or best in both short and long stay:

1. Bridgeway Care and Rehabilitation Center at Bridgewater, Bridgewater – Somerset County
2. New Jersey Eastern Star Home, Bridgewater – Somerset County
3. Masonic Village at Burlington, Burlington – Burlington County
4. Shady Lane Nursing Home, Clarksboro – Gloucester County
5. Care One at East Brunswick, East Brunswick – Middlesex County
6. Hartwyck at Oak Tree, Edison – Middlesex County
7. Emerson Health Care Center, Emerson – Bergen County
8. Applewood Estates, Freehold – Monmouth County
9. CareOne at Wellington, Hackensack – Bergen County
10. Alaris Health at Belgrove, Kearny – Hudson County
11. Harrogate, Lakewood – Ocean County
12. Inglemoor Rehabilitation and Care Center of Living, Livingston – Essex County
13. Care One at Livingston, Livingston – Essex County
14. Village Point, Monroe Township – Middlesex County
15. Hudson Hills Senior Living, North Bergen – Hudson County
16. Alaris Health at St. Mary’s, Orange – Essex County
17. New Jersey Veterans Memorial Home Paramus, Paramus – Bergen County
18. The Atrium at Navesink Harbor, Red Bank – Monmouth County
19. Family of Caring Healthcare at Ridgewood, Ridgewood – Bergen County
20. Jewish Home at Rockleigh, Rockleigh – Bergen County
21. Parker at Somerset, Somerset – Somerset County
22. Merry Heart Nursing Home, Succasunna – Morris County
23. Greenwood House Home for the Jewish Aged, Trenton – Mercer County
24. Lions Gate, Voorhees – Camden County
25. Lutheran Social Ministries at Crane’s Mill, West Caldwell – Essex County
26. CareOne at Valley, Westwood – Bergen County
27. Woodcliff Lake Health & Rehabilitation Center, Woodcliff Lake – Bergen County
28. Christian Health Care Center – Wyckoff, Wyckoff – Bergen County

In 2023, 34 New Jersey nursing homes earned U.S. News’ highest ranking.

Toplines

Of note in the 2025 Best Nursing Homes ratings, U.S. News & World Report highlighted:

• Best Nursing Homes for short-term rehabilitation discharge an average of 50% more patients to a residence (rather than a long-term care setting) compared to facilities rated as below average.
• Best Nursing Homes for long-term care preserve residents’ self-reliance longer: residents are on average 50% less likely to lose the ability to perform self-care activities, such as feeding and washing themselves, compared to residents at facilities rated as below average.
• Best Nursing Homes for long-term care give residents antipsychotic medications 46% less of the time compared to facilities rated as below average.
• Residents at Best Nursing Homes for long-term care are more than 60% less likely to require emergency department care compared to residents at facilities rated as below average.

How they did it

To determine the rankings, U.S. News said it evaluated individual facilities based on a variety of quality measures obtained from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Featured factors cover resident care, safety and outcomes. They also evaluate data on on nurse staffing levels, consistency and retention, use of antipsychotic drugs and success in preventing emergency room visits.

Coming up short

Announcing the latest rankings, the publication highlighted ongoing staffing challenges within the industry.

“U.S. News’ latest evaluation reveals the Best Nursing Homes for short-term rehabilitation have an average of 50% more total nursing care per resident than facilities rated as below average in short-term rehab, and the Best Nursing Homes for long-term care have double the staff retention rate of nursing homes when compared to underperforming nursing homes,” commented Ben Harder, chief of health analysis and managing editor at U.S. News.

While federal regulations dictate U.S. nursing homes must provide at least eight registered nurse-staffing house each day, the 2025 rankings found that nearly half do not comply, U.S. News said.

With staffing shortages an overarching trend throughout the health care sector, a lawsuit filed over the summer seeks to challenge nursing homes staffing ratios mandated by a 2020 state law. As reported by NJ Spotlight, the complaint coincides with a wave of citations from state officials for violating the regulation. The Health Care Association of New Jersey and six nursing homes are plaintiffs in the case.