Nursing Home Ratings in Idaho: Data Analysis of Quality, Safety, and Staffing
Idaho has 77 nursing homes averaging 4.10 HPRD — 0.20 hours above the national average of 3.90. 83.12% meet the CMS benchmark.
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Data updated quarterly
This analysis reflects the most recent CMS data release (Q3 2025). Staffing figures, grades, and benchmarks are refreshed every quarter as new federal data becomes available.
Nursing Home Staffing in Idaho: What Families Need to Know
If you're evaluating nursing homes in Idaho, the state-level numbers offer some reassurance — but they don't tell the full story. Idaho's 77 facilities serve approximately 4,329 residents daily with an average staffing level of 4.10 HPRD, above the national average. About 83.12% meet the CMS staffing benchmark, and 68.8% earn a B or better.
But 1 facilities (1.3%) still earn a D or F — a reminder that state averages can smooth over the gaps between a well-staffed home and one running chronically short.
Weekend staffing is a particular red flag. Idaho facilities cut staffing by an average of 19.37% on Saturdays and Sundays — significantly more than the national norm of about 15–16%. For residents whose care needs don't take weekends off, that gap is felt in slower response times and reduced attention.
Explore the full Idaho profile → View facility rankings, county breakdowns, and trend data on our Idaho state page.
The Idaho Nursing Home Landscape
Idaho operates 77 Medicare and Medicaid certified nursing homes serving approximately 4,329 residents daily. Staffing levels range from well above the research recommendation to critically understaffed — a spread that makes facility-level data essential for any family evaluating care options.
The state averages 4.10 total nurse HPRD, which is 0.20 hours above the national average of 3.90. RN coverage averages 0.84 HPRD (national: 0.68), and 44.16% of facilities meet the 0.75 RN research recommendation. The grade distribution shows 53 facilities (68.8%) earning a B or better, while 1 (1.3%) fall to D or F.
Idaho by the Numbers
Grade Distribution
Staffing Compared to the National Average
Additional Metrics
- Median HPRD: 3.92 (less skewed by outliers than the average)
- Meet Research Recommendation (4.10): 35.06% of facilities
- RN Recommendation (0.75): 44.16% of facilities
- Agency/Contract Staff: 6.23% of total hours
What This Means for Families
Idaho's RN staffing of 0.84 HPRD meets or exceeds the 0.75 research recommendation at the state level, with 44.16% of individual facilities reaching that threshold. This is a genuine strength — adequate RN coverage means residents have clinical oversight that catches problems early.
Weekend staffing deserves attention. The average 19.37% drop on Saturdays and Sundays means residents receive meaningfully less care on weekends. Since most family visits happen on weekends, the staffing level you observe may actually be better than the weekend norm at many facilities.
Agency/contract staff account for 6.23% of hours, which is near the national average. This indicates a mix of permanent and temporary workers — worth asking about at any specific facility you're evaluating.
How Nursing Home Ratings Are Calculated
Our letter grades are based on Hours Per Resident Day (HPRD) — the total nursing staff hours a facility provides divided by its daily resident count. This metric normalizes for facility size, so a 200-bed home and a 20-bed home are measured on the same scale.
The grade thresholds are anchored to two evidence-based benchmarks:
- 3.48 HPRD — the staffing level CMS established through formal rulemaking as an appropriate standard. (The regulatory requirement was subsequently suspended, but the underlying research remains valid and widely cited.)
- 4.10 HPRD — the level recommended by the landmark CMS-commissioned STRIVE study as the minimum to prevent quality problems.
Grades A+ and A correspond to facilities meeting or exceeding the research recommendation. Grade B meets the CMS benchmark. Grades C through F fall below in progressively concerning ways.
All data comes from CMS Staffing & Quality Data — daily reports that every nursing home is legally required to submit. No facility pays to be rated. No rating is influenced by advertising or referral relationships.
Learn more about how HPRD is calculated in our guide to nursing home staffing metrics.
Key Takeaways for Families in Idaho
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Check the facility-level grade, not just the state average. Idaho's 4.10 HPRD average masks a range from A+ to F. Every facility is different.
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RN staffing is the most important single metric. Only 44.16% of Idaho facilities meet the 0.75 RN recommendation. Prioritize homes with strong registered nurse coverage — that's where clinical problems get caught early.
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Ask about weekends. Idaho facilities drop staffing by 19.37% on weekends on average. A weekend visit may not reflect typical staffing — check the daily data.
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Look at the trend direction. A facility that's improving from C toward B may be a better choice than one declining from B toward C. Four quarters of trend data reveal the direction.
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Review the inspection history. Staffing data measures resources; inspection data measures outcomes. A facility with thin staffing and repeated citations is showing two different signals pointing the same direction.
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Use the comparison tool to evaluate finalists side by side across every metric — staffing, grades, weekend patterns, inspection history, and CMS star ratings.
Frequently Asked Questions
How are nursing homes rated in Idaho?
Idaho nursing homes receive CMS Five-Star ratings based on health inspections, staffing levels, and quality measures. Our analysis adds letter grades (A+ through F) based on total nursing hours per resident per day, computed from federal staffing and quality data published by CMS. Idaho currently has 20 facilities earning A+ or A, and 1 earning D or F.
What is considered a good nursing home rating?
A facility with a B grade or better (3.48+ HPRD) meets the CMS benchmark standard. An A or A+ (4.10+ HPRD) meets the research recommendation for avoiding quality problems. In Idaho, 68.8% of facilities reach B or better.
How many nursing homes are in Idaho?
Idaho has 77 Medicare and Medicaid certified nursing homes serving approximately 4,329 residents daily.
What factors affect nursing home ratings in Idaho?
Key factors include total nurse staffing hours, registered nurse coverage, weekend staffing consistency, reliance on temporary agency staff, health inspection deficiency history, and clinical quality measures such as fall rates and infection rates.
How can families compare nursing homes in Idaho?
Our comparison tool allows side-by-side evaluation of any two Idaho facilities across staffing grades, HPRD levels, weekend drop-off, agency usage, CMS star ratings, and inspection history. You can also explore the Idaho state page for county-level breakdowns and rankings.