Senior living in Des Moines, Iowa spans 50 state-licensed assisted living, memory care, and independent living communities and 53 Medicare-certified nursing homes across Polk, Dallas, Warren, Jasper, Madison, and Guthrie counties in Iowa. 15 area nursing homes hold a 5-star CMS rating. Lilisity publishes no score or ranking for any community that has not earned an award; the licensing and CMS data below are public records.
Every assisted living, memory care, and independent living community licensed by the state in Polk, Dallas, Warren, Jasper, Madison, and Guthrie counties in Iowa, from state licensing records. Listing here is not a rating: Lilisity publishes no score for any community that has not earned an award. Communities marked verified reviews have phone-verified resident and family interviews on file.
Assisted living in the Des Moines area typically runs $4,500–$6,500 per month, with memory care $1,000–$1,500 above that and independent living below it; skilled nursing is billed through Medicare, Medicaid, or private pay rather than monthly rent. Rates vary widely by apartment size and care level, so ask for the community’s current rate sheet.
| Care type | Typical Des Moines range | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Independent living | $3,000 – $4,500 | Private apartment or cottage, meals and services optional |
| Assisted living | $4,500 – $6,500 | Daily personal care, meals, medication management |
| Memory care | $5,500 – $8,000 | Secured neighborhood, dementia-trained staff |
| Skilled nursing | Payer-based | 24/7 medical care; Medicare/Medicaid/private pay |
Ranges reflect operator-published market rates for the region, September 2026. Iowa’s Medicaid waiver programs and VA Aid & Attendance can offset costs — see the FAQ below.
15 of the 53 Medicare-certified nursing homes in the Des Moines metro hold the highest possible 5-star overall rating from CMS — including Wesley On Grand in Des Moines. Every facility below links to its full inspection history, staffing hours, and deficiency record.
| Facility ↕ | Location ↕ | CMS rating ↕ | Beds ↕ | Operator ↕ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wesley On Grand | Des Moines, IA | ★★★★★ 5/5 | 80 | Wesleylife |
| Childserve Habilitation Center | Johnston, IA | ★★★★★ 5/5 | 74 | Independent |
| Westview Of Indianola Care Center | Indianola, IA | ★★★★★ 5/5 | 71 | Legacy Healthcare |
| Mill-Pond | Ankeny, IA | ★★★★★ 5/5 | 60 | Presbyterian Homes & Services |
| Walnut Ridge | Clive, IA | ★★★★★ 5/5 | 60 | Presbyterian Homes & Services |
| Spurgeon Manor | Dallas Center, IA | ★★★★★ 5/5 | 55 | Independent |
| The Village | Indianola, IA | ★★★★★ 5/5 | 54 | Wesleylife |
| Scottish Rite Park Inc | Des Moines, IA | ★★★★★ 5/5 | 51 | Independent |
| Prairie Vista Village | Altoona, IA | ★★★★★ 5/5 | 46 | Pivotal Health Care |
| Edgewater, A Wesleylife Community | West Des Moines, IA | ★★★★★ 5/5 | 40 | Wesleylife |
| On With Life Long Term Care | Polk City, IA | ★★★★★ 5/5 | 40 | Independent |
| Brio Of Johnston, Llc | Johnston, IA | ★★★★★ 5/5 | 36 | Wesleylife |
| Deerfield Health Care Center | Urbandale, IA | ★★★★★ 5/5 | 30 | Immanuel |
| On With Life | Ankeny, IA | ★★★★★ 5/5 | 28 | Independent |
| Newton Village Health Care Center | Newton, IA | ★★★★★ 5/5 | 24 | Cassia |
| Trinity Center At Luther Park | Des Moines, IA | ★★★★☆ 4/5 | 120 | Independent |
| Calvin Community | Des Moines, IA | ★★★★☆ 4/5 | 59 | Independent |
| Iowa Jewish Senior Life Center | Des Moines, IA | ★★★★☆ 4/5 | 46 | Independent |
| Traditions Memory Care Of Newton | Newton, IA | ★★★★☆ 4/5 | 46 | Accura Healthcare |
| Cedar Ridge Village | West Des Moines, IA | ★★★★☆ 4/5 | 40 | Pivotal Health Care |
| Karen Acres Care Center | Urbandale, IA | ★★★★☆ 4/5 | 35 | Independent |
| The Bridges At Ankeny | Ankeny, IA | ★★★☆☆ 3/5 | 100 | Campbell Street Services |
| Valley View Village | Des Moines, IA | ★★★☆☆ 3/5 | 79 | Cassia |
| Wesley Park Centre | Newton, IA | ★★★☆☆ 3/5 | 66 | Wesleylife |
| Arbor Springs Of West Des Moines L L C | West Des Moines, IA | ★★★☆☆ 3/5 | 56 | Independent |
| Panora Specialty Care | Panora, IA | ★★★☆☆ 3/5 | 46 | Care Initiatives |
| Kennybrook Village | Grimes, IA | ★★★☆☆ 3/5 | 40 | Pivotal Health Care |
| Bishop Drumm Retirement Center | Johnston, IA | ★★☆☆☆ 2/5 | 150 | Commonspirit Health |
| University Park Nursing And Rehabilitation Center | Des Moines, IA | ★★☆☆☆ 2/5 | 108 | Campbell Street Services |
| Sunny View Care Center | Ankeny, IA | ★★☆☆☆ 2/5 | 94 | Independent |
| Ramsey Village | Des Moines, IA | ★★☆☆☆ 2/5 | 78 | Independent |
| Rehabilitation Center Of Des Moines | Des Moines, IA | ★★☆☆☆ 2/5 | 74 | The Ensign Group |
| Valley Vista For Nursing And Rehabilitation | Newton, IA | ★★☆☆☆ 2/5 | 70 | Gabriel Sebbag & The Samara Family |
| Granger Nursing & Rehabilitation Center | Granger, IA | ★★☆☆☆ 2/5 | 67 | Campbell Street Services |
| Azria Health Winterset | Winterset, IA | ★★☆☆☆ 2/5 | 65 | Azria Health |
| The New Homestead Care Center | Guthrie Center, IA | ★★☆☆☆ 2/5 | 58 | Healthcare Of Iowa |
| Perry Lutheran Homes Eden Acres Campus | Perry, IA | ★★☆☆☆ 2/5 | 57 | Independent |
| Adel Acres | Adel, IA | ★★☆☆☆ 2/5 | 50 | Mgm Healthcare |
| Aspire Of Perry | Perry, IA | ★★☆☆☆ 2/5 | 46 | Beacon Health Management |
| Norwalk Nursing And Rehabilitation Center | Norwalk, IA | ★★☆☆☆ 2/5 | 45 | Campbell Street Services |
| Royal Oaks Nursing And Rehabilitation Center | Urbandale, IA | ★☆☆☆☆ 1/5 | 115 | Gabriel Sebbag & The Samara Family |
| Harmony West Des Moines | West Des Moines, IA | ★☆☆☆☆ 1/5 | 113 | Legacy Healthcare |
| Altoona Nursing And Rehabilitation Center | Altoona, IA | ★☆☆☆☆ 1/5 | 106 | Campbell Street Services |
| Good Samaritan Society - Indianola | Indianola, IA | ★☆☆☆☆ 1/5 | 105 | Good Samaritan Society |
| Regency Care Center | Norwalk, IA | ★☆☆☆☆ 1/5 | 101 | Mgm Healthcare |
| Parkridge Specialty Care | Pleasant Hill, IA | ★☆☆☆☆ 1/5 | 90 | Care Initiatives |
| Accura Healthcare Of South Des Moines | Des Moines, IA | ★☆☆☆☆ 1/5 | 89 | Accura Healthcare |
| Accura Healthcare Of Carlisle | Carlisle, IA | ★☆☆☆☆ 1/5 | 80 | Accura Healthcare |
| Greater Southside Health And Rehabilitation | Des Moines, IA | ★☆☆☆☆ 1/5 | 80 | The Ensign Group |
| Azria Health Park Place | Des Moines, IA | ★☆☆☆☆ 1/5 | 70 | Azria Health |
| Perry Lutheran Home | Perry, IA | ★☆☆☆☆ 1/5 | 70 | Independent |
| Accura Healthcare Of Newton East, Llc | Newton, IA | ★☆☆☆☆ 1/5 | 54 | Accura Healthcare |
| Pine Acres Rehabilitation And Care Center | West Des Moines, IA | Not rated | 140 | Akiko Ike |
Source: CMS Care Compare, federal five-star quality rating system, retrieved September 2026. Lilisity republishes this government data unmodified; no facility can pay to change its rating.
Senior living in the Des Moines metro is spread across Polk, Dallas, Warren, Jasper, Madison, and Guthrie counties in Iowa. The cities with the most licensed communities and nursing homes are listed below; most sit within a short drive of the region’s hospital systems, which matters for families coordinating specialist care or hospital discharge.
How Lilisity makes money: some communities pay us a referral fee when a family we’ve helped moves in. That fee never changes a review, a rating, or who appears on this page — CMS ratings come from the federal government, and reviews come from residents. Read the full methodology → · How we are paid →
Most states, including Iowa, offer a Medicaid waiver that covers care costs (not room and board) at participating assisted living communities for people who qualify financially and medically. Not every community accepts the waiver, so ask early. Veterans and surviving spouses may also qualify for VA Aid & Attendance, worth up to roughly $2,300 per month toward care.
Assisted living provides housing, meals, and help with daily tasks like bathing and medications in an apartment setting, state-licensed and mostly private pay. Nursing homes (skilled nursing) provide 24/7 medical care, are federally certified and CMS-rated, and are typically paid through Medicare, Medicaid, or long-term-care insurance.
Every facility in the table above links to its full record — CMS star ratings, health-inspection findings, staffing hours per resident, and any fines or penalties, sourced from Medicare's Care Compare data. 15 Des Moines-area facilities currently hold a 5-star overall rating.
Assisted living moves can happen in days when a community has availability — after a nurse assessment and paperwork. Memory care placements after a crisis often complete within one to two weeks. Calling an advisor who knows current availability is the fastest path: (833) 612-4732.
Lilisity publishes scores and rankings only for the Top Communities list and the Excellence Awards, both built from phone-verified interviews. The 50 communities listed by county come from state licensing records; CMS ratings apply only to Medicare-certified nursing homes.
One call covers current availability, honest pricing, and which communities fit your parent’s care needs and budget. No obligation, and we never sell your information.
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