Nursing home safety in Massachusetts
Massachusetts has 336 Medicare-certified nursing homes. They average 3.04 out of 5 CMS stars (0.06 better than the national average), carry 29.2 health-inspection citations each, and 7 are flagged in the records analyzed by CMS for abuse. Federal penalties total $11,659,690. Every flagged and top-rated home is named below.
Source: CMS Care Compare records in Haven’s directory, which may lag CMS updates. Free to cite with attribution to Haven.
Staffing in Massachusetts averages 3.86 nurse hours per resident per day (0.03 worse than the national average). Citations average 29.2 per home (1.2 better than the national average)— though citation counts reflect how aggressively a state's survey agency inspects, so they compare poorly across state lines.
Massachusetts homes CMS currently flags for abuse
CMS applies this icon when a facility was cited for abuse-related deficiencies on a recent inspection. It is a serious signal, not a verdict — read the specific citations, which are on each facility's page, and ask the administrator directly.
- Regalcare at Courtyard-Medford — Medford · 1★
- Plymouth Harborside Healthcare — Plymouth · 1★
- Mission Care at Holyoke — Holyoke · 1★
- Willow Brook Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center — Wilmington · 2★
- Berkshire Rehabilitation & Skilled Care Center — Sandisfield · 2★
- The Center at Blue Hills — Stoughton · 3★
- Pine Knoll Nursing Center — Lexington
Special Focus Facilities in Massachusetts
CMS's own list of homes with a persistent record of poor care. They are inspected about twice as often as other facilities and can be terminated from Medicare and Medicaid if they do not improve.
- Melrose Healthcare — Melrose · SFF Candidate
- Saugus Center — Saugus · SFF Candidate
- Mill Town Health and Rehabilitation — Amesbury · SFF Candidate
- Blaire House of Tewksbury — Tewksbury · SFF Candidate
- Regalcare at Courtyard-Medford — Medford · SFF Candidate
- Maplewood Center — Amesbury · SFF Candidate
- Pine Knoll Nursing Center — Lexington · SFF
- Norwood Healthcare — Norwood · SFF Candidate
- Plymouth Harborside Healthcare — Plymouth · SFF Candidate
- Medway Country Manor Skilled Nursing & Rehabilitat — Medway · SFF
- Hadley Pointe Nursing Rehab & Care — Hadley · SFF Candidate
Highest-rated nursing homes in Massachusetts
Four and five-star homes with no abuse flag and no Special Focus status, ordered by Haven's Scout Score (federal ratings, staffing, and inspection history). Rankings cannot be purchased.
| Community | City | CMS stars | Nurse hrs/day |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brookhaven at Lexington | Lexington | 5 | — |
| Campion Health & Wellness, INC | Weston | 5 | 6.8032 |
| Lasell House | Newton | 5 | 4.9385 |
| Southwood at Norwell Nursing Ctr | Norwell | 5 | 3.98771 |
| Leonard Florence Center for Living | Chelsea | 5 | 7.33974 |
| Care One at Holyoke | Holyoke | 5 | 3.61924 |
| Mary's Meadow at Providence Place | Holyoke | 5 | 5.28091 |
| Rivercrest Long Term Care | W Concord | 5 | 4.44347 |
| Bethany Skilled Nursing Facility | Framingham | 5 | 4.89935 |
| Elmhurst Healthcare (the) | Melrose | 5 | 4.31557 |
Largest federal penalties in Massachusetts
Civil monetary penalties follow serious deficiencies. A large fine history is a question to raise, not an automatic disqualification — some homes correct course, and the citations tell you which.
- Pine Knoll Nursing Center · Lexington$454,052
- Adviniacare Newburyport · Newburyport$322,104
- Plymouth Harborside Healthcare · Plymouth$321,400
- Cape Cod Post Acute Care · Brewster$298,483
- Regalcare at Glen Ridge · Medford$286,020
- Tremont Rehabilitation & Skilled Care Center · Wareham$285,936
- Oxford Rehabilitation & Health Care Center · Haverhill$265,351
- Mill Town Health and Rehabilitation · Amesbury$255,935
- Hathorne Hill Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center · Danvers$242,785
- Salem Rehab Center · Salem$238,905
Browse Massachusetts by area
Massachusetts nursing homes: common questions
How many nursing homes in Massachusetts have been flagged for abuse?
7 of 336 CMS-certified nursing homes in Massachusetts (2.1%) carry the federal abuse icon in the records analyzed, which CMS applies when a facility has been cited for abuse-related deficiencies on a recent inspection. The national rate is 9.9%. Every flagged home is named on this page.
What is the average nursing home rating in Massachusetts?
Massachusetts nursing homes average 3.04 out of 5 on the CMS overall star rating, across 333 rated facilities. The national average is 2.98. Staffing averages 3.86 total nurse hours per resident per day versus 3.89 nationally.
Which nursing homes in Massachusetts are on the Special Focus list?
12 Massachusetts facilities are designated a Special Focus Facility or candidate — CMS's list of homes with a persistent record of poor care, which face roughly double the normal inspection frequency and possible termination from Medicare and Medicaid. They are listed by name on this page.
How much have Massachusetts nursing homes been fined?
Federal civil monetary penalties against Massachusetts nursing homes total $11,659,690 in the current CMS release. Fines follow serious deficiencies, so a large penalty history is worth asking a facility about directly — they are required to discuss their inspection record with you.
Worried about a specific home in Massachusetts?
Every facility page shows that home's own inspection record — what inspectors found, how severe, and when — alongside staffing and pricing. If you need help sorting real options fast, a Haven advisor is free to your family.