Nursing Homes in Delaware

What nursing homes in Delaware provide

Nursing Homes in Delaware provide round-the-clock licensed nursing, medication management, rehabilitation therapy and help with every activity of daily living. We track 34 nursing homes statewide, alongside 21 other providers — nursing homes, assisted living, memory care, hospice and home health — that families often compare before deciding.

Every Medicare-certified nursing home in Delaware is surveyed by state inspectors on behalf of CMS roughly once a year, and those survey results feed the star ratings shown on each profile. That makes nursing homes the most transparent care type in Delaware: you can see deficiencies, staffing hours per resident per day and penalty history before you ever tour.

Typical pricing for nursing homes in Delaware runs $7,900 to $11,200 per month. Semi-private rooms sit at the low end of that range and private rooms typically add 15 to 25 percent. Expect the higher end of that range in Wilmington and other high-cost metros, and the lower end in rural counties.

How to choose a nursing home in Delaware

With 34 nursing homes in Delaware, families need a repeatable way to narrow the list. These six steps work in any county.

• 1. Check the government inspection reports first

  Every Clear Care Connect profile shows the real CMS inspection record — deficiencies cited, their scope and severity, and how fast they were corrected. Read that before any brochure.

• 2. Compare star ratings across a shortlist, not in isolation

  A three-star facility reads differently next to the Delaware average of 3.28. Line up four or five nursing homes side by side instead of judging one alone.

• 3. Visit at least three facilities, including one unannounced

  Tour options in Wilmington plus one nearby community, then drop in once outside tour hours to see normal staffing and resident engagement.

• 4. Ask about staff-to-resident ratios and turnover

  Ask for nursing hours per resident per day and annual turnover in writing. High turnover is the strongest predictor of inconsistent care in Delaware facilities.

• 5. Understand exactly what the monthly price includes

  Get the base rate, care-level surcharges, medication fees and past annual increases. Two Delaware communities quoting the same headline number can differ by thousands once care tiers apply.

• 6. Read the most recent inspection findings, not just the score

  One old citation matters far less than a repeated pattern. Clear Care Connect publishes the full history so you can compare Delaware providers on that record in one place.

Top cities for nursing homes in Delaware

Senior care in Delaware clusters around its largest population centers. These 8 cities hold the highest concentration of nursing homes statewide, and each links to a local directory with ratings and costs.

• Wilmington — 16 facilities, 11 of them nursing homes, averaging 2.9 CMS stars.
• Newark — 9 facilities, 3 of them nursing homes, averaging 3.8 CMS stars.
• Dover — 6 facilities, 4 of them nursing homes, averaging 3.6 CMS stars.
• Hockessin — 4 facilities, 2 of them nursing homes, averaging 4.0 CMS stars.
• Milford — 4 facilities, 3 of them nursing homes, averaging 3.0 CMS stars.
• Seaford — 3 facilities, 2 of them nursing homes, averaging 3.7 CMS stars.
• Smyrna — 2 facilities, 2 of them nursing homes, averaging 4.0 CMS stars.
• Georgetown — 2 facilities, 1 of them nursing home, averaging 2.0 CMS stars.

Understanding CMS ratings for nursing homes in Delaware

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services scores certified facilities from one to five stars using three inputs: on-site health inspections, payroll-reported staffing levels, and clinical quality measures. Five stars means much above average within that state's peer group; one star means much below.

In Delaware, 43 of the 55 providers we track carry a published CMS rating, and 19 — roughly 44% — hold four or five stars. The statewide average is 3.28 stars. That average is close to the national midpoint, so quality varies widely from one provider to the next and comparing individual facilities matters more than comparing states.

Weight the health inspection component most heavily: it is the only piece built from unannounced on-site visits by state surveyors. Staffing is the next best signal, and quality measures are partly self-reported. Clear Care Connect shows all three sub-scores, the inspection date and any penalties on every Delaware profile.

Nursing Homes costs in Delaware

Nursing Homes in Delaware typically runs $7,900 to $11,200 per month. Semi-private rooms sit at the low end of that range and private rooms typically add 15 to 25 percent. Pricing tracks local housing and wage costs closely, so expect Wilmington to price above the Delaware median while rural counties come in below it.

For comparison, Delaware families budget $7,900–$11,200 a month for a nursing home, $4,500–$7,500 for assisted living, $6,000–$9,000 for memory care, and little to nothing for Medicare-covered home health or hospice. Clear Care Connect publishes an estimated monthly range on each facility page so you can sanity-check any quote.

Frequently asked questions

Ready to find the right nursing home in Delaware?

Clear Care Connect shows real government inspection data, CMS star ratings and cost information for all 34 nursing homes in Delaware. Compare them side by side, see what inspectors found, and choose the right care for your loved one without a sales call.

Browse Delaware Nursing Homes