Hillcrest Health Care Center
2121 Avenue L, Hawarden, IA 51023
Hawarden, Iowa · CMS verdict
CMS rates Hillcrest Health Care Center at 1 of 5 stars overall - below-average on the federal scale, and below the Iowa average of 3.1.
The rating and the PlainElderCare Index below summarize federal inspection, staffing, and outcome data, they measure specific, documented dimensions of this facility, not a holistic verdict on the care your family member would receive. Visit in person, talk with staff and current residents' families, and weigh your family member's specific needs before choosing.
Hillcrest Health Care Center in Hawarden, Iowa holds a CMS overall rating of 1 of 5 stars and a PlainElderCare Quality & Compliance Index of 21 of 100 (grade F). The 64-bed facility operates where a semi-private nursing-home room in Iowa runs a median of $9,277 per month. Figures are from CMS Nursing Home Compare.
PlainElderCare Quality & Compliance Index
A transparent composite of this facility's CMS Care Compare sub-ratings and its federal inspection record. It complements, and does not replace, the official CMS overall rating of 1 of 5 stars. How this is calculated.
How the 21 is built
Each segment is a dimension's weighted points toward the score, summing to 21.
Weights: health inspections 30%, staffing 25%, quality measures 25%, inspection record 20%; any dimension CMS has not published drops out and its weight redistributes (no silent deflation). Inspection record is benchmarked against all rated US nursing homes. Source: CMS Nursing Home Compare.
Data insights
Quality ratings
CMS's most recent Care Compare release (data as of April 2026) puts Hillcrest Health Care Center's overall quality rating at 1 out of 5 stars, a composite of three sub-ratings: health inspection (1/5), staffing (2/5), and quality measures (3/5).
What each sub-rating measures
The health inspection rating reflects on-site surveyor findings from the last three cycles. The staffing rating compares case-mix-adjusted nurse hours per resident day to national benchmarks, and quality measures aggregate 15 clinical indicators including pressure ulcers, falls with injury, and long-stay antipsychotic use.
Size and setting
Located in Hawarden, Iowa, this facility operates 64 certified beds with an average daily census of roughly 41 residents - an occupancy rate of about 64%. The facility is classified under for profit - limited liability company ownership, a designation that can influence staffing patterns, reinvestment decisions, and admissions policy. At roughly 64% occupancy, this facility has meaningful open capacity relative to its certified bed count.
Same-ownership peers
Within Iowa, Hillcrest Health Care Center is one of 91 for profit - limited liability company nursing homes CMS rates. Its 1-star overall rating sits below the for profit - limited liability company-segment average of 2.7 stars, ahead of roughly 0% of same-ownership peers in the state. Peer comparisons within the same ownership type are more apples-to-apples than a state-wide average, since for-profit, non-profit, and government operators tend to differ systematically in staffing and reinvestment.
Inspection record
On the regulatory side, federal and state surveyors have documented multiple deficiencies at this facility (55 total). CMS has levied 2 enforcement penalties - civil money penalties or denials of payment, during the same window. This is a high deficiency count relative to most facilities; requesting the full survey report directly is the only way to see whether these are concentrated in one area or spread across the facility's operations.
Where these figures come from
The figures above come directly from the U.S. Centers for Medicare \& Medicaid Services Nursing Home Compare dataset for federal quality ratings, combined with the CareScout 2025 Cost of Care Survey of more than 15,000 elder-care providers nationwide and U.S. Census American Community Survey income data. Cost figures are monthly medians, refreshed annually with each new CareScout release; quality ratings are refreshed quarterly from the CMS Provider Information File. Read these state and county medians as benchmarks, then verify current rates with individual providers and consult care managers before making placement decisions. See our methodology for source vintage.
How Hillcrest Health Care Center compares to Iowa
CMS five-star sub-ratings (0–5) for this facility against the Iowa facility-weighted average. Source: CMS Care Compare.
Bar = this facility's rating · vertical marker = Iowa state average. Higher is better on all four CMS measures.
Where Hillcrest Health Care Center ranks in Iowa
Among the 388 CMS-rated nursing homes in Iowa, Hillcrest Health Care Center’s 1-star overall rating is higher than 0% of them. The bars show how all Iowa homes spread across the CMS 1-to-5 scale; this facility’s band is highlighted.
80 Iowa homes share this 1-star rating. Source: CMS Nursing Home Compare.
Facility details
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Beds | 64 |
| Residents | 41 |
| Ownership | For profit - Limited Liability company |
| County | Sioux |
| Penalties | 2 |
| Deficiencies | 55 |
Source: CMS Care Compare Nursing Homes (data as of April 2026)
What do families ask most?
What is the quality rating for Hillcrest Health Care Center? ▾
CMS rates Hillcrest Health Care Center at 1 out of 5 stars overall. The three sub-ratings behind that number: health inspection 1/5, staffing 2/5, quality measures 3/5.
How much does a nursing home cost per month in Iowa? ▾
CareScout's 2025 survey puts Iowa's median semi-private nursing home rate at $9,277 per month ($111,325 per year), with private rooms averaging $10,038 per month.
What services does Hillcrest Health Care Center offer? ▾
Hillcrest Health Care Center is a skilled nursing facility with 64 beds with approximately 41 current residents. It operates under for profit - limited liability company ownership. The facility has recorded 55 deficiencies and 2 penalties in CMS inspections.
Does Hillcrest Health Care Center have any deficiencies or penalties? ▾
Hillcrest Health Care Center has multiple deficiencies (55 total) and 2 penalties recorded by CMS. A count this high is above what most facilities post; ask the facility directly for its plan of correction on the largest findings.
What are the alternatives to a nursing home in Iowa? ▾
In Iowa, alternatives include assisted living ($5,381/mo), home health aides ($7,836/mo), and adult day care ($1,614/mo).
Elder Care Guides
Explore PlainElderCare
Related Resources
Compare cost and CMS quality across the state on the Iowa elder-care overview, or see how facilities rank nationwide in our highest-rated states ranking.
Weigh nursing care against assisted living, home health, and adult day care, with national median costs, on our care types comparison, and learn how to fund it in our paying for elder care guide.
Source: CMS Nursing Home Compare. Provider ID: 165245.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.