Kirkwood By the River
3605 RATLIFF ROAD, Birmingham, AL 35210
Birmingham, Alabama · CMS verdict
On the federal five-star scale, Kirkwood By the River carries a 3 of 5 CMS overall rating, average quality that runs in line with Alabama's state average of 3.0.
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.
Kirkwood By the River in Birmingham, Alabama holds a CMS overall rating of 3 of 5 stars and a PlainElderCare Quality & Compliance Index of 59 of 100 (grade F). The 61-bed facility operates where a semi-private nursing-home room in Alabama runs a median of $8,334 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 3 of 5 stars. How this is calculated.
How the 59 is built
Each segment is a dimension's weighted points toward the score, summing to 59.
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
On Care Compare (data as of April 2026), Kirkwood By the River carries an overall CMS quality rating of 3 out of 5 stars. That figure rolls up three sub-ratings tracked separately: health inspection (4/5), staffing (4/5), and quality measures (1/5).
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 Birmingham, Alabama, this facility operates 61 certified beds with an average daily census of roughly 52 residents - an occupancy rate of about 85%. The facility is classified under non profit - corporation ownership, a designation that can influence staffing patterns, reinvestment decisions, and admissions policy. At about 85% occupancy, this facility's bed usage looks steady and consistent with a stabilized operation.
Same-ownership peers
Within Alabama, Kirkwood By the River is one of 20 non profit - corporation nursing homes CMS rates. Its 3-star overall rating sits below the non profit - corporation-segment average of 3.0 stars, ahead of roughly 30% 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 a moderate number of deficiencies at this facility (8 total). CMS has levied no enforcement penalties over the equivalent window. This volume of findings is worth reading past the count: CMS's F-tag scale separates isolated, low-harm citations from widespread or immediate-jeopardy ones, and only the full report shows which this facility has.
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 Kirkwood By the River compares to Alabama
CMS five-star sub-ratings (0–5) for this facility against the Alabama facility-weighted average. Source: CMS Care Compare.
Bar = this facility's rating · vertical marker = Alabama state average. Higher is better on all four CMS measures.
Where Kirkwood By the River ranks in Alabama
Among the 223 CMS-rated nursing homes in Alabama, Kirkwood By the River’s 3-star overall rating is higher than 36% of them. The bars show how all Alabama homes spread across the CMS 1-to-5 scale; this facility’s band is highlighted.
57 Alabama homes share this 3-star rating. Source: CMS Nursing Home Compare.
Facility details
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Beds | 61 |
| Residents | 52 |
| Ownership | Non profit - Corporation |
| County | Jefferson |
| Penalties | 0 |
| Deficiencies | 8 |
Source: CMS Care Compare Nursing Homes (data as of April 2026)
What do families ask most?
What is the quality rating for Kirkwood By the River? ▾
Kirkwood By the River has an overall CMS quality rating of 3 out of 5 stars, with a health inspection rating of 4/5, staffing rating of 4/5, and quality measures rating of 1/5.
How much does a nursing home cost per month in Alabama? ▾
In Alabama, a semi-private nursing home room runs a median $8,334/month ($100,010/year) per the CareScout 2025 survey; private rooms average $8,787/month.
What services does Kirkwood By the River offer? ▾
With 61 beds with approximately 52 current residents, Kirkwood By the River is a skilled nursing facility. It operates under non profit - corporation ownership, and CMS's inspection record shows 8 deficiencies and 0 penalties.
Does Kirkwood By the River have any deficiencies or penalties? ▾
Kirkwood By the River has multiple deficiencies (8 total) and 0 penalties recorded by CMS. A count in this range makes it worth asking staff or the facility directly which findings were minor paperwork versus resident-care issues.
What are the alternatives to a nursing home in Alabama? ▾
In Alabama, alternatives include assisted living ($4,425/mo), home health aides ($5,148/mo), and adult day care ($1,246/mo).
Elder Care Guides
Explore PlainElderCare
Related Resources
Compare cost and CMS quality across the state on the Alabama 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: 015457.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.