Mount Ayr Health Care Center
1504 East South Street, Mount Ayr, IA 50854
Mount Ayr, Iowa · CMS verdict
On the federal five-star scale, Mount Ayr Health Care Center carries a 3 of 5 CMS overall rating, average quality that runs in line with Iowa's state 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.
Mount Ayr Health Care Center in Mount Ayr, Iowa holds a CMS overall rating of 3 of 5 stars and a PlainElderCare Quality & Compliance Index of 60 of 100 (grade D). The 46-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 3 of 5 stars. How this is calculated.
How the 60 is built
Each segment is a dimension's weighted points toward the score, summing to 60.
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
Mount Ayr Health Care Center holds a CMS overall quality rating of 3 out of 5 stars, based on the most recent Care Compare release (data as of April 2026). CMS breaks this into three sub-ratings: 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 Mount Ayr, Iowa, this facility operates 46 certified beds with an average daily census of roughly 28 residents - an occupancy rate of about 61%. The facility is classified under for profit - corporation ownership, a designation that can influence staffing patterns, reinvestment decisions, and admissions policy. At roughly 61% occupancy, this facility has meaningful open capacity relative to its certified bed count.
Same-ownership peers
Within Iowa, Mount Ayr Health Care Center is one of 112 for profit - corporation nursing homes CMS rates. Its 3-star overall rating sits below the for profit - corporation-segment average of 3.1 stars, ahead of roughly 38% of same-ownership peers in the state. Comparing a facility against its own ownership segment holds the business model roughly constant, which helps isolate facility-level performance from the staffing and reinvestment patterns that differ across for-profit, non-profit, and government operators.
Inspection record
On the regulatory side, federal and state surveyors have documented a moderate number of deficiencies at this facility (6 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 Mount Ayr 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 Mount Ayr Health Care Center ranks in Iowa
Among the 388 CMS-rated nursing homes in Iowa, Mount Ayr Health Care Center’s 3-star overall rating is higher than 37% of them. The bars show how all Iowa homes spread across the CMS 1-to-5 scale; this facility’s band is highlighted.
74 Iowa homes share this 3-star rating. Source: CMS Nursing Home Compare.
Facility details
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Beds | 46 |
| Residents | 28 |
| Ownership | For profit - Corporation |
| County | Ringgold |
| Penalties | 0 |
| Deficiencies | 6 |
Source: CMS Care Compare Nursing Homes (data as of April 2026)
What do families ask most?
What is the quality rating for Mount Ayr Health Care Center? ▾
CMS rates Mount Ayr Health Care Center at 3 out of 5 stars overall. The three sub-ratings behind that number: health inspection 4/5, staffing 4/5, quality measures 1/5.
How much does a nursing home cost per month in Iowa? ▾
The median cost for a semi-private nursing home room in Iowa is $9,277 per month ($111,325 annually). A private room averages $10,038 per month. Costs are from the CareScout 2025 survey.
What services does Mount Ayr Health Care Center offer? ▾
With 46 beds with approximately 28 current residents, Mount Ayr Health Care Center is a skilled nursing facility. It operates under for profit - corporation ownership, and CMS's inspection record shows 6 deficiencies and 0 penalties.
Does Mount Ayr Health Care Center have any deficiencies or penalties? ▾
Mount Ayr Health Care Center has multiple deficiencies (6 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 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: 165224.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.