Nursing Homes and Senior Care in New Jersey

Nursing Homes by City in New Jersey

The New Jersey cities with the most CMS-certified nursing homes. All 191 cities are listed below the table. Homes in New Jersey average 3.8 hours of nursing care per resident per day; the national median is 3.7 hours.

5-Star Nursing Homes in New Jersey

Homes with CMS's top overall rating, ordered by inspection rating. See all highest-rated nursing homes in New Jersey.

Assisted Living in New Jersey

New Jersey Department of Health, Certificate of Need and Licensing Division licenses assisted living in New Jersey. License types: Assisted Living Residence, Comprehensive Personal Care Home, Assisted Living Program and Residential Dementia Care Home. Use the state's search to check a community's license and inspection history.

• New Jersey assisted living facility search
• New Jersey assisted living rules
• New Jersey assisted living licensing (New Jersey Department of Health, Certificate of Need and Licensing Division)

Memory Care Rules in New Jersey

New Jersey's term is "Dementia Care Home", a separate license or certification.

• Assisted living (N.J.A.C. 8:36-19.3): a facility that advertises or holds itself out as having an Alzheimer's disease or dementia program shall provide training in specialized care of residents diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease or dementia to all licensed and unlicensed staff who provide direct care to those residents, in accordance with N.J.S.A. 26:2M-7.2.
• Assisted living (N.J.A.C. 8:36, Subchapter 19, Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia Programs): establishes standards for Alzheimer's disease and dementia programs, including scope and purpose, policies and procedures, staff training, and services for residents with Alzheimer's disease and dementia.
• Dementia care homes (N.J.A.C. 8:37-5.3): every licensee shall have at least two staff persons on duty at all times who are awake and able to provide assistance to residents; this is a minimum only and staffing must be based on an assessment of the acuity of residents' needs.
• Dementia care homes (N.J.A.C. 8:37-5.4): staff with regular direct contact with residents who are not licensed healthcare professionals shall complete the home health aide course (75 hours), a five-day course approved by the Department that includes specific training regarding Alzheimer's disease (including two days of structured observation at a dementia-specific adult day program or a dementia unit of an assisted living facility), and the CMS Hand in Hand dementia care training series.
• Dementia care homes (N.J.A.C. 8:37-7.10): no facility may have more than four residents who cannot physically self-evacuate unless staffing is increased to one staff member per two such residents.
• Dementia care homes (N.J.A.C. 8:37-7.10): the front yard entrance is controlled by a non-scalable fence of at least four feet with a self-closing, self-latching gate; exterior doors are locked at all times and residents and visitors may enter or leave only with staff assistance; the gate or main entrance is monitored by closed circuit monitor; windows and doors have audible alarms that ring if opened.

• New Jersey memory care rules

Medicaid Long-Term Care in New Jersey

New Jersey's Medicaid program is NJ FamilyCare. For nursing home Medicaid (2026), the state lists an income limit of $2,982 per month for a single person and an asset limit of $2,000.

• Managed Long Term Services and Supports (MLTSS): in-home care, assisted living and respite. Applicants must be both clinically and financially eligible; the County Welfare Agency does the financial evaluation and the Division of Aging Services determines clinical eligibility. If gross monthly income exceeds the limit, the applicant can establish and fund a Qualified Income Trust (QIT). Services listed include care management, home and vehicle modifications, home delivered meals, respite, personal emergency response systems, assisted living, community residential services and nursing home care.

• NJ FamilyCare nursing facility coverage
• New Jersey Medicaid long-term care limits

Nursing Home Inspections and Complaints in New Jersey

New Jersey Department of Health, Division of Health Facility Survey and Field Operations inspects nursing homes in New Jersey for CMS. To file a complaint, call 1-800-792-9770 or use the state's complaint page.

• New Jersey nursing home inspection lookup
• File a nursing home complaint in New Jersey

New Jersey Long-Term Care Ombudsman

The New Jersey Long-Term Care Ombudsman is a free, confidential advocate for residents of nursing homes and assisted living. Ombudsmen help with complaints, residents' rights and problems with care. Call 1-877-582-6995.

• Contact the New Jersey Long-Term Care Ombudsman

Aging Services and Caregiver Support in New Jersey

New Jersey Department of Human Services, Division of Aging Services runs New Jersey's aging services, delivered through local Area Agencies on Aging. Family caregivers can get help through Statewide Respite Care Program. Adult day services are licensed or certified by New Jersey Department of Health (Adult Day Health Services Facility license, N.J.A.C. 8:43F).

• New Jersey aging services: New Jersey Department of Human Services, Division of Aging Services
• Area Agencies on Aging in New Jersey
• Caregiver support in New Jersey: Statewide Respite Care Program
• New Jersey adult day services

Guides for Your Next Step

See how to choose a nursing home, what memory care is, how Medicaid pays for nursing home care and what Medicare covers. For local help, call the Eldercare Locator at 1-800-677-1116.

Frequently Asked Questions