Hagerstown, MD — U.S. News & World Report has named 47 Maryland nursing homes “High Performing” in its 2026 Best Nursing Homes ratings, a consumer guide that evaluates short-term rehabilitation and long-term care. The new list, released this month, assessed 230 facilities statewide and reflects stricter standards that emphasize staffing, rehospitalizations, and infection control.
While about one in five Maryland facilities earned top marks, more than half were rated below average in at least one of the two care categories, according to the publication’s analysis.
Western Maryland standouts
Several Western Maryland providers landed on the high-performing roster. Lorien Health Services – Hagerstown received top ratings in both short- and long-term care. Creekside Manor, also in the Hagerstown area, was recognized for short-term rehabilitation. Statewide leaders include Johns Hopkins Bayview Center and Levindale Hebrew Geriatric Center & Hospital in Baltimore, along with FutureCare Pineview in Clinton, which was cited for strong long-term care performance.
Even so, access remains uneven. Urban facilities in the Baltimore metro area account for a large share of Maryland’s high performers, while rural parts of the state have fewer top-rated options. Families in Western Maryland often travel farther to find highly rated care, providers and advocates say.
What changed in 2026
U.S. News expanded its methodology this year to weigh 18 quality measures, up from 10 previously. The ratings draw on federal data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services through September 2024 and examine factors such as nurse staffing hours per resident, emergency department visits and rehospitalizations, infection control history, and resident and family experience.
Analysts note the tighter staffing benchmarks—roughly 3.5 nursing hours per resident per day among top-tier homes—were a key driver in separating the highest performers. The recalibration, U.S. News said in its announcement, aims to provide a fuller picture of both short-term recovery and long-term living needs.
How Maryland stacks up
Maryland’s share of high performers (about 20%) tracks close to the national average this year. No Maryland facility made U.S. News’ national “Best in America” list, which highlights the top 1% of nursing homes across the country. State health officials said the below-average ratings for many facilities underscore ongoing challenges with staffing and infection control and the need to accelerate quality-improvement efforts.
Advocacy groups urged families to use multiple sources when evaluating options, pairing the U.S. News ratings with federal inspection reports and in-person visits. Consumer tools such as Medicare’s Care Compare and the U.S. News interactive guide allow side-by-side comparisons on staffing, safety, and outcomes.
What the ratings mean for families
For short-term rehab after a hospital stay, high performers typically show lower readmission rates and stronger therapy outcomes. For long-term care, the measures focus more on consistent staffing, infection prevention, and indicators like pressure ulcer rates and emergency visits.
Experts recommend asking facilities about nurse staffing levels on each shift, how they manage infections, and whether they track hospital returns. For loved ones living with dementia, families should also ask about specialized training and activities, as the expanded methodology places more emphasis on how well homes support residents’ day-to-day needs.
Looking ahead
The new federal minimum staffing rule, set to phase in beginning in 2026, could influence future ratings and widen the gap between facilities that meet the new thresholds and those that struggle to recruit. Providers say labor shortages remain their biggest obstacle, particularly outside major metro areas, while advocates argue stronger staffing rules are essential to safer care.
