Finding the Best Home Near You
"Best" in nursing home care is partly personal — the right home depends on the level of care needed, location, and the fit between a family and a facility. But there is one objective, comparable starting point: the CMS overall star rating, which combines health inspections, staffing, and quality measures into a single 1-to-5 score. This guide uses that rating to highlight the strongest facilities in Texas's largest counties, and shows you how to find the top-rated home in any of the state's 216 counties.
Across Texas, 156 of the 1,176 CMS-certified nursing homes hold the top 5-star rating. They aren't spread evenly — some counties have several, others none — so knowing where the strong facilities cluster helps you set realistic expectations for your area.
Top-Rated Home in Each Major County
The table below shows the highest-rated nursing home in each of the 15 largest Texas counties by facility count, based on current CMS data. Where several facilities share the top rating, the one with the cleanest enforcement record is listed. Click any county to see its full list.
| County | Homes | 5-star | Top-rated facility | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harris | 97 | 15 | The Methodist Hospital SNF (Houston) | 5.0 ★ |
| Dallas | 81 | 8 | Cheyenne Medical Lodge (Mesquite) | 5.0 ★ |
| Tarrant | 71 | 9 | The Stayton at Museum Way (Fort Worth) | 5.0 ★ |
| Bexar | 62 | 6 | Coronado at Stone Oak (San Antonio) | 5.0 ★ |
| Travis | 28 | 5 | Gracy Woods II Living Center (Austin) | 5.0 ★ |
| Collin | 22 | 3 | The Legacy at Willow Bend (Plano) | 5.0 ★ |
| Hidalgo | 22 | 5 | Grand Terrace Rehabilitation & Healthcare (McAllen) | 5.0 ★ |
| El Paso | 22 | 0 | Center at Zaragoza (El Paso) | 4.0 ★ |
| Denton | 18 | 0 | Denton Rehabilitation & Nursing Center (Denton) | 4.0 ★ |
| McLennan | 17 | 1 | St. Catherine Center (Waco) | 5.0 ★ |
| Smith | 17 | 3 | Meadow Lake Health Center (Tyler) | 5.0 ★ |
| Bell | 16 | 3 | Baylor Scott & White Continuing Care (Temple) | 5.0 ★ |
| Fort Bend | 15 | 3 | Paradigm at the Brazos (Richmond) | 5.0 ★ |
| Williamson | 15 | 1 | The Center at Parmer (Austin) | 5.0 ★ |
| Lubbock | 15 | 1 | Crown Point Health Suites (Lubbock) | 5.0 ★ |
CMS updates ratings monthly as new inspections and staffing data come in. The facilities above reflect the most recent data at the time of writing; click through to any facility's profile for its live rating before making a decision.
How to Find the Best Home in Your County
Whatever county you're in, the process is the same:
- Open your county page. The county directory lists all 216 Texas counties. Each county page shows every facility there, sortable by rating, with the strongest options at the top.
- Start from the highest-rated, then look deeper. A 5-star overall rating is a strong signal, but check the three sub-ratings — health inspection, staffing, and quality measures. A home can earn 5 stars overall while being weaker in one area that matters to you.
- Compare your shortlist side by side. Use the comparison tool to line up two or three finalists and see staffing hours, turnover, and penalty history together.
- Visit in person. Ratings narrow the field; a visit confirms the fit. Go at different times, including evenings or weekends when staffing is often thinnest.
A high rating isn't a guarantee — if care went wrong, you have options
Even well-rated facilities can fail an individual resident. If your loved one was harmed by neglect or abuse, a Texas attorney can review what happened at no cost.
What If My County Has No 5-Star Homes?
Many rural Texas counties have only one or two nursing homes, and some have none rated 5 stars. If that's your situation, you have a few options. Consider a 4-star facility in your county, which still represents above-average care. Look at adjacent counties within a reasonable distance — for some families, a slightly longer drive to a much stronger facility is worth it. And weigh the sub-ratings carefully: in a smaller market, a 3-star home with strong staffing may be a better real-world choice than the star rating alone suggests. Your county page and nearby-county links make it easy to see what's within range.