Golden Empire ranked as Nevada County’s largest nursing home in Q1 2026

During the first quarter of 2026, Golden Empire emerged as Nevada County’s largest nursing home, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

The facility reported 148 available beds—62 more than the Nevada County average for the quarter—and cared for an average of 136.3 residents over the same period.

The CMS gave Golden Empire an overall rating of 3 out of 5, which is lower than California’s average nursing home rating of 3.2.

Crystal Ridge Care Center was the county’s second-largest, offering 99 beds, while Grass Valley Healthcare Center ranked third with 86 beds available.

Golden Empire had no fines or penalties reported for the first quarter of 2026.

Altogether, Nevada County, California, had four for-profit nursing facilities.

Based on U.S. Census Bureau estimates, the U.S. population of older adults has grown while the population under 18 has declined. From 2020 to 2024, there was a 13% increase in Americans age 65 and older, compared to a 1.7% decrease among those younger than 18. The country’s older adult population has expanded significantly since 1920, reaching more than 61 million by 2024 from 4.9 million.

A study from 2021 indicates that nearly half of adults 65 and older—about 28 million people—could need long-term services and support, with more than one-third potentially requiring nursing home care in the future.

“Living a long life is something that many of us want and could get,” said Jesse Slome, executive director of the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance. “But when we live a long life, the chances of us needing long-term care increase exponentially. But when you need that type of care, there are limited options.”

Details for this report were sourced from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Access the source data here.