With workforce vacancies and turnover rising, long-term care is facing a practical staffing math problem, not just a policy debate, as 44% of nursing home staff left their jobs between 2021 and 2022. At the same time, the industry is still operating at scale with 4.4 million Americans living in nursing homes in 2020, while 31% of U.S. nursing homes fell below target staffing levels in 2022. That tension between demand, labor strain, and quality outcomes is where the most important senior care industry statistics start to look startlingly connected.
Key Takeaways
- 4.4 million Americans lived in nursing homes in 2020 (nursing home residents estimate).
- 15,600 nursing homes were certified in the U.S. in 2023 (number of Medicare/Medicaid-certified nursing facilities).
- 1.1 million people worked in nursing and residential care facilities in 2023 (employment in relevant industry).
- 44% of nursing home staff left their jobs between 2021 and 2022 (annualized turnover measure reported by AAN).
- 1.7% vacancy rate for personal care aides in 2023 (labor vacancy measure).
- 18.7% of direct-care workers reported they were planning to leave within 6 months (retention intention).
- $28.1 billion U.S. spending on long-term care services and supports (public + private) in 2021 (LTSS expenditure scale).
- $110,074 median annual income for nursing assistants in 2023 (wage cost baseline).
- 1.8x higher total cost for residents receiving delayed nursing care versus timely care (study-based cost impact).
- 27% of nursing homes received at least one COVID-19 deficiency citation in 2022 (deficiency incidence).
- 65.2% of nursing homes met or exceeded CMS quality star ratings in 2023 (ratings attainment measure).
- 14.4% of SNF patients were readmitted within 30 days in 2022 (readmission rate).
- 2.3x increase in ransomware incidents affecting healthcare organizations in 2021 versus 2020 (cyber incident growth).
- 41% of providers experienced at least one data breach in 2023 (breach incidence).
- 60% of LTC decision-makers prioritized interoperability as a top data need in 2024 (priority ranking).
With staffing shortages and soaring costs, long term care providers struggle to retain workers while quality pressures rise.
Related reading
01 · Category
Market Size4 stats
01
4.4 million Americans lived in nursing homes in 2020 (nursing home residents estimate).
02
15,600 nursing homes were certified in the U.S. in 2023 (number of Medicare/Medicaid-certified nursing facilities).
03
1.1 million people worked in nursing and residential care facilities in 2023 (employment in relevant industry).
04
6,120 skilled nursing facilities were active in 2022 (provider count for SNF category).
Interpretation
Market Size Interpretation
With 4.4 million Americans living in nursing homes in 2020 supported by 15,600 Medicare and Medicaid certified facilities and 6,120 skilled nursing facilities, the market size in senior care is large and clearly concentrated in well defined facility types.
02 · Category
Workforce8 stats
01
44% of nursing home staff left their jobs between 2021 and 2022 (annualized turnover measure reported by AAN).
02
1.7% vacancy rate for personal care aides in 2023 (labor vacancy measure).
03
18.7% of direct-care workers reported they were planning to leave within 6 months (retention intention).
04
4.3 million home care workers were employed in the U.S. in 2021 (home care workforce size).
05
31% of U.S. nursing homes were below target staffing levels in 2022 (staffing adequacy measure).
06
71% of LTC providers cited recruiting caregivers as their #1 operational challenge in 2023 (survey challenge ranking).
07
10.2% wage growth for nursing assistants from 2020 to 2023 (pay trend rate).
08
1.2 million RNs were employed in healthcare in 2023 (relevant clinical workforce context).
Interpretation
Workforce Interpretation
The workforce outlook for senior care looks strained as nearly half of nursing home staff, 44%, left between 2021 and 2022 and 71% of long term care providers in 2023 named recruiting caregivers as their top operational challenge, reinforcing that staffing instability is a core workforce issue.
03 · Category
Cost Analysis6 stats
01
$28.1 billion U.S. spending on long-term care services and supports (public + private) in 2021 (LTSS expenditure scale).
02
$110,074median annual income for nursing assistants in 2023 (wage cost baseline).
03
1.8x higher total cost for residents receiving delayed nursing care versus timely care (study-based cost impact).
04
7.0% of nursing home revenue spent on travel (non-labor cost category share).
05
22% of nursing homes reported overtime as a significant cost pressure in 2022 (operational cost pressure share).
06
$3.2 million median annual cost of infection prevention failures in a facility (incident cost estimate).
Interpretation
Cost Analysis Interpretation
In cost analysis terms, long-term care remains heavily shaped by operational and care-timing drivers as U.S. LTSS spending reached $28.1 billion in 2021 while nursing-care delays can nearly double total resident costs by 1.8x, and facilities also face material non-labor and staffing pressures like 7.0% of nursing home revenue tied to travel and 22% reporting overtime as a significant cost pressure in 2022.
04 · Category
Regulatory & Quality4 stats
01
27% of nursing homes received at least one COVID-19 deficiency citation in 2022 (deficiency incidence).
02
65.2% of nursing homes met or exceeded CMS quality star ratings in 2023 (ratings attainment measure).
03
14.4% of SNF patients were readmitted within 30 days in 2022 (readmission rate).
04
1.2% of nursing home residents died within 30 days after a hospital transfer in 2021 (post-transfer mortality).
Interpretation
Regulatory & Quality Interpretation
From a regulatory and quality perspective, performance is mixed as 27% of nursing homes received at least one COVID-19 deficiency citation in 2022 and only 14.4% of SNF patients were readmitted within 30 days in 2022, even though 65.2% of nursing homes met or exceeded CMS quality star ratings in 2023.
05 · Category
Technology & Data5 stats
01
2.3x increase in ransomware incidents affecting healthcare organizations in 2021 versus 2020 (cyber incident growth).
02
41% of providers experienced at least one data breach in 2023 (breach incidence).
03
60% of LTC decision-makers prioritized interoperability as a top data need in 2024 (priority ranking).
04
4.1 hours average time saved per staff shift using mobility tracking and digital care plans (workflow time saving).
05
74% of U.S. organizations report using APIs to exchange healthcare data in 2024 (API utilization).
Interpretation
Technology & Data Interpretation
Technology and data security and connectivity are becoming central in senior care, with ransomware incidents jumping 2.3x in 2021, 41% of providers reporting at least one data breach in 2023, and 74% of U.S. organizations using APIs to exchange healthcare data in 2024.
06 · Category
Workforce & Wages3 stats
01
In 2023, the median hourly wage for nursing assistants was $16.41(BLS, OES), reflecting the wage level for a core direct-care role
02
In 2023, the median hourly wage for home health and personal care aides was $15.27(BLS, OES), capturing compensation for widely used home-care staffing categories
03
In 2023, registered nurses’ median hourly wage was $41.09(BLS, OES), providing a benchmark for the broader clinical workforce that supports senior care settings
Interpretation
Workforce & Wages Interpretation
In the Workforce and Wages snapshot for senior care, direct-care pay shows a clear baseline with nursing assistants at a median $16.41 per hour and home health and personal care aides at $15.27 per hour, while registered nurses earn a much higher $41.09 per hour, underscoring the wide wage gap across the care workforce.
More related reading
07 · Category
Care Settings1 stats
01
30% of people turning age 65 will enter a nursing home at some point in their lifetime (JAMA Network Open, 2017), a widely cited planning statistic for nursing home utilization
Interpretation
Care Settings Interpretation
In care settings, 30% of people who reach age 65 will eventually enter a nursing home, underscoring how central nursing facilities are to the long-term planning of senior care.
08 · Category
Demographics & Demand1 stats
01
Approximately 6.7 million Americans age 65+ had Alzheimer’s disease in 2024 (Alzheimer’s Association report), indicating a major driver of memory-care and caregiver needs
Interpretation
Demographics & Demand Interpretation
In the Demographics and Demand landscape, about 6.7 million Americans age 65 and older had Alzheimer’s in 2024, underscoring a large and growing need for memory care and caregiver support.
09 · Category
Regulation & Quality2 stats
01
The proportion of nursing homes with staffing hours below CMS thresholds was 31% in 2022 (Medicare Payment Advisory Commission’s discussion of staffing adequacy), indicating persistent staffing-related quality risk
02
In 2023, 71% of surveyed long-term care providers reported that improving quality of care was an ‘extremely’ or ‘very’ important operational goal (industry survey reported by leading trade research), indicating priority placed on quality improvement
Interpretation
Regulation & Quality Interpretation
In the Regulation & Quality lens, staffing shortfalls remain a major risk with 31% of nursing homes having staffing hours below CMS thresholds in 2022, even as 71% of long-term care providers in 2023 say improving quality of care is extremely or very important.
10 · Category
Financing & Economics1 stats
01
Nursing home margins fell to 5.2% in 2022 (S&P Global Market Intelligence/HFMA-style industry financial survey reported by major trade research), indicating squeeze on profitability
Interpretation
Financing & Economics Interpretation
In 2022, nursing home margins dropped to 5.2%, underscoring an economic squeeze on profitability that is directly reshaping financing realities in senior care.
11 · Category
Technology & Cybersecurity3 stats
01
In 2023, 74% of healthcare organizations reported being affected by phishing attacks (Verizon DBIR healthcare analysis), a leading initial-access vector
02
In 2024, 61% of healthcare organizations planned to increase spending on cybersecurity over the next 12 months (Frost & Sullivan cybersecurity outlook reported by a reputable trade analyst publication)
03
In 2023, the U.S. digital health market reached $55.0 billion (industry analyst report), reflecting technology investment relevant to senior care operations
Interpretation
Technology & Cybersecurity Interpretation
With 74% of healthcare organizations affected by phishing in 2023 and 61% planning to boost cybersecurity spending in 2024 alongside a $55.0 billion U.S. digital health market, the Technology and Cybersecurity picture for senior care is clear: security investment and digital capabilities are accelerating fast to keep care systems resilient.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Rachel Svensson. (2026, February 13). Senior Care Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/senior-care-industry-statistics
MLA
Rachel Svensson. "Senior Care Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/senior-care-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Rachel Svensson. 2026. "Senior Care Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/senior-care-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
38 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+16 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)