Nursing care penetration varies ‘significantly’

Across the largest 31 metropolitan markets, the penetration rate for nursing care beds is 12.2%, or approximately 12 nursing beds per every 100 aged 75+ households, as of 2010 Q4. At the metropolitan market level, however, penetration varies significantly, from 5.7% to nearly 20%.

The top five highest penetrated markets all have average property ages below the average for the top 31 metropolitan markets. Phoenix has among the newest nursing care properties, with an average age of 22.7 years, but also the lowest penetration rate among the 31 largest metropolitan markets.

One theme that is true across all markets is that freestanding properties contain the largest share of nursing care beds, although that proportion also varies across metropolitan markets. Cincinnati for instance only has 60% of its nursing care beds within freestanding properties, while Las Vegas’ share is 98%.

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