Pleasant Hill Post Acute has been named one of Newsweek’s America’s Best Nursing Homes for the third year in a row. It ranked 28th in California among nursing homes with 50 to 99 certified beds.
More than half of the ranking score comes from public federal data. Families can review much of this information when comparing care options.
What Newsweek’s Best Nursing Homes List Measures
Newsweek and Statista created the America’s Best Nursing Homes list. The 2027 list is the eighth edition.
Nursing homes were reviewed in four main areas:
- Federal performance data: 55%
- Professional reputation: 30%
- Accreditation: 10%
- Resident and visitor reviews: 5%
The federal information comes from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) . The ranking also uses recommendations from healthcare professionals, accreditation records, and Google reviews.
Survey participants cannot recommend their own employers.
The 2027 list includes 1,325 nursing homes. Of those, 400 have between 50 and 99 certified beds. Rankings cover 28 states separately. The remaining states are grouped into four regions.
To qualify, a nursing home needed an overall CMS rating of at least three stars. Facilities in the federal Special Focus Facility program were not eligible. This program tracks nursing homes with a history of serious care concerns.
Why CMS Data Matters
CMS data makes up 55% of the total score. It covers three areas:
- Nurse staffing: This includes registered nurse hours per resident and staff turnover.
- Quality measures: These include hospital visits and the number of residents who return to the community.
- Health inspections: These show cited problems and how serious or widespread they were.
Families can review this information through Medicare’s Care Compare website.
According to CMS data released in September 2026, Pleasant Hill Post Acute had a five-star quality-measures rating. Five stars is the highest rating in that category.
How Professional Recommendations Affect the Ranking
Professional reputation makes up 30% of the ranking. Newsweek and Statista surveyed healthcare professionals from June through August 2026.
Participants included nurses, nursing home leaders, nursing assistants, therapists, and physicians. They were asked to recommend leading nursing homes based on care, staffing, services, rooms, and amenities.
How Accreditation and Reviews Are Used
Accreditation makes up 10% of the total score. Accreditation groups review whether nursing homes meet set standards for care and safety. The ranking considers recognition from The Joint Commission and CARF.
Google reviews make up the remaining 5%. The scoring method considers both the rating and the number of reviews. This helps prevent a small number of reviews from having too much influence.
Three Years on the List
Pleasant Hill Post Acute first appeared on the list in 2025, when it ranked 38th in California. It moved to 28th in 2026 and kept that position in 2027.
The 2027 ranking covers information collected from August 19, 2025, through August 19, 2026.
Seventeen PACS post-acute locations appeared on the 2027 list. Fourteen of them are in California.
How to Compare Pleasant Hill Nursing Homes
Rankings can be a helpful starting point, but families should also do their own research. These free resources can help:
- Compare ratings: Search Medicare’s Care Compare website by city or ZIP code. Review staffing, health inspections, and care quality.
- Check federal oversight: Review the Special Focus Facility list for nursing homes with serious or ongoing concerns.
- Read recent reviews: Look at the dates and details of reviews, not only the overall rating. You can also visit our reviews page to read feedback from residents and families.
What a National Ranking Cannot Tell You
A ranking can help narrow your choices, but it cannot describe every part of daily life in a nursing home. An in-person visit can help you decide whether a facility meets your loved one’s needs.
During your visit, consider asking about:
- Meals: Do the dining options meet your loved one’s needs and preferences?
- Therapy: How will the therapy schedule fit their daily routine?
- Staff support: How does the team respond when a resident needs help, including at night?
- Daily life: What activities, services, and social options are available?
The ranking reflects performance data and professional feedback. It does not cover every part of a resident’s experience. Visit our services page to learn more about the care we provide.
Nursing Home Ranking Questions Families Ask
Can a nursing home pay to be on Newsweek’s list?
The ranking is based on CMS data, professional recommendations, accreditation, and Google reviews. Healthcare professionals cannot recommend their own employers. The option to use the Newsweek award in advertising is handled separately from the ranking process.
How many nursing homes made the 2027 list?
The list includes 1,325 nursing homes across three size groups. Four hundred are in the group for facilities with 50 to 99 certified beds. Pleasant Hill Post Acute has 51 certified beds.
Is this the same as a Medicare star rating?
No, but the two ratings are closely connected.
CMS star ratings are federal ratings that are updated every three months. They are available for every Medicare- or Medicaid-certified nursing home in the country.
Newsweek uses CMS data for 55% of its score. It then adds professional feedback, accreditation, and Google reviews. Our FAQ page answers more practical questions about staying at our facility.
If someone you love is leaving the hospital and needs skilled nursing or rehabilitation, visit the facility before making a decision.
Pleasant Hill Post Acute is located at 1625 Oak Park Boulevard in Pleasant Hill, between the John Muir Medical Center campuses in Concord and Walnut Creek. Our admissions team is available around the clock. Schedule a tour and ask us the questions a national ranking cannot answer.