For the first quarter of 2026, Croatan Ridge Nursing and Rehabilitation Center ranked as Carteret County’s third largest nursing home, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).
The facility offered 64 beds during this period, which is 23 fewer than Carteret County’s average for the quarter. Croatan Ridge served an average of 57.3 residents daily over these months.
The nursing center received an overall rating of 3 out of 5 from CMS, exceeding North Carolina’s nursing home average rating of 2.9.
Pruitthealth-Crystal Coast topped the list as Carteret County’s largest facility with 104 beds, while Crystal Bluffs Rehabilitation and Health Care Cent was the second largest with 92 beds available.
As of the first quarter of 2026, Croatan Ridge Nursing and Rehabilitation Center reported no fines or penalties during the period.
There were three for-profit nursing home facilities within Carteret County, North Carolina.
Estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau show the nation’s older adult population is rising as younger demographics shrink. From 2020 to 2024, Americans age 65 and older increased by 13%, while those under 18 decreased by 1.7%. The older population in the U.S. has surged in the past 100 years, from 4.9 million in 1920 to more than 61 million by 2024.
A 2021 study indicates nearly half of people 65 and over—about 28 million—may need long-term services and supports, and over a third could eventually require care in nursing home settings.
“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, an education-focused insurance group. “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.”
| Rank | Nursing Home | Overall Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pruitthealth-Crystal Coast | 4 |
| 2 | Crystal Bluffs Rehabilitation and Health Care Cent | 5 |
| 3 | Croatan Ridge Nursing and Rehabilitation Center | 3 |
Data in this article comes from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Access the source information here.
