Willows Center ranked as No. 3 nursing home in Wood County during Q1 2026

Willows Center ranked third among Wood County nursing homes in the first quarter of 2026, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) data shows.

The facility operated with 97 available beds—three fewer than the county average for the period. An average of 90.8 residents received care at Willows Center each day during Q1 2026.

CMS assigned Willows Center an overall rating of 1 out of 5, falling below West Virginia’s average rating of 2.9 for nursing homes.

Within the quarter, Eagle Pointe Healthcare Center held the top spot with 164 beds, while Worthington Healthcare Center ranked second at 105 beds.

Willows Center did not incur any fines or penalties as of the first quarter of 2026.

There were five for-profit nursing homes operating in Wood County, West Virginia, during that period.

The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that the nation’s older adult population continues its rise as younger populations shrink. Between 2020 and 2024, individuals age 65 and older grew by 13%, while those under 18 declined by 1.7%. The older adult population in the U.S. has expanded significantly over the last century, climbing from 4.9 million in 1920 to more than 61 million by 2024.

A 2021 report projects nearly half of Americans in this age bracket—about 28 million—may need long-term services and supports, and forecasts that over a third could eventually require nursing home care.

“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.”

This article’s information comes from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Source data is available here.