U.S. News & World Report has officially entered the rapidly expanding world of post-acute, in-home care evaluation — and New Jersey is firmly on the map.

In its first-ever Best Home Health ratings, released February 24, the publication evaluated more than 5,200 home health agencies nationwide using federal quality data and patient experience metrics. Of the 43 New Jersey agencies analyzed, eight earned the coveted “High Performing” distinction, signaling exceptional outcomes and strong patient satisfaction in a sector that is quickly becoming central to the future of healthcare delivery.

For families across the Garden State navigating recovery after hospitalization, surgery, or serious illness, this marks a defining moment. Home health is no longer a secondary option — it is an essential pillar of modern health care strategy, cost containment, and patient-centered recovery.

The Eight New Jersey Agencies Recognized as “High Performing”

The following organizations earned “High Performing” status in the inaugural ratings:

• Cape Regional Home Health Care, Cape May Court House
• Hunterdon Medical Center Home Health, Flemington
• Amedisys Home Health of Hackensack NJ, Hackensack
• Bayada at Inspira, Home Health and Hospice, Millville
• Atlantic Visiting Nurse, Morristown
• Valley Home Care of Paramus, Paramus
• Bayada Home Health Care of Pennsauken, Pennsauken
• Bayada Home Health Care of Whiting, Whiting

These agencies distinguished themselves by exceeding expectations in clinical quality measures and patient-reported experiences — two metrics that increasingly define value-based healthcare performance.

How the Ratings Were Determined

The methodology leveraged two core datasets from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services:

• Care quality measures and clinical outcomes
• Patient experience surveys

By combining these, U.S. News created a composite evaluation that identifies agencies consistently delivering strong outcomes in mobility recovery, independence restoration, medication management, and timely care initiation.

According to Ben Harder, chief of health analysis and managing editor at U.S. News, the ratings are designed to serve as a practical starting point for families seeking at-home care options after hospitalization.

For New Jersey residents, that guidance is especially relevant. The state’s healthcare ecosystem — from its nationally ranked hospitals to its rehabilitation centers — increasingly depends on seamless transitions from inpatient to home-based care. As Explore New Jersey has chronicled extensively in our Health & Wellness coverage, the next frontier in care delivery is not confined to hospital walls.

County-Level Breakdown: A Statewide Presence

All 21 New Jersey counties have at least one home health agency. Notably:

• Passaic and Burlington counties had the highest agency volume (15 combined), each with three high-performing agencies
• Cape May County had the fewest agencies (three), yet two earned high-performing status — one of the strongest proportional showings in the state

While New Jersey ranked in the lower third nationally by total agency volume, the state’s quality footprint is more nuanced. In contrast, California led the nation with 151 agencies earning distinction, while Arkansas, Montana, Vermont, and Washington, D.C., recorded none.

The takeaway is clear: New Jersey may not dominate by volume, but quality performance in select counties is highly competitive.

Why Home Health Is Surging in Importance

The home health sector is no longer a niche adjunct to hospital care. According to projections from PwC, the U.S. home health market is expected to reach $239 billion by 2030, reflecting a compound annual growth rate of 7.7%.

Several forces are accelerating this expansion:

• Consumer preference for aging and recovering at home
• A rapidly aging population
• Advances in digital health monitoring and telehealth
• Regulatory momentum, including Medicare reimbursement structures and value-based payment models

New Jersey’s demographic profile — with a significant senior population and dense suburban communities — positions it at the epicenter of this shift.

Home health agencies today are not simply providing wound care or medication oversight. They are coordinating multidisciplinary recovery plans, leveraging remote monitoring technologies, and helping reduce costly hospital readmissions.

Measurable Outcomes That Matter

U.S. News highlighted how top-performing agencies compare with national averages based on CMS data. High-performing home health agencies demonstrate:

Faster start times
Prompt initiation of care following hospital discharge, reducing complications and emergency readmissions.

Improved mobility
Patients are more likely to regain movement lost during hospitalization — a critical indicator of functional recovery.

Greater daily independence
Patients show measurable improvement in getting out of bed, bathing, managing medications, and performing essential daily activities.

These are not abstract metrics. They directly influence hospital length of stay, readmission rates, caregiver burden, and long-term health trajectories.

The Workforce and Technology Challenge

Growth in the sector does not come without strain.

The PwC analysis underscores persistent challenges facing the industry:

• Workforce shortages in skilled nursing and home-based therapy
• Fragmented infrastructure between hospitals and home providers
• Lack of scalable, tech-enabled administrative systems

To remain competitive, health systems must clearly define their care-at-home strategies, invest in digital infrastructure, and build operational models capable of supporting expansion without sacrificing quality.

In New Jersey, where hospital systems are increasingly integrated and regionally dominant, the ability to scale home health services will determine future competitive positioning. Agencies that combine clinical excellence with technology adoption will lead the next phase of post-acute care.

The Bigger Picture: Post-Acute Care Evolution

The Best Home Health ratings now join U.S. News’ broader suite of post-acute evaluations, including Best Nursing Homes and Best Hospitals for Rehabilitation. Together, these rankings create a continuum view of recovery pathways.

For New Jersey families, that continuity matters. A patient discharged from a leading rehabilitation hospital in the state may transition to one of these high-performing home health agencies, completing a care cycle designed for better outcomes and improved patient satisfaction.

Healthcare is no longer episodic. It is longitudinal, coordinated, and increasingly home-based.

What This Means for New Jersey Residents

For seniors, caregivers, and families across the Garden State, the new ratings provide clarity in what has historically been an opaque marketplace.

When a hospital discharge planner recommends a home health provider, families can now cross-reference nationally evaluated performance data.

When evaluating long-term recovery options, patients can identify agencies with demonstrated mobility improvements and independence gains.

And as the home health market approaches a projected $239 billion valuation by the end of the decade, New Jersey’s recognized agencies stand positioned to lead within a rapidly evolving care ecosystem.

At Explore New Jersey, we continue to track the intersection of healthcare innovation, senior wellness, and community-based services shaping life across the state. The rise of home health is not simply a healthcare trend. It is a structural transformation of how care is delivered, financed, and experienced.

Eight New Jersey agencies have now earned national validation in that transformation. The question is no longer whether home health will expand. It is how quickly the Garden State will scale to meet the demand.

For families planning recovery, for providers adapting to value-based care, and for policymakers monitoring healthcare costs, this milestone signals one thing clearly: home is becoming the new center of care in New Jersey.