25 Largest Senior Housing Companies
Here’s our list of the 25 largest senior housing companies in the United States. Click on any property to learn more about its total property count, portfolio make up, headquarters location and more.
1. Brookdale Senior Living – 90,526 Units
2. Holiday Retirement – 31,731 Units
3. Life Care Services – 28,825 Units
4. Five Star Senior Living – 26,762 Units
5. Sunrise Senior Living – 23,752 Units
6. Erickson Living – 20,522 Units
7. Atria Senior Living – 20,136 Units
8. Senior Lifestyle Corp – 18,486 Units
9. Affinity Living Group – 12,538 Units
10. Capital Senior Living – 12,384 Units
11. Enlivant – 11,288 Units
12. Watermark Retirement Communities – 8,770 Units
13. Integral Senior Living – 8,750 Units
14. Milestone Retirement Communities – 8,426 Units
15. Discovery Senior Living – 7,416 Units
16. Leisure Care – 7,112 Units
17. American House Senior Living Communities – 6,439 Units
18. Pacifica Senior Living – 6,405 Units
19. Frontier Management – 6,322 Units
20. Merrill Gardens – 6,317 Units
21. Senior Resource Group – 5,983 Units
22. Eclipse Senior Living – 5,808 Units
23. Gardant Management Solutions – 5,588 Units
24. Benchmark – 5,356 Units
25. Brightview Senior Living – 5,014 Units
About the 25 Largest Senior Housing Companies
Brookdale Senior Living
Total US Properties: 988
Senior Living Units: 90,526
Brookdale Senior Living is the largest senior housing company in the United States. In fact, they have more units under management than the next 3 largest providers combined. Their portfolio includes assisted living, independent living and memory care based units. They are a publicly traded company headquartered in Brentwood, TN. Click here to visit the Brookdale Senior Living website.
Holiday Retirement
Total US Properties: 262
Senior Living Units: 31,731
Holiday Retirement is the 2nd largest senior housing company in the United States. While they are the largest manager of independent living units in the country, their portfolio also includes assisted living and memory care units. They are a privately held company headquartered in Winter Park, FL. Click here to visit the Holiday Retirement website.
Life Care Services
Total US Properties: 135
Senior Living Units: 28,825
With the 3rd most independent living units under management, Life Care Services ranks as the 3rd largest senior housing company as well. Their portfolio also includes assisted living and memory care units. They are a privately held company headquartered in Des Moines, IA. Click here to visit the Life Care Services website.
Five Star Senior Living
Total US Properties: 280
Senior Living Units: 26,762
Five Star Senior Living ranks as the 4th largest senior housing company in the United States. While their portfolio contains all three types of senior living units, it is most heavily concentrated in assisted living units. They are a publicly traded company headquartered in Newton, MA. Click here to visit the Five Star Senior Living website.
Sunrise Senior Living
Total US Properties: 265
Senior Living Units: 23,752
Sunrise Senior Living grew from a single community in 1981 into the 5th largest senior housing provider in the United States. They also moved up one spot from last years ranking of the 25 largest senior housing companies. Sunrise Senior Living offers all three types of senior housing units across their portfolio. They are headquartered in McLean, VA.Click here to visit the Sunrise Senior Living website.
Erickson Living
Total US Properties: 19
Senior Living Units: 20,522
Erickson Living has been serving the housing needs of seniors for over 34 years. They develop, own and manage independent care, assisted living and memory care units. One unique service they offer is a resident’s only insurance program called Erickson Advantage. They are a privately held company headquartered in Baltimore, MD. Click here to visit the Erickson Living website.
Atria Senior Living
Total US Properties: 168
Senior Living Units: 20,136
A privately held management company, Atria Senior Living operates in 27 states and 7 Canadian provinces. Their portfolio includes all three types of senior housing units and they also offer short terms stays, commonly known as respite care. Founded in 1996, they are headquartered in Louisville, KY. Click here to visit the Atria Senior Living website.
Senior Lifestyle Corp.
Total US Properties: 180
Senior Living Units: 18,486
As the 8th largest provider of senior housing, Senior Lifestyle Corp is a privately held company that has been managing independent living, assisted living and memory care units since 1985. They are headquartered in Chicago, IL. Click here to visit the Senior Lifestyle Corp. website.
Affinity Living Group
Total US Properties: 150
Senior Living Units: 12,538
Affinity Living Group, which celebrated the opening of its 100th community in 2017, is headquartered in Hickory, NC. They operate assisted living, independent living and memory care units in 8 states. Click here to visit the Affinity Living Group website.
Capital Senior Living
Total US Properties: 129
Senior Living Units: 12,384
Capital Senior Living rounds out the top 10 largest senior housing companies on our list. Operating all three types of senior housing units, they specialize in assisted and independent living communities. They are a publicly traded company headquartered in Dallas, TX. Click here to visit the Capital Senior Living website.
Enlivant
Total US Properties: 240
Senior Living Units: 11,288
Enlivant is the first organization on this list of the 25 largest senior housing companies that does not have all three major types of senior housing units in its portfolio. While they have one of the largest portfolios of assisted living units, they do not manage any independent living units. They are a privately held company headquartered in Chicago, IL. Click here to visit the Enlivant website.
Watermark Retirement Communities
Total US Properties: 52
Senior Living Units: 8,770
Watermark Communities has been recognized for award winning programs collectively known as Watermark University that teach seniors the seven dimensions of wellness. They are headquartered in Tucson, AZ and operate all three types of senior housing units. Click here to visit the Watermark Retirement Communities website.
Integral Senior Living
Total US Properties: 80
Senior Living Units: 8,750
Founded in 2000, Integral Senior Living has quickly become one of the largest senior companies in the United States. They are a privately held company offering assisted living, independent living and memory care senior housing units. Integral Senior Living is headquartered in Carlsbad, CA. Click here to visit the Integral Senior Living website.
Milestone Retirement Communities
Total US Properties: 91
Senior Living Units: 8,426
One of the newest companies of the 25 largest senior housing companies, Milestone Retirement Communities was founded in 2008. In 11 years, they have become the 14th largest senior housing company in the United States. Offering all three types of senior housing units, they also offer respite care. A privately held company headquartered in Vancouver, WA, they are the largest senior housing company based in the Pacific Northwest. Click here to visit the Milestone Retirement Communities website.
Discovery Senior Living
Total US Properties: 49
Senior Living Units: 7,416
Operating a portfolio with all three types of senior housing units, Discovery Senior Living ranks 15th on our list of the 25 largest senior housing companies. They’ve won numerous industry awards including Best Overall Senior Community from the National Association of Home Builders Senior Housing Council. They also operate a Medicare-certified home healthcare company, Discovery At Home. They are a privately held company based in Bonita Springs, FL. Click here to visit the Discovery Senior Living website.
Leisure Care
Total US Properties: 44
Senior Living Units: 7,112
Leisure Care is another privately held senior living company based out of Seattle WA. Independent living units make up the majority of their current portfolio. They are a subsidiary of One Eighty, a holding company that operates independent business units in the hospitality experiences and international senior housing development industries. Click here to visit the Leisure Care website.
American House Senior Living Communities
Total US Properties: 58
Senior Living Units: 6,439
American House Senior Living Communities recently celebrated its 40th anniversary, making it one of the oldest companies on our list of the 25 largest senior housing companies. In addition to offering all three types of senior housing units, American House Senior Living Communities also offers hospice and respite care. They are a privately held company headquartered in Bloomfield Hills, MI. Click here to visit the American House Senior Living Communities website.
Pacifica Senior Living
Total US Properties: 67
Senior Living Units: 6,405
Recognized with a 2019 Best Assisted Living award from www.senioradvisor.com, Pacifica Senior Living offers award winning assisted living, independent living and memory care units. They have been in the industry since 1978, are privately held, and are a national partner of Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s®. They operate from their headquarters in San Diego, CA. Click here to visit the Pacifica Senior Living website.
Frontier Management
Total US Properties: 80
Senior Living Units: 6,322
Founded in 2000, Frontier Management is one of the younger companies on this list of the 25 largest senior housing companies. They offer all three types of senior living units, are privately held, and are still headquartered in Portland, OR. Click here to visit the Frontier Management website.
Merrill Gardens
Total US Properties: 37
Senior Living Units: 6,317
Merrill Gardens is based in Seattle, WA and traces their roots back to timber investors who arrived in the Pacific Northwest in the 1890’s. They are a privately held company and their current chairman is a fourth generation member of the Merrill family. They offer assisted living, independent living and memory care units across the 37 communities in their portfolio. Click here to visit the Merrill Gardens website.
Senior Resource Group
Total US Properties: 32
Senior Resource Group has been a senior living leader for over 30 years. They were the first senior living company in the country to voluntarily apply for and be awarded CARF accreditation. While their portfolio includes all three types of senior living units, over half of them are assisted living units. They are a privately held company headquartered in Solana Beach, CA. Click here to visit the Senior Resource Group website.
Eclipse Senior Living
Total US Properties: 85
Senior Living Units: 5,808
Similar to Enlivant, Eclipse Senior Living is the only other company on this list that does not manage any independent living units. Nonetheless, they have the 22nd largest portfolio of senior housing units in the country. An operating company owned by the publicly traded REIT Ventas, they are headquartered in Lake Oswego, OR. Click here to visit the Eclipse Senior Living website.
Gardant Management Solutions
Total US Properties: 56
Even though they rank 23rd overall among all senior housing companies, Gardant Management Solutions is the 10th largest manager of assisted living units in the United States. While their portfolio includes all three types of senior housing units, 95% are assisted living units. Gardant Management Solutions is a privately owned company headquartered in Bradley, IL. Click here to the visit the Gardant Management Solutions website.
Benchmark Senior Living
Total US Properties: 57
Senior Living Units: 5,356
A privately held company headquartered in Waltham, MA, benchmark has received investments from publicly traded REIT’s over the years including Health Care REIT and Welltower. Their portfolio includes all three types of senior living units. Click here to visit the Benchmark Senior Living website.
Brightview Senior Living
Total US Properties: 38
Senior Living Units: 5,014
Last but not least, Brightview Senior Living ranks 25th on the list of the largest senior housing companies in the United States. While their portfolio is small, it includes assisted living, independent living and memory care based units.They are a privately held company controlled by the Shelter Group and are headquartered in Baltimore, MD. Click here to visit the Brightview Senior Living website.
About Our Data Sources
Statistics and information from this post were dervied from numerous sources, including Wikipedia, company websites, the 2018 report on the largest providers in senior living by Argentum and trade and industry associations. While Property Manager Insider does due diligence to ensure accuracy in statistical information, it cannot guarantee the accuracy of property and unit counts listed.
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