Aged care in Australia: the numbers.
We analysed all 2,773 government-listed aged care homes in Australia. The headline: on paper almost every home is compliant, but the measures that capture day-to-day care tell a harder story. Here is what the official data actually says, in plain figures anyone can cite.
residential aged care homes
government-funded places
home care services
Most homes sit at four stars, few reach five
77% of homes carry an official Star Rating (newer services, Multi-Purpose Services and some regional programs are not yet rated). Across those 2,141 rated homes the average overall rating is 3.83 out of 5. But the average hides the shape: 72% of rated homes sit at four stars, while only 6% reach five.
| Overall Star Rating | Homes | Share of rated homes |
|---|---|---|
| 5 stars | 124 | 6% |
| 4 stars | 1,540 | 72% |
| 3 stars | 476 | 22% |
| 2 stars | 0 | 0% |
| 1 star | 1 | 0% |
The compliance-versus-quality gap
This is the finding that matters most. A home's overall rating is built from four measures, and they are not close. Compliance averages 4.84 out of 5, close to universal. But quality measures averages just 3.08. In plain terms: nearly every home clears the compliance bar, yet the measures closest to the lived quality of care and to having enough staff sit far lower. When you tour a home, this is the gap to ask about.
| Measure | National average (of 5) |
|---|---|
| Compliance | 4.84 |
| Residents' experience | 3.63 |
| Staffing | 3.26 |
| Quality measures | 3.08 |
State by state
Northern Territory rates highest on average (4) and South Australia lowest (3.67), though the smaller states and territories have too few homes to read much into.
| State or territory | Homes | Places | Home care services | Avg rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New South Wales | 884 | 74,348 | 793 | 3.89 |
| Victoria | 744 | 60,745 | 626 | 3.84 |
| Queensland | 494 | 44,285 | 507 | 3.89 |
| Western Australia | 287 | 20,800 | 264 | 3.68 |
| South Australia | 259 | 19,067 | 145 | 3.67 |
| Tasmania | 68 | 5,239 | 75 | 3.97 |
| Australian Capital Territory | 27 | 2,752 | 37 | 3.91 |
| Northern Territory | 10 | 563 | 55 | 4 |
City versus regional
Six in ten homes are in major cities. Access thins out quickly beyond them, which is the supply side of the aged care story.
| Location | Homes | Avg rating |
|---|---|---|
| Major Cities | 1,671 | 3.8 |
| Inner Regional | 646 | 3.85 |
| Outer Regional | 351 | 3.96 |
| Remote | 65 | 4.1 |
| Very Remote | 40 | 4.17 |
The largest providers, ranked by rating
Among the operators running ten or more rated homes, average ratings vary widely. Size is no guarantee of quality, in either direction.
| Provider group | Rated homes | Avg rating |
|---|---|---|
| RSL Care RDNS Limited | 88 | 3.98 |
| Estia Investments Pty Ltd | 82 | 3.68 |
| The Uniting Church in Australia Property Trust (NSW) | 68 | 3.96 |
| Bupa Aged Care Australia Pty Ltd | 57 | 3.4 |
| Regis Aged Care Pty Ltd | 49 | 3.61 |
| Arcare Pty Ltd | 49 | 3.88 |
| Catholic Healthcare Limited | 40 | 4.18 |
| BaptistCare NSW & ACT | 33 | 3.61 |
| Mercy Aged and Community Care Ltd | 29 | 3.72 |
| Southern Cross Care (NSW & ACT) Limited | 27 | 4.04 |
| Respect Group Limited | 27 | 3.48 |
| RSL LifeCare Limited | 25 | 4.04 |
Methodology and sources
Figures are computed from the Australian Government aged care Star Ratings and service list (May 2026 extract), the same official data the CareShortlist directory is built on. Ratings are published by the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, not by CareShortlist. Averages of a one-to-five star scale are indicative rather than exact, which is why we show the full distribution and the underlying measures rather than a single number. Homes without a published rating are excluded from rating averages but counted in supply totals. Small states and territories have few homes, so their averages should be read with caution.
Comparing real homes near you?
The averages are a backdrop. Your decision is local. Get a free shortlist of the actual options near you, with each home's official rating beside it.