Brookdale Senior Living and Welltower have maintained their spots at the top of the American Seniors Housing Association’s lists of the 50 largest senior living operators and owners, respectively, for 2024.
The two companies have led the respective rankings on the ASHA 50 lists since 2019, with Brookdale heading both lists for several years up to that point. The 2024 ASHA 50, released in September, are based on data through June 1.
Largest operators
The companies on the list of largest operators manage a total of 549,197 units, with Brookdale managing almost 10% of the total and the five largest operators on the list accounting for 33% of the total.
Brookdale’s unit count is 53,812, followed by Discovery Senior Living, with 34,812 units. Discovery’s rapid growth propelled it to the No. 2 operator spot with the addition of 8,853 units since the 2023 list.
Other operators with notable growth over the past year include Arrow Senior Living, with 4,826 added units; Retirement Unlimited Inc., with 3,752 units added; Cogir Management USA, with 2,508 additional units; and Sagora Senior Living with 2,389 new units.
Atria Senior Living dropped from No. 2 in 2023 to No. 3 overall on the largest operator list for 2024, with 33,241 units. LCS moved from No. 3 in 2023 to No. 4 for 2024, with 32,343 units, and Erickson Senior Living rounded out the top five largest operators for 2024, with 25,991 units, moving up from the sixth spot last year.
Sunrise Senior Living left the top five, coming in at No. 6 for 2024, with 24,475 units. It ranked No. 4 last year.
Presbyterian Homes & Services remained the largest not-for-profit operator again in 2024, with a portfolio including 10,754 units. Acts Retirement–Life Communities & Affiliates was No. 2, with 10,223 units. HumanGood, with 6,089 units, Covenant Living Communities & Services, with 5,474 units, and Lifespace Communities, with 5,361 units, rounded out the top five largest not-for-profit operators.
Largest owners
The 50 largest US senior living community owners control 584,988 units, with the largest five owners accounting for almost half (45%) of the total units, according to the 2024 ASHA 50.
Welltower remained the largest owner, with 102,646 units, followed by Ventas, with 80,281 units. Brookdale came in at No. 3 on the list of owners, with 29,824 units. Harrison Street was No. 4, with 25,900 units, and Diversified Healthcare Trust rounded out the largest five owners, with 25,254 units.
Ventas expanded its owned portfolio by 12,602 units, whereas Welltower added 7,365 units since 2023. Other owners with notable growth included Omega Healthcare Investors, which added 1,310 units, and Harrison Street, which added 1,077 units.
National Senior Communities was the largest not-for-profit owner on the list of owners, with 12,753 units. The company is the not-for-profit member of and supporting organization of continuing care retirement / life plan communities developed and managed by Erickson Senior Living.
National Senior Communities was followed among not-for-profit owners by Presbyterian Homes & Services, with 10,429 units, and Acts Retirement–Life Communities & Affiliates, with 10,223 units.
The report is ASHA’s 31st annual ranking of the country’s largest senior living owners and operators, which includes independent living units, assisted living beds and memory care units. Skilled nursing beds that are part of CCRCs also are included in the calculations.
