Essentia Health Northern Pines Medical Center

Essentia Health Northern Pines Medical Center is a senior care community located in Aurora, MN. It provides nursing home care and senior living for older adults in the Aurora area. To learn more or schedule a tour, call (218) 229-2211.

Operated by Essentia Health, which runs 5 communities in our directory.

With 33 beds, Essentia Health Northern Pines Medical Center is smaller than most nearby options, senior care communities in Saint Louis County average about 67 beds. Smaller communities often mean more consistent day-to-day staffing and a calmer environment, while larger ones may have more specialized services on site. Which suits a particular person depends on the level of care needed.

Federal reporting puts occupancy at about 95% of its licensed beds, which is high; communities this full often maintain a waiting list, so it is worth calling well before you need a place. That is above the Saint Louis County average of roughly 80%.

Medicare rates this community 5 out of 5 stars overall, a score based on health inspections, staffing levels and quality measures. Communities in Saint Louis County average about 2.4 stars. Its most recent standard health inspection was in January 2026 and recorded no deficiencies.

Residents receive about 3.7 hours of nursing care per day on average, including 1.1 hours from a registered nurse. Nursing staff turnover over the past year was about 23%.

The community is located in Saint Louis County, MN.

Medicare five-star ratings

• Overall ★★★★★ 5/5
• Health inspections ★★★★★ 5/5
• Staffing ★★★★★ 5/5
• Quality measures ★★★★★ 4/5

Source: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Care Compare. Ratings apply to Medicare/Medicaid-certified nursing homes and are updated by CMS monthly.

Inspection record

In its last three standard inspections and any complaint visits, federal inspectors cited 5 problems at Essentia Health Northern Pines Medical Center. None of them caused harm to a resident.

A citation on its own does not mean poor care, and most are corrected within weeks. What matters most is how serious the findings were and whether the same problems keep coming back. When you visit, it is fair to ask the administrator what inspectors found and what has changed since.

Source: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Health Deficiencies and Penalties files, updated monthly. See the full record on Medicare Care Compare.

Essentia Health Northern Pines Medical Center offers nursing home care and senior living.

Facility details

• Organization type Non profit - Corporation
• Beds / units 33
• Occupancy 95%
• Nursing hours per resident/day 3.7
• Annual staff turnover 23%
• Last health inspection January 2026