Organization	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2016
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Organization	ORGANIZATION Separation from Ensign—Prior to June 1, 2014, CareTrust REIT, Inc. (“CareTrust” or the “Company”) was a wholly owned subsidiary of The Ensign Group, Inc. (“Ensign”). On June 1, 2014, Ensign completed the separation of its healthcare business and its real estate business into two separate and independent publicly-traded companies through the distribution of all of the outstanding shares of common stock of CareTrust to Ensign stockholders on a pro rata basis (the “Spin-Off”). Ensign stockholders received one share of CareTrust common stock for each share of Ensign common stock held at the close of business on May 22, 2014, the record date for the Spin-Off. The Spin-Off was effective from and after June 1, 2014, with shares of CareTrust common stock distributed by Ensign on June 2, 2014. The Company was formed on October 29, 2013 and had minimal activity prior to the Spin-Off. Description of Business—The Company’s primary business consists of acquiring, financing and owning real property to be leased to third-party tenants in the healthcare sector. As of September 30, 2016, the Company owned and leased to independent operators, including Ensign, 149 skilled nursing, assisted living and independent living facilities consisting of 14,304 operational beds and units located in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin. The Company also owns and operates three independent living facilities consisting of 264 units located in Texas and Utah. As of September 30, 2016, the Company also had three other real estate investments, consisting of $13.6 million of preferred equity investments.

Organization

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2016

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

ORGANIZATION

Separation from Ensign—Prior to June 1, 2014, CareTrust REIT, Inc. (“CareTrust” or the “Company”) was a wholly owned subsidiary of The Ensign Group, Inc. (“Ensign”). On June 1, 2014, Ensign completed the separation of its healthcare business and its real estate business into two separate and independent publicly-traded companies through the distribution of all of the outstanding shares of common stock of CareTrust to Ensign stockholders on a pro rata basis (the “Spin-Off”). Ensign stockholders received one share of CareTrust common stock for each share of Ensign common stock held at the close of business on May 22, 2014, the record date for the Spin-Off. The Spin-Off was effective from and after June 1, 2014, with shares of CareTrust common stock distributed by Ensign on June 2, 2014. The Company was formed on October 29, 2013 and had minimal activity prior to the Spin-Off.

Description of Business—The Company’s primary business consists of acquiring, financing and owning real property to be leased to third-party tenants in the healthcare sector. As of September 30, 2016, the Company owned and leased to independent operators, including Ensign, 149 skilled nursing, assisted living and independent living facilities consisting of 14,304 operational beds and units located in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin. The Company also owns and operates three independent living facilities consisting of 264 units located in Texas and Utah. As of September 30, 2016, the Company also had three other real estate investments, consisting of $13.6 million of preferred equity investments.