Consolidated Statement of Stockholders' Equity Statement - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	Total	Common Stock [Member]	Additional Paid-in Capital [Member]	Retained Earnings [Member]	Treasury Stock [Member]	AOCI Attributable to Parent [Member]	Noncontrolling Interest [Member]
Shares, Outstanding		22,113			237
Stockholders' Equity, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	$ 357,257	$ 22	$ 101,364	$ 257,502	$ (1,680)	$ (1,112)	$ 1,161
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, Other		415			(87)
Issuance of common stock to employees and directors resulting from the exercise of stock options and grant of stock awards	$ 3,845		3,475		$ 370
Issuance of restricted stock to employees	56	63
Stock Issued During Period, Value, Restricted Stock Award, Gross	$ 0
Repurchase of common stock (Note 3)	0
Dividends declared	(6,441)			(6,441)
Employee stock award compensation	5,190		5,190
Excess tax benefit from share-based compensation	4,264		4,264
Less: net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	(2,209)						(2,209)
Distribution of net assets to CareTrust (Note 23)	(141,165)			(141,165)
Net Income attributable to the Ensign Group, Inc.	35,950			35,950
Termination of swap and other comprehensive income	1,112					1,112
Shares, Outstanding		22,591			150
Stockholders' Equity, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	257,803	$ 22	114,293	145,846	$ (1,310)	0	(1,048)
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, Other		255			(27)
Issuance of common stock to employees and directors resulting from the exercise of stock options and grant of stock awards	$ 2,530		2,443		$ 87
Issuance of restricted stock to employees	323	105
Stock Issued During Period, Value, Restricted Stock Award, Gross	$ 1,892		1,892
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, New Issues		2,734
Issuance of common stock through public offering, net of issuance costs	106,120	$ 3	106,117
Repurchase of common stock (Note 3)	0
Dividends declared	(7,858)			(7,858)
Employee stock award compensation	6,677		6,677
Excess tax benefit from share-based compensation	3,680		3,680
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, Stock Splits		25,685
Stock issued to effect stock split	0	$ 26	(26)
Noncontrolling interest assumed related to acquisition	224						224
Less: net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	485						485
Net Income attributable to the Ensign Group, Inc.	55,432			55,432
Shares, Outstanding		51,370			123
Stockholders' Equity, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	426,985	$ 51	235,076	193,420	$ (1,223)	0	(339)
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, Other		668			(55)
Issuance of common stock to employees and directors resulting from the exercise of stock options and grant of stock awards	$ 4,152	$ 1	4,045		$ 106
Issuance of restricted stock to employees	299	252
Stock Issued During Period, Value, Restricted Stock Award, Gross	$ 2,517		2,517
Stock Repurchased During Period, Shares		(1,452)			1,452
Repurchase of common stock (Note 3)	30,000				$ (30,000)
Dividends declared	(8,282)			(8,282)
Employee stock award compensation	7,776		7,776
Excess tax benefit from share-based compensation	3,079		3,079
Equity, Fair Value Adjustment	1,325			(107)			1,432
Noncontrolling interest assumed related to acquisition	100						100
Less: net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	2,853						2,853
Net Income attributable to the Ensign Group, Inc.	49,990			49,990
Shares, Outstanding		50,838			1,520
Stockholders' Equity, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	$ 460,495	$ 52	$ 252,493	$ 235,021	$ (31,117)	$ 0	$ 4,046