Lessor, Operating Lease, Annual Base Rent

No definition available.

Name:	nhi_LessorOperatingLeaseAnnualBaseRent
Namespace Prefix:	nhi_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Number Of Real Estate Properties Sold

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	nhi_NumberOfRealEstatePropertiesSold
Namespace Prefix:	nhi_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Number of Master Leases

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	nhi_NumberofMasterLeases
Namespace Prefix:	nhi_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

This element represents the percentage of income recognized from a lease tenant.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	nhi_PercentageOfContinuingRevenue
Namespace Prefix:	nhi_
Data Type:	dtr-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

This element represents the rental revenue rate earned during the period from lessee-operators based on revenues generated in their operations, generally in excess of a base amount. Generally stipulated in the lease agreement, it usually will provide for a fixed percentage of revenue to be paid as additional (or possibly only) rent due the lessor, and may be based on gross revenues, net revenues, or multiple variations thereof.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	nhi_PercentageRentRate
Namespace Prefix:	nhi_
Data Type:	dtr-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Term of lessor's operating lease renewal, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 842
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (a)(3)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=124258985&loc=SL77919359-209981

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LessorOperatingLeaseRenewalTerm
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The number of real estate properties owned as of the balance sheet date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_NumberOfRealEstateProperties
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The number of states the entity operates in as of the balance sheet date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_NumberOfStatesInWhichEntityOperates
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The number of units in a real estate property owned as of the balance sheet date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_NumberOfUnitsInRealEstateProperty
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_RealEstateLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Difference between actual rental income due and rental income recognized on a straight-line basis.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 28
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123570139&loc=d3e3602-108585

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_StraightLineRent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	srt_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateDescriptionTypeOfPropertyAxis=nhi_IndependentLivingFacilityMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateDescriptionTypeOfPropertyAxis=nhi_SkilledNursingFacilityMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_MajorCustomersAxis=nhi_SeniorLivingCommunitiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_MajorCustomersAxis=nhi_NationalHealthcareCorporationMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis=us-gaap_DisposalGroupDisposedOfBySaleNotDiscontinuedOperationsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_InvestmentSecondaryCategorizationAxis=nhi_NHC1991LeaseMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_InvestmentSecondaryCategorizationAxis=nhi_SubleasedFacilitiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_StatementGeographicalAxis=stpr_SC
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_StatementGeographicalAxis=stpr_TX
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByTypeAxis=nhi_RevenueAsOfTotalExceeds10Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Investment Activity (Tenant Concentration) (Details) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2022 USD ($) property bedOrUnitInTheProperty state facility masterLease	Dec. 31, 2021 USD ($) bedOrUnitInTheProperty	Dec. 31, 2020 USD ($)	Sep. 01, 2022 property	Aug. 31, 2022 USD ($)
Real Estate [Line Items]
Number of states in which entity operates \| state	32
Percentage of continuing revenue	13.00%	0.00%	0.00%
Properties	160
Straight-line rent income, net of write-offs \| $	$ (16,681)	$ 14,603	$ 20,411
Lessor, operating lease, renewal term	5 years
Independent Living Facilities
Real Estate [Line Items]
Number of states in which entity operates \| state	8
Skilled Nursing Facilities
Real Estate [Line Items]
Properties \| facility	65
Senior Living Communities
Real Estate [Line Items]
Percentage of continuing revenue	18.00%	17.00%	15.00%
Properties	10
Number of units in real estate property \| bedOrUnitInTheProperty	2,200
Straight-line rent income, net of write-offs \| $	$ (400)	$ (2,500)	$ (4,300)
National HealthCare Corporation
Real Estate [Line Items]
Percentage of continuing revenue	13.00%	12.00%	11.00%
Number of master leases \| masterLease	2
Lessor, operating lease, renewal term	5 years
Lessor, operating lease, annual base rent \| $	$ 34,300				$ 30,800
National HealthCare Corporation \| Disposal Group, Disposed of by Sale, Not Discontinued Operations
Real Estate [Line Items]
Number of real estate properties sold				7
National HealthCare Corporation \| NHC - 1991 Lease
Real Estate [Line Items]
Percentage rent rate	4.00%
National HealthCare Corporation \| Independent Living Facilities
Real Estate [Line Items]
Properties	3
National HealthCare Corporation \| Skilled Nursing Facilities
Real Estate [Line Items]
Properties \| facility	32
National HealthCare Corporation \| Skilled Nursing Facilities \| Subleased Facilities
Real Estate [Line Items]
Properties	4
SOUTH CAROLINA
Real Estate [Line Items]
Percentage of continuing revenue	12.10%	11.60%
TEXAS
Real Estate [Line Items]
Percentage of continuing revenue	10.70%	10.30%
Revenue as % of Total, Exceeds 10%
Real Estate [Line Items]
Number of states in which entity operates \| bedOrUnitInTheProperty	2	2