Investment Activity (Schedule of Cash Rents Received) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2024	Dec. 31, 2023	Dec. 31, 2022
Real Estate [Line Items]
Revenues	$ 257,049	$ 249,227	$ 217,700
Lease incentive payments, net	7,877	10,669
Cash Basis Lessees
Real Estate [Line Items]
Revenues	49,981	45,796	35,331
Write off of financing receivable			9,000
Lease incentive payments, net			7,100
Cash Basis Lessees \| Bickford
Real Estate [Line Items]
Revenues	38,971	33,352	27,650
Cash Basis Lessees \| All others
Real Estate [Line Items]
Revenues	11,010	12,444	7,681
Cash Basis Lessees \| Bickford Senior Living Acquisition
Real Estate [Line Items]
Lease income, rent deferral deduction		2,500	3,000
Bickford
Real Estate [Line Items]
Revenues	$ 41,720	$ 38,688
Write off of financing receivable			$ 18,100

Lease Income, Rent Deferral Deduction

No definition available.

Name:	nhi_LeaseIncomeRentDeferralDeduction
Namespace Prefix:	nhi_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of writeoff of financing receivable, charged against allowance for credit loss.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/otherTransitionRef
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 11B
-Subparagraph (c)(3)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147481962/310-10-50-11B

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 55
-Paragraph 79
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147479294/326-20-55-79

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 6
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147479319/326-20-50-6

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 13
-Subparagraph (d)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147479319/326-20-50-13

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivableAllowanceForCreditLossesWriteOffs
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of incentive granted by lessor to lessee.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/otherTransitionRef
-Topic 840
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 25
-Paragraph 6
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147481178/840-20-25-6

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/otherTransitionRef
-Topic 840
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 25
-Paragraph 7
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147481178/840-20-25-7

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 30
-Paragraph 5
-Subparagraph (a)
-SubTopic 10
-Topic 842
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147479924/842-10-30-5

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncentiveToLessee
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of lease income from operating, direct financing, and sales-type leases. Includes, but is not limited to, variable lease payments, interest income, profit (loss) recognized at commencement, and lease payments paid and payable to lessor.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 842
-SubTopic 30
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147479773/842-30-50-5

+ Details

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

- 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

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 976
-SubTopic 310
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (c)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147477332/976-310-50-1

+ Details

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

- Details

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

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_AssetAcquisitionAxis=nhi_BickfordSeniorLivingMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_AssetAcquisitionAxis=nhi_LessThan10OperatorsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_AssetAcquisitionAxis=nhi_BickfordSeniorLivingAcquisitionMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

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