Amount, before allowance for credit loss, of accrued interest on financing receivable.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3B
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147479319/326-20-50-3B

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount excluding accrued interest, of allowance for credit loss on financing receivable. Excludes net investment in lease.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147479344/326-20-45-1

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivableAllowanceForCreditLossExcludingAccruedInterest
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amortized cost excluding accrued interest, after allowance for credit loss, of financing receivable. Excludes net investment in lease.

+ References

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amortized cost excluding accrued interest, of financing receivable originated more than five years prior to current fiscal year. Excludes net investment in lease.

+ References

Reference 1: 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 2: 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 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3B
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147479319/326-20-50-3B

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amortized cost excluding accrued interest, of financing receivable originated four years prior to current fiscal year. Excludes net investment in lease.

+ References

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amortized cost excluding accrued interest, of financing receivable originated three years prior to current fiscal year. Excludes net investment in lease.

+ References

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amortized cost excluding accrued interest, of financing receivable originated in current fiscal year. Excludes net investment in lease.

+ References

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amortized cost excluding accrued interest, of financing receivable originated two years prior to current fiscal year. Excludes net investment in lease.

+ References

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amortized cost excluding accrued interest of financing receivable originated in fiscal year prior to current fiscal year. Excludes net investment in lease.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivableExcludingAccruedInterestYearTwoOriginatedFiscalYearBeforeCurrentFiscalYear
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
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

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/otherTransitionRef
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 29
-Subparagraph (b)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147481962/310-10-50-29

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147479319/326-20-50-5

Reference 3: 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

+ Details

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

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis=us-gaap_MortgagesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis=nhi_EBITDARMCoverageAbove15xMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis=nhi_EBITDARMCoverage10xTo15xMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis=nhi_EBITDARMCoverageBelow10xMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis=nhi_MezzanineMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis=us-gaap_NonperformingFinancingReceivableMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis=nhi_RevolvingCreditFacilitiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Mortgage and Other Notes Receivable (Schedule of Financing Receivables By Credit Quality Indicator) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2024	Sep. 30, 2024	Dec. 31, 2023	Dec. 31, 2022
Financing Receivable, Credit Quality Indicator [Line Items]
Total	$ 289,175
Credit loss reserve	(20,249)		$ (15,476)	$ (20,200)
Financing receivable, after allowance for credit loss	268,926		$ 245,271
Mortgages
Financing Receivable, Credit Quality Indicator [Line Items]
2024	40,466
2023	725
2022	70,852
2021	0
2020	0
Prior	53,789
Total	165,832
Mortgages \| more than 1.5x
Financing Receivable, Credit Quality Indicator [Line Items]
2024	16,589
2023	0
2022	42,465
2021	0
2020	0
Prior	32,666
Total	91,720
Mortgages \| between 1.0x and 1.5x
Financing Receivable, Credit Quality Indicator [Line Items]
2024	23,877
2023	725
2022	28,387
2021	0
2020	0
Prior	6,423
Total	59,412
Mortgages \| less than 1.0x
Financing Receivable, Credit Quality Indicator [Line Items]
2024	0
2023	0
2022	0
2021	0
2020	0
Prior	14,700
Total	14,700
Mezzanine
Financing Receivable, Credit Quality Indicator [Line Items]
2024	24,760
2023	753
2022	0
2021	32,135
2020	0
Prior	25,000
Total	82,648
Mezzanine \| more than 1.5x
Financing Receivable, Credit Quality Indicator [Line Items]
2024	0
2023	524
2022	0
2021	13,137
2020	0
Prior	0
Total	13,661
Mezzanine \| between 1.0x and 1.5x
Financing Receivable, Credit Quality Indicator [Line Items]
2024	0
2023	0
2022	0
2021	18,998
2020	0
Prior	0
Total	18,998
Mezzanine \| less than 1.0x
Financing Receivable, Credit Quality Indicator [Line Items]
2024	24,760
2023	229
2022	0
2021	0
2020	0
Prior	25,000
Total	49,989
Non-performing
Financing Receivable, Credit Quality Indicator [Line Items]
2024	1,369
2023	0
2022	0
2021	0
2020	0
Prior	24,500
Total	25,869
Non-performing \| more than 1.5x
Financing Receivable, Credit Quality Indicator [Line Items]
2024	0
2023	0
2022	0
2021	0
2020	0
Prior	10,000
Total	10,000
Non-performing \| between 1.0x and 1.5x
Financing Receivable, Credit Quality Indicator [Line Items]
2024	1,369
2023	0
2022	0
2021	0
2020	0
Prior	14,500
Total	15,869	$ 14,500
Revolver
Financing Receivable, Credit Quality Indicator [Line Items]
Total	14,826
Revolver \| more than 1.5x
Financing Receivable, Credit Quality Indicator [Line Items]
Total	14,476
Revolver \| between 1.0x and 1.5x
Financing Receivable, Credit Quality Indicator [Line Items]
Total	$ 350