Claire Dawson
The number of hospitals in each state varies across the United States. As of 2023, there were a total of 7,341 active hospitals in the U.S., with the Southeast region having the highest number of hospitals at 1,990 facilities. The Midwest followed closely with 1,920 hospitals, while the West had 1,174. The number of hospitals in a state is generally correlated with its population; hence, the most populous states like California, Texas, and Florida tend to have more hospitals. The American Hospital Association's 2023 survey reported 6,093 hospitals in the country, while the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics recorded 13,944 hospitals in the third quarter of 2019. The discrepancy in numbers could be attributed to the inclusion of specialty hospitals, such as psychiatric, rehabilitation, and critical access hospitals, in certain counts. Healthcare mergers, acquisitions, and financial pressures have also led to a decline in hospitals over the years, with patients increasingly turning to outpatient facilities.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of hospitals in the US in 2019 | 13,944 |
| Number of hospitals in the US in 2023 | 6,093 |
| Number of hospitals in the US in 2024 | 7,300+ |
| Number of acute care and critical access hospitals in the US in 2020 | 5,250 |
| Number of short-term acute care hospitals in the US in 2023 | 3,888 |
| Number of critical access hospitals in the US | 1,363 |
| Number of rehabilitation hospitals in the US | 457 |
| Number of long-term acute care hospitals in the US | 384 |
| State with the highest ratio of people per hospital in 2019 | New Jersey (49,073) |
| State with the lowest ratio of people per hospital in 2019 | District of Columbia |
| State with the highest ratio of people per hospital employee in 2019 | Puerto Rico |
| State with the lowest ratio of people per hospital employee in 2019 | District of Columbia |
| Number of hospitals in California in 2024 | 514 |
| Number of hospitals in Texas in 2024 | 757 |
| Number of hospitals in Florida in 2024 | 361 |
| Number of hospitals in Alaska in 2023 | 11 |
| Number of hospitals in California in 2023 | 336 |
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What You'll Learn
- Specialty hospitals: facilities dedicated to specific patient groups, like psychiatric, children's, or women's health
- Acute care hospitals: the most common type of hospital in the US, with 3,888 facilities
- Critical access hospitals: located in rural areas, with fewer than 25 inpatient beds
- Rehabilitation hospitals: specialised facilities aiding patients' recovery from injuries, illnesses, or surgeries
- Population correlation: hospital numbers are roughly proportional to a state's population size
Specialty hospitals: facilities dedicated to specific patient groups, like psychiatric, children's, or women's health
There are 6,093 hospitals in the United States, according to the American Hospital Association's (AHA) 2023 Annual Survey. This survey includes data on the number of hospitals in each state, as well as the number of government hospitals and hospital beds. While the AHA does not provide a breakdown of specialty hospitals by state, we can look at some specific types of specialty hospitals, like psychiatric, children's, and women's health facilities, to understand their distribution across the country.
Psychiatric Hospitals
The Treatment Advocacy Center (TAC) reports on the state-hospital system across all 50 states and the District of Columbia, addressing the crisis of 8.8 million people with severe mental illness in the nation's mental health system. However, the exact number of psychiatric hospitals in each state is not readily available.
Children's Hospitals
Children's hospitals are medical facilities dedicated to serving children and adolescents, typically from birth up to the age of 21. While there is no comprehensive list of children's hospitals by state, it is known that these hospitals proliferated in the 20th century as pediatric medical and surgical specialties evolved. Children's hospitals provide psychosocial support to young patients and their families, and they often have partnerships with local organizations to offer recreational activities during long-term stays.
Women's Health Specialty Hospitals
While there is limited information on the number of women's health specialty hospitals in each state, the AHA does include obstetrics and gynecology among its listed specialty services. These hospitals are considered community hospitals, which are defined as nonfederal, short-term general, or other special hospitals accessible to the general public.
In summary, while the exact distribution of specialty hospitals across states is not readily available, we can gain insights into the presence of psychiatric, children's, and women's health facilities by understanding their unique characteristics and the broader healthcare landscape in the United States.
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Acute care hospitals: the most common type of hospital in the US, with 3,888 facilities
Acute care hospitals are the most common type of hospital in the United States, with 3,888 facilities across the country. These hospitals provide short-term care for patients recovering from surgical procedures, sudden injuries, or sickness. They are typically imagined when people think of a hospital setting. Acute care hospitals are distinct from critical access hospitals (CAH), which are designated for rural areas and have fewer than 25 inpatient beds with an average stay of 96 hours or less.
The number of acute care hospitals varies across different states and regions. The Southeast region of the US has the highest number of hospitals overall, with 1,990 facilities, accounting for nearly one-third of the nation's total. The Midwest follows closely with 1,920 hospitals, while the West has 1,174. Within these regions, certain states stand out for having a high number of hospitals. California, Texas, and Florida, being the most populous states, also boast a significant number of hospitals.
The distribution of acute care hospitals is influenced by population density, with the top three states having the most hospitals also being the most populated. Conversely, Washington D.C., one of the least populated areas, has a lower number of hospitals. Financial pressures and the shift towards outpatient care also impact hospital numbers, contributing to a decline in hospitals over the past few decades.
Acute care hospitals are distinct from specialty hospitals, which focus on specific patient populations or medical conditions. Examples of specialty hospitals include psychiatric hospitals, rehabilitation hospitals, and children's hospitals. These facilities cater to unique patient needs, such as mental health disorders, severe injuries or illnesses, and pediatric care, respectively. They provide specialized services beyond what a typical acute care hospital offers.
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Critical access hospitals: located in rural areas, with fewer than 25 inpatient beds
Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) are located in rural areas and have fewer than 25 inpatient beds. CAHs are designated by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), which grants CAH status to qualifying hospitals nationwide. CAHs are located in 45 states across the U.S., and as of April 2025, there were 1,377 CAHs.
The state with the highest number of CAHs is Texas, with 88 hospitals, followed by Iowa (82 hospitals) and Kansas (81 hospitals). These states have large rural areas, so it is not surprising that they account for 19% of all CAHs. The Midwest region comprises the largest number of critical access hospitals at 46%, followed by the West at 20%. This demonstrates the large part CAHs play in providing healthcare in the Midwest.
CAHs typically focus on primary care services, such as general medical and surgical care, as well as basic diagnostic services like laboratory testing and radiology. They may also offer some specialty services, such as obstetrics, but their primary goal is to address the basic healthcare needs of their communities. CAHs often have transfer agreements with larger hospitals to ensure that patients with more complex needs can be transferred to facilities that provide more advanced care.
The Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Program (MRHFP or Flex Program), established by the Balanced Budget Act in 1997, has helped enhance the financial stability of CAHs. The program offers grants to help fund CAHs and improve access to healthcare services in rural areas.
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Rehabilitation hospitals: specialised facilities aiding patients' recovery from injuries, illnesses, or surgeries
The number of hospitals varies across different states in the US, with the top three states with the most hospitals also being the most populous. Conversely, Washington, D.C., and the two states with the fewest hospitals are among the least populated. There are 6,093 hospitals in the US as of 2025. The most common type of hospital is the short-term acute care hospital, with 3,888 facilities across the country.
Rehabilitation hospitals are specialised facilities dedicated to aiding patients' recovery from debilitating injuries, illnesses, or surgeries. They provide intensive therapy and medical care to help individuals regain function, independence, and an improved quality of life. There are 457 rehabilitation hospitals in the US, making them the fourth most common type of hospital.
Rehabilitation hospitals differ from long-term acute care hospitals, which treat patients with serious ongoing medical conditions requiring more care than a rehabilitation centre can provide. Psychiatric hospitals, of which there are 830 in the US, are another distinct type of facility, treating severe mental disorders with stays typically lasting only a few weeks.
Specialty hospitals, such as those focusing on women's health, cancer treatment, or children's health, differ from general hospitals by concentrating their resources and expertise on specific areas of medicine. Healthcare mergers and acquisitions have contributed to a decline in the number of US hospitals, and some hospitals have closed due to financial pressures and the shift towards outpatient care.
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Population correlation: hospital numbers are roughly proportional to a state's population size
The number of hospitals in each state is influenced by various factors, including healthcare mergers and acquisitions, financial pressures, and the shift towards outpatient care. As of 2023, the United States had 7,341 active hospitals, with the Southeast region leading the nation with 1,990 hospitals, closely followed by the Midwest with 1,920.
Population size appears to be a significant factor in determining the number of hospitals in a state. The three states with the most hospitals are also the most populous: California, Texas, and Florida. Conversely, Washington, D.C., and the two states with the fewest hospitals are among the least populated. This correlation suggests that states with larger populations require and can sustain more hospitals.
The type of hospital also plays a role in their distribution across states. For example, Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) are designated for rural areas, and their numbers may be influenced by the state's geographic size and population distribution rather than solely by population size. Similarly, specialty hospitals, such as psychiatric, rehabilitation, and children's hospitals, cater to specific patient populations and may be more prevalent in states with a higher demand for those services.
While the number of hospitals is roughly proportional to a state's population, other factors come into play. States with a large land area but a dispersed population may have fewer hospitals overall but a higher number of CAHs to serve rural communities. Additionally, the financial viability of hospitals is a critical factor, as some hospitals struggle to stay operational due to financial pressures.
In conclusion, the number of hospitals in each state is influenced by a combination of factors, including population size, land area, financial considerations, and the demand for specialized healthcare services. While population size is a significant factor, it is not the sole determinant, and other state-specific considerations come into play when examining the distribution of hospitals across the country.
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Frequently asked questions
As of 2019, there were 13,944 hospitals in the US. However, other sources state that there are 6,093 or more than 7,000 hospitals nationwide.
The number of hospitals varies by state. For instance, Alaska has 11 hospitals, California has 336, and Texas has 757.
In 2019, the US population was 328.2 million, which equates to a ratio of 23,540 people per hospital.
New Jersey, New York, Oregon, and Rhode Island.
Hospitals can be categorized by their specialty, such as obstetrics and gynecology, eye, ear, nose, and throat, or rehabilitation. They can also be categorized as short-term acute care hospitals, critical access hospitals, or long-term acute care hospitals.
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