Nonmetropolitan U.S. Communities Have 44.4% Fewer Consumer-Facing Health Care Workers Per 10,000 Residents Than Metropolitan Areas

Nonmetropolitan communities across the United States have 44.4% fewer consumer-facing health care workers per 10,000 residents than metropolitan areas, according to a recent analysis. The workforce gap widens considerably for highly trained clinical and behavioral health professionals.

The analysis used 2019 through 2023 American Community Survey (ACS) data. Although nonmetropolitan areas represent 13.8% of the U.S. population, they accounted for only 8.4% of the actively employed health care workforce. The disparity was observed across every occupation examined.

The largest workforce gaps were found among highly trained professionals. Psychologists were nearly 74% less represented in . . .