Hospitals and clinics are struggling to cover shifts, and the gap is clearest when you compare how many workers a state has with how many healthcare jobs exist. Using a study from Ubie Health, we list each state’s workforce density (workers per 1,000 residents) and its total healthcare jobs per 1,000 people, then show the shortfall (jobs minus workers). That simple spread highlights where staffing is thinnest on the ground. We also used the AAMC’s physician workforce shortage projections and the BLS healthcare growth outlook for more insight.
21. Tennessee
- Healthcare workers per 1,000 people: 30
- Healthcare jobs per 1,000 people: 66
- Shortfall per 1,000 people: 36
Demand outruns staffing, especially outside the big metros. A wide spread between jobs and workers means clinics lean on overtime and traveler contracts to keep coverage steady. That pressure shows up in longer waits and tighter appointment windows in fast-growing suburbs and rural counties alike.
Families can ease some strain by using urgent care for minor issues and keeping prescriptions synced to limit visits. For caregivers, consolidated appointments and telehealth follow-ups reduce time off work. Tennessee’s medical corridor helps with specialty access, but day-to-day primary care still feels tight.
20. Indiana
- Healthcare workers per 1,000 people: 33
- Healthcare jobs per 1,000 people: 73
- Shortfall per 1,000 people: 40
Indiana carries a sizable gap even with a solid worker base. Aging communities and sprawling suburban growth keep job postings high, while recruitment lags for bedside nursing and behavioral health. The result is fuller panels and more use of mid-levels to maintain access.
Patients can plan around the crunch with online scheduling and prescription delivery. Health systems that widen nurse residency pipelines and preceptorships tend to stabilize units faster, a pattern reflected nationally in BLS healthcare employment growth.
19. Washington
- Healthcare workers per 1,000 people: 30
- Healthcare jobs per 1,000 people: 73
- Shortfall per 1,000 people: 43
Urban hubs attract talent, but rural and island facilities compete hard for the same staff. With jobs per 1,000 well above worker density, systems stretch coverage with float pools and telehealth. Behavioral health and primary care are persistent pinch points.
Families can shorten waits by using nurse advice lines and scheduling labs before visits. Systems investing in rural training tracks and loan-repayment tied to shortage areas, like federal HPSA programs (Health Professional Shortage Areas) see steadier pipelines.
18. Montana
- Healthcare workers per 1,000 people: 29
- Healthcare jobs per 1,000 people: 66
- Shortfall per 1,000 people: 37
Distance is the challenge. Jobs concentrate around regional hubs, while frontier counties struggle to recruit and retain. That pushes more routine care to traveling specialists and telemedicine, which helps with access but can’t replace local hands for urgent needs.
Patients can cluster preventive visits and use pharmacist-run clinics where available. Systems that train locally and offer housing support for rotations tend to keep more graduates in state.
17. South Carolina
- Healthcare workers per 1,000 people: 29
- Healthcare jobs per 1,000 people: 71
- Shortfall per 1,000 people: 42
Coastal growth and retirement migration raise demand faster than clinics can hire. Emergency departments shoulder non-emergent care when primary care books up, which slows throughput for everyone. The jobs-to-workers gap shows why schedules fill weeks out.
Using same-day clinics for minor needs and keeping vaccines current reduce surprise ED trips. Expanded training seats and clinical rotations in community settings help spread staffing beyond major systems.
16. Idaho
- Healthcare workers per 1,000 people: 29
- Healthcare jobs per 1,000 people: 71
- Shortfall per 1,000 people: 42
Rapid population growth strains small hospitals and urgent care centers. With jobs per 1,000 well above worker density, facilities rely on cross-trained staff and traveling nurses to bridge gaps during peaks. Winter weather can magnify access issues in mountain towns.
Families can book routine care ahead of season changes and keep home monitoring (BP cuffs, pulse oximeters) for chronic conditions. Loan-repayment tied to rural practice through HPSA designations remains a key lever.
15. Illinois
- Healthcare workers per 1,000 people: 33
- Healthcare jobs per 1,000 people: 69
- Shortfall per 1,000 people: 36
Major academic centers anchor care, yet the workforce is uneven outside metro Chicago. The jobs-to-workers spread signals capacity limits in community hospitals and long-term care. Behavioral health and home-health agencies face the sharpest hiring headwinds.
Patients can lean on integrated portals for results and messaging to reduce unnecessary visits. Apprenticeships for CNAs, MAs, and techs build ladders into nursing, which helps close gaps over time.
14. Oklahoma
- Healthcare workers per 1,000 people: 29
- Healthcare jobs per 1,000 people: 70
- Shortfall per 1,000 people: 41
Rural access is the weak spot. Hospitals consolidate services to keep doors open, and clinics stretch appointment windows to cover demand. The wide spread between jobs and workers shows why small towns ride thin margins on staffing.
Telepsychiatry and virtual urgent care help, but long-term fixes come from growing local training slots and tying loan relief to multi-year rural service.
13. Iowa
- Healthcare workers per 1,000 people: 31
- Healthcare jobs per 1,000 people: 66
- Shortfall per 1,000 people: 35
Older populations and long drives between hospitals make coverage tricky. Systems use regional hubs and outreach clinics to close the distance, yet the jobs-to-workers gap remains. Skilled-nursing and home-health agencies compete with hospitals for the same nurses.
Families can schedule combined visits and use mail-order pharmacy to reduce trips. Pipeline programs that place students in rural rotations increase the odds they’ll return after graduation.
12. North Carolina
- Healthcare workers per 1,000 people: 30
- Healthcare jobs per 1,000 people: 68
- Shortfall per 1,000 people: 38
Growth corridors from Charlotte to the Triangle keep job postings high. While large systems expand, primary care and behavioral health still run lean in smaller towns. The gap between jobs and workers translates into longer waits for new-patient visits.
Use e-visits for refills and simple follow-ups, and check health-system scheduling apps for cancellations. Residency expansion and community-based rotations are the fastest way to backfill shortages.
11. Texas
- Healthcare workers per 1,000 people: 30
- Healthcare jobs per 1,000 people: 69
- Shortfall per 1,000 people: 39
A booming population means every role, from MAs to ICU nurses, is in demand. Urban competition raises wages, but rural hospitals still struggle to recruit. The broad jobs-to-workers gap shows why systems keep building nurse residencies and physician-assistant programs.
Families benefit from retail clinics for minor illnesses and employer on-site health to offload local clinics. Targeted incentives within shortage areas help steer graduates to high-need counties.
10. Arizona
- Healthcare workers per 1,000 people: 23
- Healthcare jobs per 1,000 people: 69
- Shortfall per 1,000 people: 46
Among the widest gaps on the list, Arizona’s low worker density collides with rapid in-migration and retiree growth. Heat-season demand spikes and rural reservations need more clinicians close to home. Systems lean on telehealth and traveling staff to keep beds open.
Families can book early morning visits during summer and keep home supplies for chronic conditions. Training partnerships with tribal and community colleges are crucial to grow local talent.
9. Alabama
- Healthcare workers per 1,000 people: 27
- Healthcare jobs per 1,000 people: 68
- Shortfall per 1,000 people: 41
Hospital closures and thin rural coverage push patients toward regional centers, lengthening trips and wait times. The workforce shortfall is broad, touching primary care, EDs, and long-term care. Recruitment often hinges on housing and childcare support for new hires.
Patients can use community health centers for preventive visits and chronic-care check-ins. Building MA/LPN pipelines and expanding nurse training seats remain priority fixes.
8. Virginia
- Healthcare workers per 1,000 people: 26
- Healthcare jobs per 1,000 people: 64
- Shortfall per 1,000 people: 38
Demand is split between dense metro corridors and underserved rural counties. With jobs per 1,000 outpacing workers, systems float staff and expand ambulatory sites to keep access. Behavioral health needs are a top driver of openings.
Families can use same-day clinics linked to primary care to avoid ED overflows. State scholarships tied to practice in shortage areas help steer graduates to where they’re most needed.
7. Florida
- Healthcare workers per 1,000 people: 26
- Healthcare jobs per 1,000 people: 64
- Shortfall per 1,000 people: 38
Retiree growth pushes demand for primary care, cardiology, and home health. Seasonal swings amplify the crunch as snowbirds arrive. The jobs-to-workers spread shows why appointment books fill fast even in large metro areas.
Patients can schedule routine care before peak season and use telehealth for follow-ups when traveling. Health systems that expand nurse residencies and geriatric training see steadier staffing through winter surges.
6. Georgia
- Healthcare workers per 1,000 people: 26
- Healthcare jobs per 1,000 people: 61
- Shortfall per 1,000 people: 35
Metro Atlanta attracts clinicians, yet rural hospitals and clinics compete for the same talent. With job demand well above worker density, systems juggle coverage between campuses. Maternity care deserts in some counties add pressure on regional hubs.
Families can map prenatal and pediatric visits to larger centers when local options are thin. Expanding rural track residencies and loan-repayment tied to service helps stabilize outlying counties.
5. Hawaii
- Healthcare workers per 1,000 people: 24
- Healthcare jobs per 1,000 people: 60
- Shortfall per 1,000 people: 36
Island geography turns staffing into logistics. Travel between islands and high living costs complicate recruitment, and the jobs-to-workers gap shows how hard it is to keep consistent coverage. Telehealth fills some gaps, but hands-on roles remain tough to staff.
Patients can cluster visits during inter-island trips and use remote monitoring where offered. Housing stipends and local training pipelines improve retention more than short contracts.
4. Colorado
- Healthcare workers per 1,000 people: 27
- Healthcare jobs per 1,000 people: 57
- Shortfall per 1,000 people: 30
Colorado’s growth corridors keep clinics busy while mountain towns face seasonal spikes. Even with decent worker density, jobs per 1,000 run higher, so systems float staff and rely on travelers during ski and summer peaks. Access can hinge on weather and distance.
Families can book preventive care shoulder-season and use patient portals to reduce in-person trips. Scholarships tied to rural rotations and housing near mountain hospitals help recruitment.
3. Wyoming
- Healthcare workers per 1,000 people: 26
- Healthcare jobs per 1,000 people: 55
- Shortfall per 1,000 people: 29
Sparse population, long distances, and limited training seats make every hire count. The jobs-worker spread is smaller than Arizona or Washington, yet a single resignation can tip coverage in frontier counties. Cross-trained staff keep clinics open when weather cuts roads.
Telehealth and mobile clinics are practical stopgaps. Long-term, growing local training pipelines and tying loan relief to multi-year rural practice are key.
2. Utah
- Healthcare workers per 1,000 people: 26
- Healthcare jobs per 1,000 people: 55
- Shortfall per 1,000 people: 29
Utah’s fast population growth keeps job demand high across primary care, OB, and pediatrics. Even with efficient systems, the worker base lags the pace of new residents. Schedules fill quickly in expanding suburbs, and EDs see more non-urgent visits during peaks.
Families can book physicals early in the year and use e-visits for refills. Accelerated nurse training and expanded residency slots are the pressure valves to watch.
1. Nevada
- Healthcare workers per 1,000 people: 24
- Healthcare jobs per 1,000 people: 53
- Shortfall per 1,000 people: 29
Nevada tops the list for need, with low worker density and heavy reliance on a few urban hubs. Rapid growth and tourism add variable demand that smaller clinics can’t easily absorb. The spread between jobs and workers explains frequent hiring pushes for nurses, techs, and primary-care clinicians.
Patients can reduce friction by using same-day clinics for minor care and checking health-system apps for cancellations. Building local pipelines, like community-college pathways and expanded residencies remains the most reliable long-term fix.
Methodology
Base figures (workers per 1,000 people and total healthcare jobs per 1,000 people) come from the Ubie Health study. We rounded each to the nearest whole number, then calculated the shortfall as jobs minus workers. Background context on national shortages references AAMC physician workforce projections, federal HPSA shortage designations (HRSA), and the BLS healthcare employment outlook.
