Mapping
Healthcare Desertss: Over 80% of the Country Still Lacks Adequate Access to Healthcare
� Amanda Nguyen, PhD
� August 13, 2025
�
GoodRx More than 80 % of
U. S. counties— home to over 120 million Americans— still lack proper access to healthcare services, according to new data from GoodRx Research.
In 2021, we published our first comprehensive report on the state of
“ healthcare deserts” in the U. S. We identified areas that lack adequate infrastructure to ensure a healthy community
, including access to pharmacies, primary care, hospitals, emergency services, and low-cost community health centers.
In 2025, access to critical healthcare services is still out of reach for millions of
Americans. Since 2021, more than 1, 300 pharmacies have closed, increasing the number of peoplee living in pharmacy deserts. Supply of primary care professionalss continues to lag behind demand, amidst federal funding withdrawals for shortage areas. And with the shifting policy landscape, hospitals and federally funded health centers remain at risk of closure.
Below, GoodRx Research dives into how healthcare infrastructure 一 or lack thereof 一 continues to shape access to healthcare.