23.9 Miles: Distance, Not Doctors, Has Become the Biggest Barrier to Healthcare Access in California’s Rural Counties

Rural Californians now travel 23.9 miles for care, making distance—not doctor shortages—the biggest barrier to healthcare access.

TULARE, CA, UNITED STATES, February 12, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Across rural California, patients are facing a growing healthcare access crisis driven not only by physician shortages, but by distance. National research shows that after rural hospital closures, the median travel distance needed for general inpatient care climbed dramatically, from about 3.4 miles to nearly 24 miles, with specialized services requiring even longer trips. Longer travel times compound access challenges, particularly in areas with limited public transit or personal vehicles.

For residents across Tulare County, San Luis Obispo County, and Santa Barbara County, long travel distances increasingly determine whether patients attend routine appointments, receive behavioral health services, or access specialty care. From agricultural communities in the Central Valley to rural coastal towns along California’s Central Coast, geography has become a defining factor in healthcare access.