Seven hundred and twenty rural hospitals across the U.S. — representing about one-third of all rural facilities nationwide — are at risk of closing due to severe financial problems, according to the Center for Healthcare Quality and Payment Reform’s most recent analysis.
The data, current as of May 2026, includes 294 hospitals that are at immediate risk of closure over the next two to three years due to the severity of their financial situation, according to the report. Facilities with the greatest risk of closure have more debt than assets or lack enough financial reserves to offset losses on patient services for more than a few years.
Rural hospitals are at risk of closing in almost every state, according to the report. In the majority of states, more than 25% of rural hospitals are at risk. In 10 states, 50% or more are at risk.
The number of hospitals at risk of closure represents a slight decrease from CHQPR’s January analysis, which found 734 hospitals were at risk of closure, including 309 that were at immediate risk. Since that report, three hospitals have closed and eight have converted to rural emergency hospitals. CHQPR does not assess converted rural emergency hospitals for closure risk until cost report data is available under their new designation.
The following state-by-state breakdown shows rural hospitals facing closure risk within six to seven years and those at immediate risk of shutting down in the next two to three years, per CHQPR’s May 2026 data:
Alabama
25 hospitals at risk of closing (54%)
19 at immediate risk of closing in the next two to three years (41%)
Alaska
2 hospitals at risk of closing (12%)
1 at immediate risk of closing (6%)
Arizona
4 hospitals at risk of closing (15%)
0 at immediate risk of closing (0%)
Arkansas
31 hospitals at risk of closing (66%)
12 at immediate risk of closing (26%)
California
16 hospitals at risk of closing (27%)
5 at immediate risk of closing (8%)
Colorado
10 hospitals at risk of closing (23%)
2 at immediate risk of closing (5%)
Connecticut
3 hospitals at risk of closing (75%)
2 at immediate risk of closing (50%)
Delaware
0 hospitals at risk of closing (0%)
0 at immediate risk of closing (0%)
Florida
8 hospitals at risk of closing (36%)
3 at immediate risk of closing (14%)
Georgia 23 hospitals at risk of closing
(32%)
12 at immediate risk of closing (16%)
Hawaii
8 hospitals at risk of closing (62%)
0 at immediate risk of closing (0%)
Idaho
8 hospitals at risk of closing (30%)
1 at immediate risk of closing (4%)
Illinois
17 hospitals at risk of closing (22%)
8 at immediate risk of closing (10%)
Indiana
9 hospitals at risk of closing (16%)
8 at immediate risk of closing (15%)
Iowa
8 hospitals at risk of closing (9%)
2 at immediate risk of closing (2%)
Kansas
69 hospitals at risk of closing (69%)
28 at immediate risk of closing (28%)
Kentucky
14 hospitals at risk of closing (20%)
2 at immediate risk of closing (3%)
Louisiana
26 hospitals at risk of closing (46%)
11 at immediate risk of closing (20%)
Maine
10 hospitals at risk of closing (42%)
3 at immediate risk of closing (12%)
Maryland
0 hospitals at risk of closing (0%)
0 at immediate risk of closing (0%)
Massachusetts
1 hospital at risk of closing (14%)
0 at immediate risk of closing (0%)
Michigan
10 hospitals at risk of closing (15%)
3 at immediate risk of closing (5%)
Minnesota
18 hospitals at risk of closing (19%)
4 at immediate risk of closing (4%)
Mississippi
34 hospitals at risk of closing (51%)
25 at immediate risk of closing (37%)
Missouri
28 hospitals at risk of closing (49%)
11 at immediate risk of closing (19%)
Montana
15 hospitals at risk of closing (29%)
3 at immediate risk of closing (6%)
Nebraska
5 hospitals at risk of closing (7%)
2 at immediate risk of closing (3%)
Nevada
4 hospitals at risk of closing (31%)
1 at immediate risk of closing (8%)
New Hampshire
5 hospitals at risk of closing (28%)
1 at immediate risk of closing (6%)
New Jersey
0 hospitals at risk of closing (0%)
0 at immediate risk of closing (0%)
New Mexico
7 hospitals at risk of closing (26%)
2 at immediate risk of closing (7%)
New York
24 hospitals at risk of closing (47%)
15 at immediate risk of closing (29%)
North Carolina
8 hospitals at risk of closing (14%)
5 at immediate risk of closing (9%)
North Dakota
14 hospitals at risk of closing (38%)
3 at immediate risk of closing (8%)
Ohio
7 hospitals at risk of closing (9%)
3 at immediate risk of closing (4%)
Oklahoma
45 hospitals at risk of closing (62%)
18 at immediate risk of closing (25%)
Oregon
7 hospitals at risk of closing (21%)
3 at immediate risk of closing (9%)
Pennsylvania
17 hospitals at risk of closing (33%)
9 at immediate risk of closing (17%)
Rhode Island
1 hospital at risk of closing (100%)
0 at immediate risk of closing (0%)
South Carolina
7 hospitals at risk of closing (32%)
2 at immediate risk of closing (9%)
South Dakota
6 hospitals at risk of closing (12%)
3 at immediate risk of closing (6%)
Tennessee
17 hospitals at risk of closing (32%)
12 at immediate risk of closing (23%)
Texas
84 hospitals at risk of closing (55%)
26 at immediate risk of closing (17%)
Utah
0 hospitals at risk of closing (0%)
0 at immediate risk of closing (0%)
Vermont
8 hospitals at risk of closing (62%)
0 at immediate risk of closing (0%)
Virginia
7 hospitals at risk of closing (21%)
3 at immediate risk of closing (9%)
Washington
18 hospitals at risk of closing (41%)
6 at immediate risk of closing (14%)
West Virginia
12 hospitals at risk of closing (35%)
6 at immediate risk of closing (18%)
Wisconsin
14 hospitals at risk of closing (17%)
6 at immediate risk of closing (7%)
Wyoming
6 hospitals at risk of closing (22%)
3 at immediate risk of closing (11%)
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