ER wait times in Vermont among longest in nation, report says

Vermont has the ninth-longest average emergency room wait time in the U.S., according to Becker’s Hospital Review, a healthcare news publication based in Chicago.

Patients in the Green Mountain state spend an average of 185 minutes, or three hours and five minutes, waiting in ERs, according to the collected data.

The average wait times were calculated from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services “Timely and Effective Care” dataset, which compiled figures from hospitals in 2024 and published the findings in November 2025.

Nationwide, the average median time patients spent waiting in emergency rooms in 2024 was 161 minutes, or two hours and 41 minutes, the publication said.

Here’s how Vermont compares to other states.

States with the longest average ER wait times

These are the states (and districts) with the longest average emergency room wait times, including ties, according to Becker’s Hospital Review:

1. Washington, D.C. – 301 minutes (5 hours and 1 minute)
2. Maryland – 246 minutes (4 hours and 6 minutes)
3. Massachusetts – Tied for 3rd place at 220 minutes (3 hours and 40 minutes)
4. Rhode Island – Tied for 3rd place at 220 minutes (3 hours and 40 minutes)
5. Delaware – 216 minutes (3 hours and 36 minutes)
6. Connecticut – 196 minutes (3 hours and 16 minutes)
7. New York – 192 minutes (3 hours and 12 minutes)
8. North Carolina – 190 minutes (3 hours and 10 minutes)
9. Vermont – 185 minutes (3 hours and 5 minutes)
10. New Jersey – 183 minutes (3 hours and 3 minutes)
11. Pennsylvania – 182 minutes (3 hours and 2 minutes)

How New England states rank for ER wait times

Here are the six New England states ranked by longest to shortest average ER wait times, including ties, according to Becker’s Hospital Review:

1. Massachusetts: Tied with Rhode Island for 3rd longest overall – 220 minutes (3 hours and 40 minutes)
2. Rhode Island: Tied with Massachusetts for 3rd longest overall – 220 minutes (3 hours and 40 minutes)
3. Connecticut: 6th longest overall – 196 minutes (3 hours and 16 minutes)
4. Vermont: 9th longest overall – 185 minutes (3 hours and 5 minutes)
5. Maine: 21st longest overall – 158 minutes (2 hours and 38 minutes)
6. New Hampshire: Tied with Wyoming, Colorado, and Arkansas for 36th longest overall – 133 minutes (2 hours and 13 minutes)

States with the shortest average ER wait times

The states with the shortest average emergency room wait times are North Dakota, at 110 minutes (1 hour and 50 minutes), Nebraska, at 112 minutes (1 hour and 52 minutes), and Hawaii, at 113 minutes (1 hour and 53 minutes), according to Becker’s Hospital Review.