A new national study is putting a spotlight on a growing healthcare crisis—and placing Wyoming at the center of it.

More than 80% of counties across the United States lack adequate access to healthcare, according to recent data, with so-called “healthcare deserts” continuing to expand since 2021. In fact, nearly 1 in 3 Americans may now be affected by limited access to hospitals, clinics, or providers.

To address the issue, the federal government launched the Rural Health Transformation Program—a $50 billion effort aimed at improving care in rural communities. But some analysts are saying the investment may not be enough to offset broader cuts and system challenges, meaning access gaps could continue to grow.

Now, a new study from healthcare staffing platform Nursa breaks down where those gaps are most severe—and Wyoming ranks at the top.

Wyoming leads the nation in healthcare deserts

According to the study, 31.76% of Wyoming residents—about 186,000 people—live in healthcare deserts, the highest percentage of any state in the country.

Distance plays a major role. On average, Wyoming residents must travel more than 26 miles to reach the nearest healthcare facility, the second-longest distance nationwide. For more than a third of residents, that trip stretches beyond 30 miles.

The state also faces a shortage of providers. Wyoming has just over 220 doctors per 100,000 residents—one of the lowest rates in the U.S.—and ranks near the bottom in several key specialties, including pediatricians and cardiologists.

There are some bright spots. Wyoming has the highest number of nurses per capita in the country and sits near the middle nationally for hospital beds. But experts say staffing alone doesn’t solve the broader access problem.

Rural states dominate the rankings

Wyoming is not alone. Rural states make up the bulk of the top 10:

North Dakota ranks second, with nearly 29% of residents in healthcare deserts

South Dakota follows at just over 20%

Alaska and Idaho round out the top five.

In Alaska, distance is an even bigger barrier, with residents traveling an average of nearly 34 miles to reach care—the longest in the nation.

A stark contrast nationwide

At the other end of the spectrum, eight states—including New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Maryland—report zero residents living in healthcare deserts.

In those states, access is dramatically different. Patients typically live just 2 to 5 miles from the nearest facility, and provider availability is significantly higher. Massachusetts, for example, has the highest number of doctors per capita in the country.

Strain on patients—and providers

Healthcare workers say the numbers reflect a deeper, on-the-ground reality.

Registered nurse Miranda Belcher described working in understaffed hospital units where just two nurses were responsible for entire floors, often caring for patients with needs beyond their training.

“It was hard to give patients the attention they needed or deserved,” she said, noting frequent staff shortages, limited supplies, and cases where critically ill patients were not transferred to larger facilities.

Belcher says additional staffing and expanded telehealth services could help ease the burden, particularly in rural areas where resources are stretched thin.

While federal funding is beginning to flow, the data suggests that for states like Wyoming, closing the gap may take far more time—and resources—than initially expected.

ROCK SPRINGS — Residents are being urged to be mindful of elevated fire conditions developing across Wyoming.

The Bureau of Land Management issued a statement Tuesday that despite cooler overnight temperatures, live fuel moisture is at seasonal lows and areas without snow cover are susceptible to ignition and rapid fire spread.  The BLM says weather forecasts suggest a combination of strong wind, higher than average temperatures and low relative humidity – which can result in wildfires. 

“Even though it may not feel like peak fire season yet, the current conditions create a real potential for wildfires to start and spread quickly,” Mark Randall, the fire management officer for the BLM’s High Desert District said. “A single spark in the wrong place can have significant impacts.”

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A Red Flag Warning took effect Wednesday at noon and will expire at 9 p.m. Saturday and impacts Sweetwater, Uinta, Lincoln and Sublette Counties.

Similar conditions resulting in a massive fire burning in western Nebraska resulted in the Sublette County Unified Fire volunteer firefighters being dispatched across state lines. The group left to help battle the Morrill Fire March 14, a fire that has burned more than 700,000 acres and is the largest in state history. The service’s Battalion 1 joined other Wyoming fire crews from Campbell, Teton and Crook Counties in assisting Nebraska with the fire. 

“We try to help our neighbors when they need it most,” Sublette County Unified Fire Chief Shad Cooper said. 

The group was assigned to a structure protection group assigned with protecting homes and property from fire. According to the SCUF, the area is experiencing significant drought, with fire fuels cured and receptive to fire.