The number of physicians across the United States reveals considerable variations, with California in the lead at around ** active doctors as of January 2026. Meanwhile, Wyoming has just doctors.
Primary care and specialist distribution
California also leads in both primary care physicians and specialists, accounting for over ** percent of each category nationally. This concentration of medical expertise in California reflects broader trends, with New York and Texas following as the states with the highest numbers of active primary care physicians. The distribution of specialists also mirrors national patterns, with psychiatry, surgery, and anaesthesiology among the most common specialties.
Physician burnout
While the number of physicians continues to grow, physician burnout remains a seerious issue. There are large variations in rates of burnout depending on a physician's gender and specialty. For example, burnout is disproportionally high among women, affecting ** percent of female physicians and ** percent of male physicians. Meanwhile, emergency medicine physicians reported the highest levels of burnout among specialists, highlighting the need for targeted interventions to support the individual needs of doctors depending on their different circumstances.
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KFF. (April 20, 2026). Total number of active physicians in the U.S., as of January 2026, by state [Graph]. In ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ. Retrieved July 15, 2026, from /statistics/186269/total-active-physicians-in-the-us/
KFF. "Total number of active physicians in the U.S., as of January 2026, by state." Chart. April 20, 2026. ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ. Accessed July 15, 2026. /statistics/186269/total-active-physicians-in-the-us/
KFF. (2026). Total number of active physicians in the U.S., as of January 2026, by state. ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ. ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ Inc.. Accessed: July 15, 2026. /statistics/186269/total-active-physicians-in-the-us/
KFF. "Total Number of Active Physicians in The U.S., as of January 2026, by State." ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ, ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ Inc., 20 Apr 2026, /statistics/186269/total-active-physicians-in-the-us/
KFF, Total number of active physicians in the U.S., as of January 2026, by state ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ, /statistics/186269/total-active-physicians-in-the-us/ (last visited July 15, 2026)
Total number of active physicians in the U.S., as of January 2026, by state [Graph], KFF, April 20, 2026. [Online]. Available: /statistics/186269/total-active-physicians-in-the-us/
