facebook tracking 431 Hospitals in California: ER Wait Times & Ratings by City

431 hospitals in California

As of the July 2026 CMS release, California has 431 open hospitals in 247 cities, 351 of them with an emergency department. The median emergency room visit lasts 2 hr 54 min, 26 min longer than the US median of 2 hr 28 min. 122 of the 292 hospitals Medicare rates hold 4 or 5 stars (31 with 5), and the state average is 3.1 stars.

431 hospitals282 cities351 with an ER
Hospitals 431 in 282 California cities
With an ER 351 81% of hospitals
Median ER visit 2 hr 54 min +26 min vs US
4–5 star hospitals 122 of 292 rated · avg 3.1★

California has 431 open hospitals across 282 cities. By type: 296 acute care hospitals, 41 psychiatric hospitals, 38 critical access hospitals, 10 children's hospitals, 8 VA acute care hospitals, 5 long-term care hospitals, 5 military acute care hospitals and 3 rehabilitation hospitals (type not recorded for 25).

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California's largest hospital cities

Los Angeles 28 hospitals · 22 with an ER
Median ER
3 hr 54 min
Top rated
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center (5★)
San Francisco 15 hospitals · 12 with an ER
Median ER
2 hr 46 min
Top rated
San Francisco VA Medical Center (4★)
San Diego 13 hospitals · 7 with an ER
Median ER
3 hr 17 min
Top rated
University of California San Diego Medical Center (5★)
Sacramento 12 hospitals · 7 with an ER
Median ER
3 hr 8 min
Top rated
Sutter General Hospital (4★)
Long Beach 8 hospitals · 5 with an ER
Median ER
4 hr 44 min
Top rated
St Mary Medical Center (5★)
Bakersfield 7 hospitals · 5 with an ER
Median ER
4 hr 14 min
Top rated
Mercy Hospital (3★)

Top-rated hospitals and shortest ER visits

Highest Medicare star ratings
Shortest median ER visits

See every California ER ranked by wait · See every California hospital ranked by stars · by patient rating · by infections and safety

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All California cities with hospitals

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People and health care in California

From the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (2020–2024).

Population
39,287,377
Median age 37.9
Hospitals per 100,000
1.1
431 hospitals listed · #49 of 50 states
No health insurance
6.6%
below the U.S. 8.4%
Age 65 and over
15.7%
below the U.S. 17.2%
Median household income
$99,122
U.S. $80,734

What nurses earn in California

Registered Nurses · $140,270 Nurse Practitioners · $168,520 Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses · $79,750 Nursing Assistants · $47,630 All healthcare salaries in California
Hospitals per capita by state

Questions about hospitals in California

How many hospitals are in California?

There are 431 open hospitals in California across 282 cities. 351 of them have an emergency department.

Which California city has the most hospitals?

Los Angeles, with 39 hospitals. San Francisco is next with 15.

How long is the ER wait in California?

The median emergency room visit in California lasts 2 hr 54 min, 26 min longer than the US median of 2 hr 28 min. That is a 12-month median from CMS, not a live wait time.

How many California hospitals have 5 stars?

31 of the 292 California hospitals with a Medicare overall star rating have 5 stars, and 122 have 4 or 5 stars. The average rating is 3.1 out of 5.

Hospitals in neighboring states

Arizona Nevada Oregon All states

Source: hospital listings from CMS and public records; emergency room wait times (measure OP-18b) and overall star ratings from CMS Care Compare. Wait times are 12-month medians, not live. Where these figures come from.

Not affiliated with CMS. For a medical emergency, call 911.