Texas ER Wait Times Beat National Average in New Study

DALLAS (KDAF) — A recent study by Nursa reveals that Maryland has the longest emergency room wait times in the United States, averaging 4 hours and 11 minutes.

The study, conducted by the per diem healthcare staffing platform Nursa, analyzed emergency room visit data across all U.S. states to determine which states have the longest and shortest ER wait times. On average, Americans spend 2 hours and 35 minutes in the emergency department, but this varies significantly by state.

Texas ranks among the states with the shortest ER wait times, averaging 2 hours and 23 minutes, which is 7.7% lower than the national average. Despite this, Texas is ranked as the 17th worst state for health recovery according to Nursa’s previous study, The 2025 Health Recovery Index.

North Dakota residents experience the shortest ER wait times at 1 hour and 50 minutes. In contrast, West Virginia has the highest rate of ER visits per capita, with 596 visits per 1,000 people.

The study also highlights the impact of the nursing shortage on ER wait times. Staffing shortages affect the speed and quality of care in emergency rooms, contributing to longer wait times and the fact that 2.5% of Americans leave the emergency department before being seen.

Common reasons for ER visits include stomach and abdominal pain, chest pain, and shortness of breath. These conditions account for a significant portion of the visits, according to 2021 data.

All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by CW33. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat into a news article for our website. This report was edited and fact-checked by CW33 staff before being published.