Interactive Report
5.8 Million Americans Can't Get to the Doctor
Not because there aren't enough doctors. Because there aren't enough rides. CartoChrome maps every transportation gap in healthcare—so the right ride reaches the right patient.
Source: National Health Interview Survey, 2017
Is Your Community a Transportation Desert?
Enter any US ZIP code to see its Transportation Vulnerability Index, vehicle access, hospital proximity, and transit availability.
The Human Cost
Maria's Story
Maria is 72. She lives in rural Mississippi. She needs dialysis three times a week. The nearest center is 38 miles away. She doesn't drive. There's no bus.
Her neighbor takes her when he can, but last month she missed two sessions. Her kidneys are failing faster.
The data says her ZIP code has a Transportation Vulnerability Index of 0.89—in the top 5% most vulnerable in America.
Maria isn't a statistic. She's your grandmother.
5.8M
Americans delayed care due to no transportation
Source: National Health Interview Survey, 2017
100M+
Americans lack adequate primary care access
Source: HRSA Bureau of Health Workforce, 2024
130+
Rural hospitals closed since 2010
Source: Chartis Center for Rural Health / UNC Sheps Center
$150B+
Annual cost of missed care
EST.Source: Health economics estimates (aggregated)
Top 10 Most Transportation-Vulnerable Metro Areas
Ranked by the CartoChrome Transportation Vulnerability Index. Click any row to expand and see the full breakdown.
| # | Metro Area | TVI Score | Zero-Vehicle HH | HPSA Coverage | Population | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | 78.4 | 14.2% | 42% | 4.3M | |
| 2 | Cleveland-Elyria, OH | 74.1 | 12.8% | 38% | 2.1M | |
| 3 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | 72.6 | 11.5% | 45% | 1.3M | |
| 4 | New Orleans-Metairie, LA | 71.3 | 13.1% | 40% | 1.3M | |
| 5 | Birmingham-Hoover, AL | 69.8 | 10.7% | 44% | 1.1M | |
| 6 | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | 68.2 | 11.9% | 35% | 1.6M | |
| 7 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | 66.7 | 12.4% | 33% | 2.8M | |
| 8 | St. Louis, MO-IL | 65.1 | 10.3% | 37% | 2.8M | |
| 9 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | 63.4 | 9.8% | 36% | 2.2M | |
| 10 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | 61.9 | 13.6% | 31% | 1.1M |
TVI = Transportation Vulnerability Index (0-100, higher = more vulnerable). Zero-Vehicle HH = percentage of households without a personal vehicle. HPSA = Health Professional Shortage Area. Sources: Census ACS 5-Year, HRSA HPSA, CMS NPPES, CDC PLACES.
The Opportunity
The $15 Billion Opportunity
Non-emergency medical transportation is the fastest-growing segment of Medicaid. The companies that own the data will own the market.
Route Optimization
CartoChrome data shows whererides are needed most. Target the 5.8 million Americans who can't get to care. Our Transportation Vulnerability Index identifies the exact ZIP codes with the highest demand for medical transportation—before your competitors do.
Medicaid Compliance
NEMT is a $7.5 billionMedicaid benefit. Our data identifies which ZIP codes have the highest transportation barriers—exactly where Medicaid NEMT contracts are most valuable. Demonstrate need with published, auditable data instead of guesswork.
Outcomes Data
Healthcare outcomes improve when patients can reach their providers. Our Transportation Vulnerability Index data proves the ROI of every ride. Show payers, regulators, and investors that your routes reduce hospitalizations and improve medication adherence.
33,000
ZIP codes scored
4M+
Provider profiles
85,000
Facility profiles
21
Federal data sources
Explore by State
Transportation vulnerability varies dramatically across states. Hover to see zero-vehicle household rates. Click to dive into state-level data.
Alabama
7.4% zero-vehicle HH
Alaska
5.1% zero-vehicle HH
Arizona
5.8% zero-vehicle HH
Arkansas
6.2% zero-vehicle HH
California
7.6% zero-vehicle HH
Colorado
4.2% zero-vehicle HH
Connecticut
8.1% zero-vehicle HH
Delaware
7.3% zero-vehicle HH
District of Columbia
36.4% zero-vehicle HH
Florida
6.1% zero-vehicle HH
Georgia
6.8% zero-vehicle HH
Hawaii
8.9% zero-vehicle HH
Idaho
3.4% zero-vehicle HH
Illinois
10.2% zero-vehicle HH
Indiana
6.5% zero-vehicle HH
Iowa
4.8% zero-vehicle HH
Kansas
4.6% zero-vehicle HH
Kentucky
6.9% zero-vehicle HH
Louisiana
8.5% zero-vehicle HH
Maine
5.2% zero-vehicle HH
Maryland
9.4% zero-vehicle HH
Massachusetts
12.1% zero-vehicle HH
Michigan
8.8% zero-vehicle HH
Minnesota
5.1% zero-vehicle HH
Mississippi
8.2% zero-vehicle HH
Missouri
6.7% zero-vehicle HH
Montana
3.8% zero-vehicle HH
Nebraska
4.3% zero-vehicle HH
Nevada
6.4% zero-vehicle HH
New Hampshire
4.1% zero-vehicle HH
New Jersey
11.3% zero-vehicle HH
New Mexico
5.6% zero-vehicle HH
New York
29.2% zero-vehicle HH
North Carolina
5.9% zero-vehicle HH
North Dakota
3.9% zero-vehicle HH
Ohio
8.2% zero-vehicle HH
Oklahoma
5.4% zero-vehicle HH
Oregon
6.8% zero-vehicle HH
Pennsylvania
11.5% zero-vehicle HH
Rhode Island
9.8% zero-vehicle HH
South Carolina
6.3% zero-vehicle HH
South Dakota
4.1% zero-vehicle HH
Tennessee
6.4% zero-vehicle HH
Texas
5.3% zero-vehicle HH
Utah
3.2% zero-vehicle HH
Vermont
5.6% zero-vehicle HH
Virginia
6.1% zero-vehicle HH
Washington
7.2% zero-vehicle HH
West Virginia
7.8% zero-vehicle HH
Wisconsin
7.4% zero-vehicle HH
Wyoming
3.6% zero-vehicle HH
Open Data for Open Impact
Researchers, journalists, and health agencies: use this data freely with attribution.
What's included
- 33,000 ZIP codes with TVI scores
- 5 sub-index components per ZIP
- Healthcare facility distance matrix
- HPSA designation status
- Census demographics (income, insurance, disability)
- Zero-vehicle household percentages
Download formats
Every Missed Appointment Is a Missed Ride
CartoChrome has the data. You have the vehicles. Together, we can close the gap for 5.8 million Americans who can't get to the care they need.