"Health care shortages affect real people — longer wait times, fewer local options, and communities without a single primary care doctor. Forty Texas counties now have no primary care physicians at all, up from 32 just five years ago. Understanding this issue helps neighbors make sense of what they're experiencing in their own lives and pushes the conversation about what needs to change."
Texas' health care and social assistance sector grew 123% over 30 years, adding more than one million jobs — yet demand still outpaces supply. State officials testified before the Texas House Committee on Public Health that only 30–50% of employer needs are being met in many regions, and as little as 25% in others. Shortages affect nurses, doctors, and entry-level workers, with nearly 294,000 additional health care workers needed statewide by 2032.
## Texas Health Care Workforce: Growth Without Enough
Texas' health care and social assistance sector has grown 123% over the past 30 years, adding more than one million jobs — yet state officials say that growth still isn't enough to meet rising demand. Workforce shortages are worsening across the state, according to testimony delivered at a **Texas House Committee on Public Health** interim hearing in early June 2026.
### Demand Outpacing Supply
Mariana Vega, director of labor market information at the Texas Workforce Commission, told the committee that health care has grown faster than all other Texas industries combined, driven largely by population expansion. Despite this, only 30–50% of health care employers' needs are being met in many regions, and as little as 25% in others. Nearly 1.4 million Texans are currently employed in health care occupations, but the sector is projected to need nearly **294,000 additional workers by 2032**.
Registered nursing (RN) positions are among the most in-demand, accounting for more than 158,000 job postings statewide. Home health and personal care aides followed, with over 43,000 postings.
### Nursing Shortage
Dr. Manda Hall of the Texas Department of State Health Services noted that Texas has the third-largest number of nurses with active licenses in the country. The number of RNs registered in Texas has increased nearly 25% over the past decade, and advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) have more than doubled. Yet projected shortages for both RNs and APRNs are expected to grow over the next decade.
Kristen Benton, executive director of the Texas Board of Nursing, cited two key barriers to training: lack of clinical space for education and a shortage of qualified faculty. Texas had approximately 220 approved nursing programs at the end of fiscal year 2025, with more under review.
### Physician Shortage
Despite a 25% increase in primary care physicians between 2016 and 2025, unmet demand is projected to rise from 36% in 2022 to 41% by 2036. The number of Texas counties without primary care physicians has grown from 32 in 2020 to 40 in 2025, reflecting deepening access challenges — particularly relevant for Houston-area communities and surrounding rural counties.
*Originally reported by Abigail Ruhman of KERA and republished by Houston Public Media on June 8, 2026.*
• Read the full article to understand how these shortages may affect your neighborhood or family's access to care.
• If you work in health care or know someone who does, share this with them — the data may reflect challenges they're already living.
• Look into local community college or university nursing programs if you're considering a health care career path.
• Pay attention to Texas legislature updates on health care workforce funding and training capacity.
• Talk to your city council member or state representative if health care access is a concern in your area.
• Check Houston Public Media for ongoing coverage of this issue as state hearings continue.
