Health Center Facts

In 2021, Community Health Centers will serve as the primary care medical home for nearly 30 million people – including 400,000 veterans —  in over 14,000 communities across America.

Nearly half (45 percent) of health centers are located in rural communities, where people may have to drive long distances for a hospital or doctor visit.

Health centers generate $54.6 billion in economic activity for their local communities each year and employ over 236,000 people of all skills and education levels, including our nation’s veterans.

Health centers work with emergency responders on the ground when public health is at risk, no matter the disaster — hurricanes, fire and COVID-19.  They are also addressing “man-made” disasters, such as the national opioid use epidemic, which caused 47,600 overdose deaths in 2017.

Health centers are a unique model run by patient-majority governing boards who navigate how the centers target chronic disease and safeguard resources.  At least 51 percent of every health centers board must be comprised of patients.

Learn more about health centers:

• View our infographic: America’s Health Centers: A Snapshot (2021)
• Visit the Community Health Center Chartbook, our annually updated publication that uses graphics and charts to describe who health centers serve, how health centers meet their communities’ needs, health center growth and remaining challenges, and how health centers make an impact.