Emergency Rooms in California

Emergency rooms in California at a glance

• With a population of 39,287,377, California has 284 emergency rooms (7.2 per 1 million people).
• Per person, that is 46% below the national rate (13 per 1 million).
• It ranks 2nd among the states by number of emergency rooms.
• The largest group is Acute Care Hospitals (79%), ahead of Critical Access Hospitals and Psychiatric Hospitals.
• 239 have a Medicare star rating, averaging 3.1 out of 5; 24 earned the top five stars.
• Los Angeles (17), San Francisco (9) and San Diego (7) have the most, 12% of the state total combined.

Frequently asked questions

How many emergency rooms are in California?

There are 284 emergency rooms in California in our data as of 10/29/2026.

Which California cities have the most emergency rooms?

Los Angeles (17), San Francisco (9), San Diego (7), Sacramento (6), Bakersfield (4).

What is the highest-rated emergency room in California?

Alta Bates Summit Medical Center in Oakland, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, French Hospital Medical Center in San Luis Obispo have a 5-star Medicare star rating, the highest available.