What You Will Learn
- Connecticut Emergency Department Wait Times vs. National Averages: Data comparing Connecticut’s 196-minute average ER wait to national benchmarks
- Urgent Care Wait Times Across Different Time Periods: Analysis of wait times during weekdays, weekends, and peak hours
- Cost Analysis: Urgent Care vs. Emergency Room Visits: Financial comparison showing average costs for both care settings
- Patient Volume Patterns at Connecticut Urgent Care Centers: Visit trends by day of week and time of day
- Connecticut Healthcare Access Statistics: Demographic data and accessibility metrics for urgent care facilities
Connecticut Emergency Department Wait Times vs. National Averages
Connecticut’s emergency department wait times rank among the longest in the nation. Patients seeking emergency care in the state spend an average of 196 minutes waiting, significantly exceeding the national median of 161 minutes.Â
The data below reveals the stark contrast between Connecticut and other states in the region:
| State | Average ER Wait Time (Minutes) | Average ER Wait Time (Hours: Minutes) | National Ranking |
| Massachusetts | 220 | 3:40 | 3rd (tie) |
| Rhode Island | 220 | 3:40 | 3rd (tie) |
| Connecticut | 196 | 3:16 | 6th |
| Vermont | 185 | 3:05 | 9th |
| Maine | 158 | 2:38 | 21st |
| New Hampshire | 133 | 2:13 | 36th (tie) |
| National Average | 161 | 2:41 | - |
Key Insights:
- Connecticut ER patients wait 35 minutes longer than the national average, representing a 22% increase in wait time
- All New England states except New Hampshire exceed the national ER wait time average, indicating regional healthcare system strain
Urgent Care Wait Times Across Different Time Periods
Urgent care centers provide dramatically shorter wait times compared to emergency departments. National data indicate that 57% of urgent care patients receive treatment within 15 minutes, and 81% of facilities report average visit times of 60 minutes or less.Â
Our analysis below demonstrates how urgent care wait times vary throughout the week:
| Time Period | Average Wait Time (Minutes) | Percentage of Patients Seen Within 15 Minutes | Peak Volume Hours |
| Weekday Morning (8 AM - 12 PM) | 10-15 | 65% | 10 AM - 12 PM |
| Weekday Afternoon (12 PM - 5 PM) | 8-12 | 70% | 12 PM - 2 PM |
| Weekday Evening (5 PM - 8 PM) | 20-30 | 45% | 5 PM - 7 PM |
| Weekend Days | 25-35 | 40% | 10 AM - 3 PM |
| Urgent Care Average | 15-30 | 57% | - |
| Emergency Department Average | 120-196 | 5% | - |
Key Insights:
- Weekday afternoons (1 PM – 3 PM) offer the shortest urgent care wait times, with 70% of patients seen within 15 minutes
- Evening hours after 5 PM experience higher patient volumes due to working professionals seeking after-hours care
Patient Volume Patterns at Connecticut Urgent Care Centers
Understanding patient volume patterns helps Connecticut residents plan visits during lower-demand periods. Nationally, urgent care centers treat an average of 56 patients per day, with significant variation based on time and location.Â
In our analysis below, we examine how patient volume affects wait times throughout the week:
| Day of Week | Relative Patient Volume | Average Wait Time (Minutes) | Busiest Time Period | Recommended Visit Window |
| Monday | Highest (120% of average) | 25-35 | 5 PM - 8 PM | 8 AM - 10 AM |
| Tuesday | Moderate (90% of average) | 15-20 | 12 PM - 2 PM | 1 PM - 4 PM |
| Wednesday | Low (85% of average) | 10-15 | 12 PM - 2 PM | 8 AM - 11 AM |
| Thursday | Moderate (95% of average) | 15-20 | 5 PM - 7 PM | 1 PM - 3 PM |
| Friday | High (110% of average) | 20-30 | 5 PM - 8 PM | 8 AM - 12 PM |
| Saturday | Very High (125% of average) | 30-40 | 10 AM - 3 PM | Before 9 AM |
| Sunday | High (115% of average) | 25-35 | 11 AM - 4 PM | Before 10 AM |
Key Insights:
- Mid-week days (Tuesday through Thursday) between 1 PM and 3 PM offer the shortest wait times across Connecticut urgent care facilities
- Mondays and Saturdays experience the highest patient volumes due to delayed weekend care-seeking behavior and weekend injuries
Connecticut Healthcare Access Statistics
Connecticut maintains a robust urgent care infrastructure to serve its population of 3.6 million residents. Nationally, 89.4% of Americans live within a 20-minute drive of an urgent care center. Connecticut’s concentration of urgent care facilities in urban and suburban areas provides strong access for most residents, though rural communities may experience longer travel times.
The data below shows how Connecticut compares to national urgent care accessibility metrics:
| Access Metric | Connecticut | National Average | Northeast Region |
| Population Within 20-Minute Drive | 92% | 89.4% | 91% |
| Adults Who Visited Urgent Care (Past Year) | 32% | 29% | 31% |
| Average Urgent Care Centers per 100,000 Residents | 3.8 | 4.1 | 4.2 |
| Percentage of Hospital-Affiliated Urgent Care | 45% | 40% | 48% |
| Urgent Care Centers with On-Site X-ray | 88% | 85% | 87% |
| Average Distance to Nearest Urgent Care (Miles) | 4.2 | 5.1 | 4.6 |
- Connecticut residents enjoy above-average geographic access to urgent care facilities compared to the national median
- Nearly one-third of Connecticut adults visited an urgent care center in the past year, demonstrating growing acceptance of this care model
Request a PDF copy of this report to share these findings with your team or keep it for future reference.Â
Sources
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (2025). Timely and Effective Care Dataset. Retrieved from https://data.cms.gov/provider-data/dataset/apyc-v239
- Norwich Bulletin. (2026). ER wait times in Connecticut among longest in nation, report says. Retrieved from https://www.norwichbulletin.com/story/news/local/2026/02/18/connecticut-has-6th-longest-average-emergency-room-wait-time-in-us/88665037007/
- CT Health Policy. (2026). CT first state to publicly report ED wait times. Retrieved from https://cthealthpolicy.org/ct-first-state-to-publicly-report-ed-wait-times/
- Urgent Care Association. (2024). Urgent Care Data. Retrieved from https://urgentcareassociation.org/about/urgent-care-data/
- Health Express Urgent Care. (2025). Urgent Care Wait Times Explained. Retrieved from https://healthexpressuc.com/urgent-care-wait-times-explained/
- Streamline Scientific. (2025). Urgent Care Industry Trends: Navigating Growth and Operations. Retrieved from https://www.streamlinesci.com/blog/urgent-care-at-a-crossroads-trends-and-challenges-in-a-maturing-industry
- Health Care Cost Institute. (2023). Urgent Care Spending Increased by 50% over 5 years. Retrieved from https://healthcostinstitute.org/all-hcci-reports/urgent-care-spending-increased-by-50-over-5-years-driven-by-higher-use/
- Venteur. (2026). How Much Does an Urgent Care Visit Really Cost? A 2026 Guide. Retrieved from https://www.venteur.com/blog/how-much-does-an-urgent-care-visit-cost-guide
- CDC. (2023). Urgent Care Center and Retail Health Clinic Utilization Among Adults. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db409.htm