Top 30 Competitive Markets for Orthopedics

This analysis, provided by Health Market Science and Pitney Bowes Software, was based on an evaluation of 940 U.S. markets. Small markets have less than 175,000 people, medium markets have up to 1 million and large markets exceed 1 million. Rankings are based on the physician saturation index, calculated based on the ratio of number of physicians specializing in orthopedics per 1,000 residents, and are organized by market size.

Large markets

1. Oklahoma City
Physician saturation index: 29.1
Physician count: 171
2011 population: 1,274,489
Ratio: 13.4

2. Boston – Cambridge – Quincy (Mass. and N.H.)
Physician saturation index: 26.5
Physician count: 562
2011 population: 4,601,284
Ratio: 12.2

3. Cleveland – Elyria – Mentor (Ohio)
Physician saturation index: 26.4
Physician count: 252
2011 population: 2,076,427
Ratio: 12.2

4. Birmingham – Hoover, Ala.
Physician saturation index: 26.3
Physician count: 138
2011 population: 1,138,066
Ratio: 12.1

5. Salt Lake City
Physician saturation index: 25.9
Physician count: 137
2011 population: 1,144,658
Ratio: 11.9

6. Columbus, Ohio
Physician saturation index: 25.3
Physician count: 217
2011 population: 1,861,282
Ratio: 11.7

7. Louisville – Jefferson County (Ky. and Ind.)
Physician saturation index: 25.1
Physician count: 150
2011 population: 1,294,996
Ratio: 11.6

8. Indianapolis – Carmel (Ind.)
Physician saturation index: 24.6
Physician count: 202
2011 population: 1,781,949
Ratio: 11.3

9. Baltimore – Towson (Md.)
Physician saturation index: 24.4
Physician count: 307
2011 population: 2,726,361
Ratio: 11.3

10. Providence – New Bedford – Fall River (R.I. and Mass.)
Physician saturation index: 24.3
Physician count: 179
2011 population: 1,603,729
Ratio: 11.2

Medium markets

1. Rochester, Minn.
Physician saturation index: 100
Physician count: 98
2011 population: 188,592
Ratio: 51.7

2. Ann Arbor, Mich.
Physician saturation index: 51.4
Physician count: 82
2011 population: 346,822
Ratio: 23.7

3. Charlottesville, Va.
Physician saturation index: 43.3
Physician count: 41
2011 population: 203,775
Ratio: 20

4. Lexington – Fayette, Ky.
Physician saturation index: 39.9
Physician count: 88
2011 population: 480,049
Ratio: 18.4

5. Portland – South Portland – Biddeford (Maine)
Physician saturation index: 39.5
Physician count: 94
2011 population: 515,812
Ratio: 18.2

6. Tyler, Texas
Physician saturation index: 36.9
Physician count: 36
2011 population: 213,565
Ratio: 17

7. Lubbock, Texas
Physician saturation index: 36.8
Physician count: 49
2011 population: 290,029
Ratio: 17

8. Boulder, Colo.
Physician saturation index: 35.4
Physician count: 49
2011 population: 298,258
Ratio: 16.3

9. Burlington – South Burlington, Vt.
Physician saturation index: 34.9
Physician count: 34
2011 population: 212,542
Ratio: 16.1

10. Springfield, Ill.
Physician saturation index: 34.6
Physician count: 34
2011 population: 211,318
Ratio: 15.9

Small markets

1. Bloomsburg – Berwick (Pa.)
Physician saturation index: 86.9
Physician count: 34
2011 population: 85,760
Ratio: 40.1

2. Jackson (Wyo. and Idaho)
Physician saturation index: 84.9
Physician count: 13
2011 population: 32,152
Ratio: 39.1

3. Iowa City
Physician saturation index: 84
Physician count: 60
2011 population: 155,717
Ratio: 38.7

4. Lebanon (N.H. and Vt.)
Physician saturation index: 70.3
Physician count: 57
2011 population: 174,833
Ratio: 32.4

5. Edwards, Colo.
Physician saturation index: 69.9
Physician count: 57
2011 population: 61,256
Ratio: 32.2

6. Kirksville, Mo.
Physician saturation index: 64.3
Physician count: 9
2011 population: 30,290
Ratio: 29.6

7. Gardnerville Ranchos, Nev.
Physician saturation index: 57.7
Physician count: 12
2011 population: 46,819
Ratio: 26.6

8. Columbia, Mo.
Physician saturation index: 54.8
Physician count: 44
2011 population: 175,163
Ratio: 25.3

9. Marshfield – Wisconsin Rapids (Wis.)
Physician saturation index: 54.4
Physician count: 19
2011 population: 74,900
Ratio: 25.1

10. Durango, Colo.
Physician saturation index: 48.7
Physician count: 12
2011 population: 52,273
Ratio: 22.5

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