While much of the U.S. struggles with a growing shortage of mental health professionals, the Bay Area is standing out as a bright spot. A March report by Addiction Rep, a digital marketing agency that works with addiction treatment centers, ranked the San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward metro among the top regions in the nation for access to mental health care workers.
According to the report, the Bay Area has 74.9 mental health workers per 10,000 residents—well above the national average of 58.3. The region also reports a lower prevalence of depression at 18.5%, compared to 22% nationwide.
This strong showing places the Bay Area 13th in the country for mental health workforce density. Other California metros also performed well in the rankings, including Los Angeles (85.4) and San Diego (76.1), reflecting broader statewide trends in mental health investment and workforce development.
In contrast, cities in the southeast and parts of Texas are facing some of the most acute shortages. Fayetteville, Arkansas (27.4), Huntsville, Alabama (27.6), and Lakeland, Florida (28.6) ranked among the lowest for mental health professionals per capita. Major metros like Atlanta, Dallas and Houston also fell well below the national average.
Nationwide, mental health service gaps are projected to widen in the coming years. But metro areas like San Francisco, along with top-ranked Springfield, Massachusetts (112.5), Madison, Wisconsin (93.4) and Boston (92.3), show that investment and policy choices can make a difference.
The analysis drew on data from multiple sources, including the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the CDC, SAMHSA and the U.S. Census Bureau. Together, the findings underscore how regional differences in workforce availability can shape access to care during a time of rising demand.
