Young Adults Rely on Urgent Care as Their De Facto Access Point

Published on April 15, 2026

Recent data from the National Health Interview Survey shows 90.3% of U.S. adults report having a usual source of care. Most rely on traditional sites, and 77.5% use a physician’s office or health center. Of note, 8.6% identify urgent care or retail clinics as their go-to healthcare setting, with similar rates among men and women. That means as many as 22 million U.S. adults may be using urgent care as their usual source of care. Urgent care use is more common among younger adults, with 12.2% of those aged 18–34 relying on it, compared with just 3.8% of those aged 65 and older. Emergency departments remain a usual source for 1.7% of adults, according to the data brief. 

Brand of choice: For urgent care operators, the findings suggest urgent care is the de facto access point for younger adult patients who experience episodic demand. Establishing a relationship with them for episodic visits can lead to brand loyalty as they age and use more health services.