by Urgent care is becoming one of the most important access points in the U.S. healthcare system. Patients want care that is faster than a traditional primary-care appointment, less expensive than an emergency department visit, and available when they actually need it.
That demand is creating opportunities for urgent care operators that can combine physical locations with digital scheduling, telehealth, diagnostics, and strong healthcare-system partnerships.
According to Towards Healthcare, the U.S. urgent care centers market was valued at USD 47.8 billion in 2025 and is expected to reach USD 51.1 billion in 2026, before growing to approximately USD 93.15 billion by 2035 at a 6.9% CAGR from 2026 to 2035.
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So, which companies are positioned as the fastest-growing players in 2026?
Fast-Growing Urgent Care Companies to Watch
Towards Healthcare identifies Concentra, American Family Care (AFC), FastMed Urgent Care, CityMD, CareNow, GoHealth Urgent Care, and NextCare Urgent Care among the leading companies in the U.S. urgent care landscape.
However, growth is not only about the number of clinics. Companies are increasingly expanding through health-system partnerships, acquisitions, hybrid care, telehealth, diagnostics, and technology-enabled patient journeys.
1. Concentra
Concentra is one of the largest names in U.S. urgent and occupational care and is particularly notable for its scale.
Towards Healthcare lists Concentra as a Tier 1 company in the U.S. urgent care centers market, with urgent care, occupational health, physical therapy, physical examinations, and injury-care services.
Its growth story in 2026 is also supported by continued network development and expansion of its broader healthcare platform.
2. American Family Care
American Family Care (AFC) is another major company to watch.
Towards Healthcare describes AFC as one of the largest independently operated urgent care chains in the U.S., with services spanning urgent care, primary care, telemedicine, laboratory testing, and vaccinations.
Its combination of physical locations and digital services positions it well as patients increasingly look for convenient same-day care.
3. GoHealth Urgent Care
GoHealth is particularly interesting because its expansion model relies heavily on partnerships with health systems.
Towards Healthcare identifies GoHealth as a Tier 1 player and highlights its hospital-partnership model, virtual urgent care, and diagnostic capabilities.
A notable recent development was the UPMC and GoHealth partnership, which launched 81 rebranded urgent care centers across Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Towards Healthcare reported this as a major expansion of convenient, on-demand care.
This partnership-driven model could be an important growth strategy for urgent care companies because it combines the consumer experience of urgent care with the clinical infrastructure of established health systems.
4. FastMed Urgent Care
FastMed is another company positioned strongly in the U.S. urgent care landscape.
Towards Healthcare lists FastMed among the leading companies and highlights its urgent care, telehealth, occupational medicine, and preventive healthcare services.
Its presence is particularly strong across the Southeastern U.S., giving it an important regional growth platform.
5. CityMD
CityMD remains a major Northeast urgent care operator.
Towards Healthcare identifies CityMD as a Tier 1 company, with services including walk-in urgent care, diagnostic imaging, laboratory services, and virtual care.
The combination of physical centers, diagnostics, and virtual access reflects where the broader urgent care model is heading.
6. CareNow
CareNow is another national operator worth watching in 2026.
Towards Healthcare identifies CareNow as an HCA Healthcare-backed national urgent care network, providing urgent care, injury treatment, occupational health, and diagnostic testing.
Its connection with a major hospital network gives it opportunities to integrate urgent care with broader healthcare services.
7. NextCare Urgent Care
NextCare has developed a significant multi-state footprint and is listed by Towards Healthcare as a Tier 2 company.
Its services include urgent care, telemedicine, pediatric care, laboratory services, and imaging.
This broad service mix helps NextCare compete in a market where patients increasingly expect more than a basic walk-in clinic.
What Makes a Company “Fast-Growing” in 2026?
There is an important distinction between the largest urgent care company and the fastest-growing company.
A large operator may have hundreds of locations but grow slowly, while a smaller company may add locations rapidly from a lower base.
Towards Healthcare identifies several areas driving growth across the sector:
- Network expansion
- Telehealth integration
- Digital health adoption
- Advanced diagnostics
- AI-powered patient triage
- Healthcare-system partnerships
- Hybrid urgent care models
- Community-based care expansion
Therefore, the companies best positioned for growth are those that can scale both physical access and digital healthcare delivery.
The Numbers Behind U.S. Urgent Care Growth
The market data gives a clearer picture of the opportunity.
According to Towards Healthcare:
| Metric | Data |
|---|---|
| U.S. urgent care market, 2025 | USD 47.8 billion |
| U.S. urgent care market, 2026 | USD 51.1 billion |
| Projected 2035 market | USD 93.15 billion |
| CAGR, 2026–2035 | 6.9% |
| Hospital-owned share, 2025 | 38% |
| Corporate-owned share, 2025 | 34% |
| Physician-owned share, 2025 | 20% |
| Joint-venture share, 2025 | 8% |
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One of the most interesting findings is that corporate-owned urgent care centers held 34% of the market in 2025 and are expected to grow at the fastest CAGR of 8.2% during the forecast period.
That makes corporate operators particularly important to watch in 2026 and beyond.
Telehealth Could Be the Fastest-Growing Service Opportunity
Urgent care is no longer limited to a physical clinic.
Towards Healthcare estimates that telehealth services represented 6% of the U.S. urgent care market in 2025 but are expected to grow at the fastest CAGR of 11.5% during the forecast period.
This is a significant signal for providers.
Patients increasingly want to:
Book online → complete virtual triage → visit a center if necessary → receive diagnostics → obtain follow-up care digitally.
Companies that can connect these steps into one patient journey may have an advantage over providers that rely exclusively on walk-in visits.
Hybrid Urgent Care Is Another Growth Area
The facility model is changing as well.
Standalone urgent care centers held the largest share at 55% in 2025, while hybrid urgent care centers represented 17%. However, Towards Healthcare expects the hybrid segment to grow at the fastest CAGR of 9.4%.
Hybrid models combine in-person care with virtual services, giving patients more flexibility.
For providers, this can also create opportunities to expand geographic reach without opening a traditional clinic for every patient interaction.
Why Patients Are Choosing Urgent Care
The growth is ultimately being driven by patient behavior.
Urgent care fills the space between primary care and emergency departments.
Patients often choose urgent care because they want:
- Same-day treatment
- Extended hours
- Walk-in access
- Lower-cost care than emergency departments
- On-site diagnostic testing
- Convenient locations
- Virtual-care options
- Faster treatment for minor injuries and acute illnesses
Towards Healthcare reports that acute illness treatment accounted for 34% of the U.S. urgent care market in 2025, followed by injury care at 24% and diagnostic services at 16%.
This demonstrates that urgent care is increasingly becoming a mainstream destination for routine acute healthcare needs.
Who Is Likely to Lead the Next Phase?
The next phase of urgent care growth may not simply belong to the company with the most clinics.
The stronger competitive advantage could come from companies that successfully combine:
Physical locations + digital care + diagnostics + AI + health-system partnerships + efficient operations
Towards Healthcare specifically highlights AI-powered patient triage, predictive analytics, virtual health assistants, automated administrative workflows, and digital health tools as technologies influencing the future of urgent care.
This could make technology and operational efficiency just as important as geographic expansion.
Payal Rabde, Healthcare Expert – offering strategic insights into emerging healthcare developments.
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