How many doctors are in the regions of Russia: coverage per 10,000 residents according to 2024 data
On average across Russia in 2024, there were 51.3 doctors per 10,000 residents. But the difference between regions is almost threefold: in Saint Petersburg 88.7, in Kurgan Oblast only 31.8. Better than the national average are 38 regions, worse are 46. Rosstat data for 2018‑2024 are below, with charts by federal districts, leaders, laggards and an explanation of why the figures for Moscow slipped in the last year.
We have already examined the overall dynamics of the number of doctors in the country in a separate article. Here we look only at the regions, and we consider not the absolute number of doctors but doctors per 10 thousand people: otherwise comparing Moscow with Chukotka is meaningless.
Doctors by federal districts
Let's start with the large territories. Data for 2024, doctors per 10,000 population:
| District | 2018 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| North-Western | 58.8 | 63.6 |
| Far Eastern | 53.9 | 55.6 |
| Central | 46.7 | 53.5 |
| Siberian | 49.2 | 51.3 |
| Ural | 45.6 | 49.1 |
| Volga | 46.3 | 48.9 |
| Southern | 43.0 | 44.8 |
| North Caucasian | 42.1 | 42.9 |
| Russia | 47.6 | 51.3 |
The North-West leads by a large margin, and Saint Petersburg plays a noticeable role: it has almost twice as many doctors as the neighboring Leningrad Oblast. The fastest growth is seen in the Central district: plus 6.8 doctors per 10 thousand over six years, from 46.7 to 53.5. Growth is primarily driven by Moscow, but in 2024 there was a pullback here as well: a year earlier it was 55.9.
The South and North Caucasus stay at the bottom of the table all seven years. In the North Caucasian district the increase over six years is less than one doctor per 10 thousand residents.
Where there are the most doctors
Top ten in terms of provision in 2024:
- Saint Petersburg: 88.7
- Chukotka Autonomous Okrug: 73.5
- Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug: 72.6
- Sakhalin Oblast: 71.7
- North Ossetia‑Alania: 70.1
- Moscow: 69.1
- Tomsk Oblast: 64.8
- Arkhangelsk Oblast without district: 61.5
- Tyumen Oblast without districts: 61.4
- Kamchatka Krai: 61.3
The list includes three types of territories. The first: two megacities where large clinics are concentrated. The second: northern and Far Eastern regions with small populations and large distances. The third: university centers such as Tomsk (64.8).
North Ossetia stands out separately: 70.1 per 10,000 residents while neighboring North Caucasus regions have 33‑52. This is the most noticeable outlier on the map.
Note the growth over 2018‑2024. The fastest increases were in Yamalo‑Nenets Okrug (from 58.4 to 72.6, plus 14.2) and Sakhalin Oblast (from 59.7 to 71.7, plus 12.0). Moscow added 11.8: from 57.3 to 69.1.
Where doctors are the fewest
Ten regions with the lowest provision in 2024:
- Kurgan Oblast: 31.8
- Chechen Republic: 33.0
- Pskov Oblast: 33.6
- Vologda Oblast: 36.4
- Leningrad Oblast: 36.5
- Jewish Autonomous Oblast: 36.9
- Rostov Oblast: 37.4
- Mari El: 37.7
- Adygea: 37.7
- Dagestan: 38.5
The gap between the first and last place in 2024 was 2.8 times: 88.7 versus 31.8. At the same time, the chart shows that the situation in the laggards is not catastrophically worsening, but rather stagnant. Kurgan Oblast has increased from 30.6 in 2018 to 31.8, i.e., a little more than one doctor per 10,000 residents. The Chechen Republic grew more noticeably, from 29.3 to 33.0, but still remained second from the bottom.
There are also regions where the indicator fell. The sharpest decline was in Chukotka (from 78.0 to 73.5, minus 4.5), although it still ranks among the top three. Then Kalmykia (from 51.9 to 48.1), Magadan Oblast (from 64.4 to 61.2), Khakassia (from 41.8 to 39.0) and Astrakhan Oblast (from 62.6 to 59.9).
An example of how a small population changes the picture: in 2024, Chukotka employed 351 doctors. For a northern region with a huge territory this is few, but per 10,000 residents it amounts to 73.5.
Moscow and St. Petersburg versus their surrounding regions
The most vivid contrast in the data: federal cities and the oblasts around them.
- Moscow: 69.1, Moscow Oblast: 42.0.
- St. Petersburg: 88.7, Leningrad Oblast: 36.5.
Leningrad Oblast did not grow at all over six years: 37.1 in 2018 and 36.5 in 2024. Moscow Oblast added more, from 35.3 to 42.0, but still remains below the Russian average of 51.3. A possible explanation: part of the oblast residents receive treatment in the clinics of the two capitals, and per capita these doctors are counted only for the city’s residents. This does not follow directly from the table, but the adjustment is worth keeping in mind when reading any ranking.
Why the indicator fell in 2024
Across Russia, the number of doctors per 10,000 residents decreased from 51.9 in 2023 to 51.3 in 2024. The biggest drop was in Moscow: from 75.3 to 69.1. In absolute numbers that is 98,955 doctors in 2023 and 91,760 in 2024, a decline of 7.3%. In St. Petersburg the decline is milder: from 91.4 to 88.7.
Rosstat does not give reasons in these tables, so we will not guess. We can only say what the data show: growth in 2024 continues in 47 regions, while Moscow and the Central district pull the overall figure down. You can check this on the Moscow page, where the series for all years is placed next to the nationwide data.
What to do with these numbers
The "doctors per 10,000" indicator is convenient for comparison, but it does not equal accessibility of care. It does not distinguish specialties: a polyclinic may lack therapists even though the total number of doctors is high. It does not account for distances, which matter a lot in Yakutia or Chukotka, where they are as important as the average figure. It also does not show workload: there may be many doctors, yet queues can still be long.
If you are choosing where to live, do not rely on this indicator alone. It is useful to also consider life expectancy and infant mortality: each has its own trends for every region.
Frequently asked questions
Which region has the most doctors per capita? St. Petersburg: 88.7 doctors per 10,000 residents in 2024. Second place is Chukotka (73.5), third is the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug (72.6).
And which has the fewest? Kurgan Oblast: 31.8. Followed by Chechnya (33.0) and Pskov Oblast (33.6).
What is the average number of doctors per 10,000 residents in Russia? 51.3 in 2024. A year ago it was 51.9, in 2018 it was 47.6.
Where are the most doctors in absolute numbers? Moscow: 91,760 doctors in 2024. A ranking of regions by the number of doctors, not by per‑capita availability, is available on a separate page.
Why are there fewer doctors in the Moscow region than in Moscow city? Probably because large clinics are concentrated in the capital, and residents of the region share the remaining doctors among themselves. This does not follow directly from the table. In 2024 the Moscow region had 42.0 doctors per 10,000, while Moscow city had 69.1.
Brief
- In 2024, the average across Russia was 51.3 doctors per 10,000 residents, slightly less than the year before (51.9).
- Leader: Saint Petersburg (88.7), laggard: Kurgan region (31.8), gap 2.8 times.
- Above average in 38 regions, below in 46.
- Since 2018, the fastest increases were in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug (+14.2) and Sakhalin (+12.0), while Chukotka, Kalmykia and Magadan region fell.
- In 2024 Moscow slipped: from 75.3 to 69.1.
Source: Rosstat, indicator “Number of medical workers (doctors) per 10,000 population” from the national set of Sustainable Development Goals indicators.