States Where It’s Easiest (and Most Difficult) to Donate Blood

Special Report

Published: January 2, 2020 4:24 pm

Last Updated: February 17, 2020 11:48 am

The United States faces a chronic blood shortage. While about 37% of the population is eligible to donate blood, only less than 10% do. The Red Cross periodically issues urgent calls for blood donors.

Every day, about 36,000 units of red blood cells are needed in the U.S., and every two seconds someone, somewhere in the country, needs blood. Around 4.5 million Americans would die every year if blood wasn’t available for life-saving transfusions.

24/7 Tempo reviewed the number of active blood donation centers registered on the Food and Drug Administration’s website in each state to identify the states where it’s easier to donate blood.

More populous states tend to have more blood donation centers — yet not necessarily enough facilities for the population. For example, California has 200 locations, the third most locations of all states, but considering the state’s largest population, it only has about five facilities per 1 million people, one of the worst concentrations. Similarly, Texas, Illinois, and New York, which are among the states with the most facilities in the country, don’t even make the top 20 of states where it’s easier to donate blood when ranked on a per capita basis.

One unit of blood is approximately 525 ml, or about 1 pint, and just 1 pint is enough to save as many as three lives. Hospitals are often in short supply of type O blood — the universal red cell donor can be given to people with all other blood types, which is why it’s used in emergencies.

Most people are eligible to donate blood, but a few restrictions apply: A person needs to weigh at least 110 pounds, be in generally good health, and be at least 16 years old in most states. Certain conditions can also disqualify potential donors. These include having had hepatitis B or C, being HIV positive, having been in Europe for a total of five years after 1980, and having traveled in the past year to places where some diseases are endemic.

Donating blood may be a good way not only to help someone else, but also to check one’s own health. All donated blood is tested for certain serious infections such as HIV and bacterial contamination. A blood test, of course, can reveal a lot more — here are 50 dangerous conditions testing your blood can detect.

Click here for the states where it’s easiest and most difficult to donate blood.

Methodology

To determine the states where it is easiest to donate blood, 24/7 Tempo reviewed the number of active blood donation centers registered on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s website in each state. Most blood centers rely heavily on mobile drives in addition to their fixed sites, so the geographic reach within their states is significantly higher. State population figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2018 estimates of the resident population.

50. Connecticut
> Facilities per million residents: 4.48
> FDA-registered active blood centers: 16
> City with most blood center locations: New Haven (2)
> Blood center with most locations American Red Cross (2) and Yale New Haven Hospital (2)
> Population: 3,572,665

See all stories featuring: Connecticut

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49. New Jersey
> Facilities per million residents: 4.71
> FDA-registered active blood centers: 42
> City with most blood center locations: New Brunswick (5)
> Blood center with most locations Bergen Community Regional Blood Center (5)
> Population: 8,908,520

See all stories featuring: New Jersey

ALSO READ: 50 Dangerous Conditions Testing Your Blood Can Help Detect

48. Vermont
> Facilities per million residents: 4.79
> FDA-registered active blood centers: 3
> City with most blood center locations: Burlington (2)
> Blood center with most locations American National Red Cross (1), University of Vermont Medical Center (1) and Veterans Admin. Medical & Regional Office Ctr. (1)
> Population: 626,299

See all stories featuring: Vermont

47. California
> Facilities per million residents: 5.06
> FDA-registered active blood centers: 200
> City with most blood center locations: Los Angeles (14)
> Blood center with most locations Vitalant (27)
> Population: 39,557,045

See all stories featuring: California

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46. New York
> Facilities per million residents: 5.12
> FDA-registered active blood centers: 100
> City with most blood center locations: New York City (16)
> Blood center with most locations New York Blood Center, Inc. (15)
> Population: 19,542,209

See all stories featuring: New York

45. Massachusetts
> Facilities per million residents: 5.22
> FDA-registered active blood centers: 36
> City with most blood center locations: Boston (7)
> Blood center with most locations American National Red Cross (7)
> Population: 6,902,149

See all stories featuring: Massachusetts

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44. Hawaii
> Facilities per million residents: 5.63
> FDA-registered active blood centers: 8
> City with most blood center locations: Honolulu (4)
> Blood center with most locations Clinical Laboratories of Hawaii (3)
> Population: 1,420,491

See all stories featuring: Hawaii

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43. Arizona
> Facilities per million residents: 5.86
> FDA-registered active blood centers: 42
> City with most blood center locations: Phoenix (7)
> Blood center with most locations CSL Plasma, Inc. (10)
> Population: 7,171,646

See all stories featuring: Arizona

42. Virginia
> Facilities per million residents: 6.10
> FDA-registered active blood centers: 52
> City with most blood center locations: Richmond (6)
> Blood center with most locations American National Red Cross (14)
> Population: 8,517,685

See all stories featuring: Virginia

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41. Oregon
> Facilities per million residents: 6.44
> FDA-registered active blood centers: 27
> City with most blood center locations: Portland (11)
> Blood center with most locations American National Red Cross (5)
> Population: 4,190,713

See all stories featuring: Oregon

40. New Hampshire
> Facilities per million residents: 6.63
> FDA-registered active blood centers: 9
> City with most blood center locations: Manchester (3)
> Blood center with most locations 8 different facilities, one location each
> Population: 1,356,458

See all stories featuring: New Hampshire

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39. Maryland
> Facilities per million residents: 6.95
> FDA-registered active blood centers: 42
> City with most blood center locations: Baltimore (12)
> Blood center with most locations American National Red Cross (7)
> Population: 6,042,718

See all stories featuring: Maryland

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38. Delaware
> Facilities per million residents: 7.24
> FDA-registered active blood centers: 7
> City with most blood center locations: Wilmington (2)
> Blood center with most locations Blood Bank of Delmarva (2) and ChristianaCare (2)
> Population: 967,171

See all stories featuring: Delaware

37. Ohio
> Facilities per million residents: 7.61
> FDA-registered active blood centers: 89
> City with most blood center locations: Columbus (13)
> Blood center with most locations CSL Plasma, Inc. (16)
> Population: 11,689,442

See all stories featuring: Ohio

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36. West Virginia
> Facilities per million residents: 7.75
> FDA-registered active blood centers: 14
> City with most blood center locations: Huntington (3)
> Blood center with most locations American National Red Cross (3)
> Population: 1,805,832

See all stories featuring: West Virginia

35. Washington
> Facilities per million residents: 7.96
> FDA-registered active blood centers: 60
> City with most blood center locations: Seattle (8)
> Blood center with most locations Bloodworks (15)
> Population: 7,535,591

See all stories featuring: Washington

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34. New Mexico
> Facilities per million residents: 8.11
> FDA-registered active blood centers: 17
> City with most blood center locations: Albuquerque (8)
> Blood center with most locations BPL Plasma, Inc. (5) and Vitalant (5)
> Population: 2,095,428

See all stories featuring: New Mexico

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33. Oklahoma
> Facilities per million residents: 8.12
> FDA-registered active blood centers: 32
> City with most blood center locations: Oklahoma City (9) and Tulsa (9)
> Blood center with most locations Oklahoma Blood Institute (9)
> Population: 3,943,079

See all stories featuring: Oklahoma

32. Kansas
> Facilities per million residents: 8.24
> FDA-registered active blood centers: 24
> City with most blood center locations: Wichita (8)
> Blood center with most locations American National Red Cross (5)
> Population: 2,911,510

See all stories featuring: Kansas

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31. Minnesota
> Facilities per million residents: 8.38
> FDA-registered active blood centers: 47
> City with most blood center locations: Minneapolis (7)
> Blood center with most locations Innovate Blood Resources (9)
> Population: 5,611,179

See all stories featuring: Minnesota

30. Colorado
> Facilities per million residents: 8.60
> FDA-registered active blood centers: 49
> City with most blood center locations: Colorado Springs (6)
> Blood center with most locations Vitalant (8)
> Population: 5,695,564

See all stories featuring: Colorado

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29. South Carolina
> Facilities per million residents: 8.65
> FDA-registered active blood centers: 44
> City with most blood center locations: Charleston (9)
> Blood center with most locations Blood Connection, Inc. (7)
> Population: 5,084,127

See all stories featuring: South Carolina

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28. Michigan
> Facilities per million residents: 8.70
> FDA-registered active blood centers: 87
> City with most blood center locations: Lansing (6) and Detroit (6)
> Blood center with most locations CSL Plasma, Inc. (18)
> Population: 9,995,915

See all stories featuring: Michigan

27. Mississippi
> Facilities per million residents: 8.71
> FDA-registered active blood centers: 26
> City with most blood center locations: Jackson (7)
> Blood center with most locations CSL Plasma, Inc. (3), Mississippi Blood Services, Inc. (3) and Vitalant (3)
> Population: 2,986,530

See all stories featuring: Mississippi

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26. Georgia
> Facilities per million residents: 9.22
> FDA-registered active blood centers: 97
> City with most blood center locations: Atlanta (12)
> Blood center with most locations American National Red Cross (10)
> Population: 10,519,475

See all stories featuring: Georgia

25. Nevada
> Facilities per million residents: 9.23
> FDA-registered active blood centers: 28
> City with most blood center locations: Las Vegas (10)
> Blood center with most locations Vitalant (6)
> Population: 3,034,392

See all stories featuring: Nevada

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24. North Carolina
> Facilities per million residents: 9.25
> FDA-registered active blood centers: 96
> City with most blood center locations: Charlotte (16)
> Blood center with most locations Biomat USA, Inc. (14)
> Population: 10,383,620

See all stories featuring: North Carolina

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23. Arkansas
> Facilities per million residents: 9.29
> FDA-registered active blood centers: 28
> City with most blood center locations: Little Rock (8)
> Blood center with most locations Arkansas Blood Institute (5)
> Population: 3,013,825

See all stories featuring: Arkansas

22. Texas
> Facilities per million residents: 9.34
> FDA-registered active blood centers: 268
> City with most blood center locations: Houston (31)
> Blood center with most locations Biomat USA, Inc. (34)
> Population: 28,701,845

See all stories featuring: Texas

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21. Kentucky
> Facilities per million residents: 9.40
> FDA-registered active blood centers: 42
> City with most blood center locations: Louisville (16)
> Blood center with most locations Kentucky Blood Center, Inc. (7)
> Population: 4,468,402

See all stories featuring: Kentucky

20. Pennsylvania
> Facilities per million residents: 9.45
> FDA-registered active blood centers: 121
> City with most blood center locations: Pittsburgh (19)
> Blood center with most locations American National Red Cross (11)
> Population: 12,807,060

See all stories featuring: Pennsylvania

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19. Rhode Island
> Facilities per million residents: 9.46
> FDA-registered active blood centers: 10
> City with most blood center locations: Providence (2) and Warwick (2)
> Blood center with most locations Rhode Island Blood Center (6)
> Population: 1,057,315

See all stories featuring: Rhode Island

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18. Illinois
> Facilities per million residents: 9.65
> FDA-registered active blood centers: 123
> City with most blood center locations: Chicago (17)
> Blood center with most locations LifeSource (18)
> Population: 12,741,080

See all stories featuring: Illinois

17. Alabama
> Facilities per million residents: 9.82
> FDA-registered active blood centers: 48
> City with most blood center locations: Birmingham (12)
> Blood center with most locations LifeSouth Community Blood Centers, Inc. (13)
> Population: 4,887,871

See all stories featuring: Alabama

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16. Missouri
> Facilities per million residents: 9.96
> FDA-registered active blood centers: 61
> City with most blood center locations: St. Louis (12)
> Blood center with most locations American National Red Cross (9)
> Population: 6,126,452

See all stories featuring: Missouri

15. Utah
> Facilities per million residents: 10.44
> FDA-registered active blood centers: 33
> City with most blood center locations: Salt Lake City (8)
> Blood center with most locations Biomat USA, Inc. (13)
> Population: 3,161,105

See all stories featuring: Utah

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14. Indiana
> Facilities per million residents: 10.61
> FDA-registered active blood centers: 71
> City with most blood center locations: Indianapolis (19)
> Blood center with most locations CSL Plasma, Inc. (12)
> Population: 6,691,878

See all stories featuring: Indiana

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13. Florida
> Facilities per million residents: 10.70
> FDA-registered active blood centers: 228
> City with most blood center locations: Orlando (17)
> Blood center with most locations OneBlood, Inc. (85)
> Population: 21,299,325

See all stories featuring: Florida

12. Alaska
> Facilities per million residents: 10.85
> FDA-registered active blood centers: 8
> City with most blood center locations: Anchirage (2)
> Blood center with most locations Blood Bank of Alaska, Inc. (5)
> Population: 737,438

See all stories featuring: Alaska

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11. Maine
> Facilities per million residents: 11.21
> FDA-registered active blood centers: 15
> City with most blood center locations: Bangor (3) and Lewiston (3)
> Blood center with most locations American National Red Cross (3)
> Population: 1,338,404

See all stories featuring: Maine

10. Tennessee
> Facilities per million residents: 11.67
> FDA-registered active blood centers: 79
> City with most blood center locations: Memphis (22)
> Blood center with most locations Interstate Blood Bank, Inc. (12)
> Population: 6,770,010

See all stories featuring: Tennessee

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9. Wisconsin
> Facilities per million residents: 11.70
> FDA-registered active blood centers: 68
> City with most blood center locations: Madison (10)
> Blood center with most locations BioLife Plasma Services L.P. (12) and Versiti Wisconsin, Inc. (12)
> Population: 5,813,568

See all stories featuring: Wisconsin

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8. Nebraska
> Facilities per million residents: 11.92
> FDA-registered active blood centers: 23
> City with most blood center locations: Omaha (11)
> Blood center with most locations American National Red Cross (5)
> Population: 1,929,268

See all stories featuring: Nebraska

7. Wyoming
> Facilities per million residents: 13.85
> FDA-registered active blood centers: 8
> City with most blood center locations: Cheyenne (4)
> Blood center with most locations BioLife Plasma Services L.P. (3)
> Population: 577,737

See all stories featuring: Wyoming

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6. Montana
> Facilities per million residents: 14.12
> FDA-registered active blood centers: 15
> City with most blood center locations: Missoula (4)
> Blood center with most locations American National Red Cross (5)
> Population: 1,062,305

See all stories featuring: Montana

5. Idaho
> Facilities per million residents: 14.25
> FDA-registered active blood centers: 25
> City with most blood center locations: Boise (7)
> Blood center with most locations American National Red Cross (4), BioLife Plasma Services L.P. (4) and Biomat USA, Inc. (4)
> Population: 1,754,208

See all stories featuring: Idaho

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4. Iowa
> Facilities per million residents: 14.26
> FDA-registered active blood centers: 45
> City with most blood center locations: Des Moines (6)
> Blood center with most locations BioLife Plasma Services L.P. (10)
> Population: 3,156,145

See all stories featuring: Iowa

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3. Louisiana
> Facilities per million residents: 15.02
> FDA-registered active blood centers: 70
> City with most blood center locations: Baton Rouge (9)
> Blood center with most locations The Blood Center (11)
> Population: 4,659,978

See all stories featuring: Louisiana

2. South Dakota
> Facilities per million residents: 15.87
> FDA-registered active blood centers: 14
> City with most blood center locations: Sioux Falls (4)
> Blood center with most locations VA Black Hills Health Care System (2) and Vitalant (2)
> Population: 882,235

See all stories featuring: South Dakota

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1. North Dakota
> Facilities per million residents: 19.73
> FDA-registered active blood centers: 15
> City with most blood center locations: Fargo (6)
> Blood center with most locations BioLife Plasma Services L.P. (4)
> Population: 760,077

See all stories featuring: North Dakota

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