Patient search volume is rising in the Austin metro area, and now is the time for health care providers to strike while the demand is hot.
AUSTIN HEAT GROWTH
From August 2022 to August 2024, search volume performance in the Austin metro area outpaced the rest of Texas by 51% YoY.
Within the Austin metro area, Caldwell county has seen the strongest search volume growth. Here’s how the top three counties grew in search volume YoY compared to the rest of the counties in the Austin metro area:
- Caldwell: +640%
- Travis: +22%
- Bastrop: +21%
Did you know?
Patient demand is especially high in Travis county, providing an exciting opportunity for providers. In fact, Travis county has two of the top zip codes (78701 and 78660) with unmet demand* in the Austin metro area.
*Zocdoc uses a proprietary method to calculate unmet demand, comparing the ratio of searches (demand) to near-term bookable providers (supply) in a given geographic area.
HOTTEST GROWING AUSTIN SPECIALTIES
The top specialty in the Austin metro area that saw the greatest increase in searches YoY compared to the rest of the state was ophthalmology. Search volume for ophthalmologists increased by an incredible 1,371% from August 2022 to August 2024. Other top growing specialties included primary care, dermatology, ENT, and mental health.
Any time we see trends like this at Zocdoc, we dig in deeper. Get to know your patient base, both current and potential. We’ve got all the insights into the types of Zocdoc patients booking in the Austin metro area — including how and why they’re so valuable to providers.
YOUNG…
Younger patients are driving the most demand in the Austin metro area, with 45% percent in their 20s and 34% in their 30s. Austin patients skew younger compared to the national average of 37% for patients in their 20s.
| Provider type | Patients in their 20s | Patients in their 30s | Patients in their 40s |
| Overall | 45% | 34% | 10% |
| Ob-gyn | 55% | 31% | 6% |
| Mental Health | 46% | 31% | 11% |
| Dermatology | 45% | 35% | 9% |
| Primary Care | 45% | 35% | 9% |
| Urgent Care | 44% | 33% | 10% |
INSURED…
Ninety-one percent — an overwhelming majority of Austin metro area bookings on Zocdoc — are made with commercial insurance. Between August 2022 and August 2024 we saw patients with insurance book 95% of dental appointments, 94% of optometry appointments, 93% of dermatology appointments, 91% of both ob-gyn and primary care appointments, and 88% of mental health appointments.
AND NEW.
Eighty-seven percent of bookings in the Austin metro area are new patient bookings. These patients are extremely valuable since the data also shows new patients want to become loyal, long-term patients. Bringing in new patients who return again and again drives the greatest revenue.
The top specialties with new patient bookings in the Austin metro area included:
- Dentist: 93%
- Optometrist: 93%
- Mental Health: 92%
- Dermatology: 91%
- Urgent Care: 82%
Austin presents a hot opportunity for healthcare professionals. Reach out to our enterprise sales representatives today to learn more about how you can capitalize on Austin’s high patient demand. You can also request a custom search and booking analysis that shows unmet demand specific to your region and specialty.