On June 24, 2022, the Supreme Court issued a ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization that overturned the constitutional right to abortion as well as the federal standards of abortion access, established by prior decisions in the cases Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey. Prior to the Dobbs ruling, the federal standard was that abortions were permitted up to fetal viability. That federal standard has been eliminated, allowing states to set policies regarding the legality of abortions and establish limits.
Access to and availability of abortions varies widely between states, with some states banning almost all abortions and some states protecting abortion access.
This project seeks to visualize the disparity in abortion access across the United States. By highlighting the tangible ramifications of this public health crisis that affects everyone, not only people with uteruses, I hope to contribute to the body of work that stands for bodily autonomy and safe, accessible healthcare for all.
Select an abortion legality status to learn more about how residents in those states have been affected by the federal abortion ban.
Average distance to nearest provider over time, 2009-2022
Average distance to nearest provider by state in 2022
Average distance to nearest provider by county population in 2022