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How long is the wait for kidney transplant in Texas?

Kidney transplant wait times in Texas vary by transplant center and blood type across 18 centers, ranging from 26 months at Medical City Fort Worth to 141 months at North Austin Medical Center.

Blood Type: Choose Your Blood Type:
Transplant Center Wait time forecast (months) Patients on waiting list 2024 deceased-donor transplants Learn More
Medical City Fort Worth 26 195 81
Insights 32.735964 -97.3439058
Parkland Memorial Hospital 30 93 33
Insights 32.8296623 -96.8511814
University Hospital - St. Paul 31 570 167
Insights 32.8113367 -96.8397899
Methodist Dallas Medical Center 41 475 130
Insights 32.7432998 -96.7868794
Baylor University Medical Center 42 590 154
Insights 32.7962048 -96.7694752
Memorial Hermann Hospital 44 120 11
Insights 29.6917896 -95.514493
TX Health Harris Meth. Ft Worth Hosp 45 199 49
Insights 32.7248887 -97.3138554
University Hospital 51 652 155
Insights 29.50737 -98.57792
Baylor All Saints Medical Center 54 250 55
Insights 32.7297 -97.3454
Univ of Texas Med Branch 58 430 62
Insights 29.3106102 -94.7772493
Medical City Dallas Hospital 59 816 150
Insights 32.9005121 -96.7868794
Scott and White Mem Hosp 71 352 53
Insights 31.0772086 -97.3685378
St Lukes Medical Center 71 796 121
Insights 29.7050857 -95.4018087
Las Palmas Medical Center 84 262 41
Insights 31.793786 -106.493598
Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center 86 283 31
Insights 29.7050857 -95.4018087
The Methodist Hospital 104 1804 195
Insights 29.7050857 -95.4018087
Methodist Specialty & Transplant Hosp 120 1770 176
Insights 29.5060908 -98.577596
North Austin Medical Center 141 225 16
Insights 30.3870686 -97.7036561
Based on OPTN data as of May 19, 2026.
Wait Time:
Insights 41.5993157 -83.6295222

Wait Times:

Less than 2 years
2 to 3 years
Over 3 years

Beyond the state line

Wait times can vary significantly between transplant centers, and the closest center isn't always the one with the shortest expected wait. Exploring transplant centers nationwide can help you understand what other options may be available to you.

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More Transplant Options, More Options, One Simplified Process One Process

Transplant Coach helps you identify centers with shorter expected wait times and simplifies the process of applying to additional transplant centers. Complete your information once, and we'll help you prepare and submit your applications while reducing unnecessary back-and-forth, delays, and missed requirements.

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Flying Private or Commercial?

We’re often asked whether a private jet is necessary to travel from Texas to an out-of-state transplant center. In most cases, it isn’t. Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) is one of the busiest airports in the United States, with frequent nonstop flights to major destinations nationwide. For patients located in South Texas, arranging private air transport can serve as a practical backup option when commercial flight availability is limited.

James from Corpus Christi, faced a 7-10 year wait in South of Texas in 2015. He wrote:

I called over 10 private jet companies and negotiated with them. I needed to go to Des Moines for life-saving transplant on a short notice. The private jet company I hired, flew me on private jet flight to Des Moines in a few hours after the call. They did not bill me. My Medical Insurance covered it fully. James, successfull transplant receipient, Iowa Methodist Medical Center, 2015.

Shared Donor Pool. Different waits

Kidney transplant wait times often remain similar among transplant centers operating within the same Organ Procurement Organization (OPO). However, notable differences can emerge when patient demand significantly outpaces available donor supply. Fort Worth and Baylor All Saints Transplant Centers are located just one block apart. Despite receiving the majority of their donor kidneys from the same source donor pool, their wait times diverge due to differences in waiting list size and historical patient accumulation.

  • Why Fort Worth moves faster: it is a newer program (opened 2012). By around 2015, its waiting list reached roughly 100 patients, many of whom were transplanted relatively quickly with a steady donor supply. In the past five years, the transplant center has typically maintained about 100–150 patients on the list and has transplanted over 75% of listed patients.

  • Why Baylor All Saints has longer waits: it is a long-established center (opened 2002). Over more than two decades, patient demand has consistently exceeded the available donor supply, leading to a large, accumulated waiting list. In recent years, program’s waiting list has stayed near 900 patients, with only about 25% of listed patients receiving a transplant over time.

Fort Worth vs. Baylor at a glance

Same donor source. Different wait.
Same donor source. Different wait time experience.

  • Donor source: LifeGift (TXGC Donor Service Area)

  • Donor kidneys/year: ~80 each

  • Waiting list size: Fort Worth ~100–150 vs. Baylor ~900

  • Patients transplanted over time: Fort Worth ~75% vs. Baylor ~25%

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FAQ

High density population, high occurence of kidney disease and lack of kidney disease specialists in some parts of Texas, especially rural areas. Texas ranks third nationwide in new transplant patient additions, with approximately 75,000 patients added over the past 30 years (1995–2025). Yet, number of cadaveric organ procurement does not match such a high demand. Texans make up nearly 10% of the national organ transplant waiting list.

Texas has three transplant centers that include “Methodist” in their name. One of these is Methodist Dallas Medical Center, located in Dallas, with the wait for kidney transplant estimated at 4 years. The Methodist Hospital in Houston has much higher wait, at 11 years. Methodist Specialty Transplant Center in San Antonio has even longer wait, at 12 years.