How far North Texans will have to go for an abortion
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
North Texans will soon have to drive close to 400 miles — one way — to have an abortion in the U.S.
The big picture: From Dallas, the nearest legal abortion clinic once abortion-ban trigger laws in Texas and other states take effect will be in Wichita, Kansas.
- In a 2020 Toyota Corolla, which gets about 38 highway miles to the gallon, the trip would take five and a half hours each way, and cost roughly $90 in gas.
- Greyhound bus one-way tickets start at about $90 from Dallas to Wichita and travel time would be about eight hours.
- Other potential costs include lodging, child care and time off work.
Meanwhile, people seeking abortions could travel by airplane to states in which the procedure remains a protected right — but tickets that are already expensive because of inflation and the high cost of fuel would cost even more if purchased in a hurry.
By the numbers: In 2019, there were more than 57,000 abortions in Texas, according to the CDC. About 378,000 babies were born in the state that year.
Of note: New Mexico is the only neighboring state that has codified the right to abortion, and the drive from Dallas to an abortion clinic in Santa Teresa, New Mexico, is about 650 miles.
- That might end up the nearest U.S. clinic if Kansas voters decide in early August that the right to an abortion is not protected by the state's constitution.
Zoom out: Mexico's Supreme Court decriminalized abortion last year, and the state of Coahuila, which borders Texas, allows for some abortions.