Depending on the economic status of the surrounding area, health care could be more expensive or less expensive. In lower-income areas, health care might be cheaper because if it were expensive, no one would be able to purchase health care. Because the health care industry is a working business, it must appeal to its key demographic. Areas that can afford higher-end health care also have to spend more for it.
The character of a particular area can affect its economic status and its health care. If the area is rural, likely no fully equipped hospital is nearby. Health care providers understand that it would be a poor investment to build such a facility in an area that has a sparse population. However, if the area is heavily populated, health care business owners will see that as an opportunity and build a facility that can accommodate more patients.
If an area has a particularly high rate of sickness or injury, that area will be targeted as a health care hot spot. This is especially true in cooler areas and Northern cities because the weather affects sickness in many ways. The health care industry understands the rules of supply and demand -- where demand is especially high, supply will soon follow.
The Public Health Agency of Canada reports that the economic factors can impair the health of members of low-income families. Poverty can lead to stress, which can lead to high blood pressure, which can then lead to immune system problems and many other conditions. Because of high health care needs, health care facilities often crop up in places where the median income is low but the cost of living is high.