Palo Alto – September 17, 2026 -- Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Stanford tied for the No. 1 spot among children's hospitals in Northern California and ranked No. 2 (tie) statewide, according to the U.S. News & World Report 2026–2027 Best Children's Hospitals survey.
The hospital placed in the national top 5 for two specialties
Neonatology and Nephrology both ranked No. 4 nationally. Four specialties overall landed in the national top 10: Neonatology, Nephrology, Neurology and Neurosurgery (No. 7), and Pulmonology and Lung Surgery (No. 8).
All 11 pediatric specialties earned national recognition for the 11th consecutive year
Additional ranked specialties included Cancer; Cardiology and Heart Surgery; Diabetes and Endocrinology; Gastroenterology and Gastrointestinal Surgery; Orthopedics; Urology; and Adolescent Behavioral Health. Packard Children's also ranked No. 3 (tie) in the Pacific Region and was named Best in the West for Neonatology and Nephrology.
This marks the hospital's 22nd straight year among the nation's top children's hospitals
Paul A. King, CEO of Stanford Medicine Children's Health and Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Stanford, said the recognition reflects the work of physicians, nurses, and staff who serve children and mothers, and credited nationally recognized specialty programs and research for advancing pediatric medicine.
The U.S. News & World Report rankings are designed to help families of children with rare or life-threatening illnesses identify high-quality pediatric medical care in consultation with their doctors.