HRSA designation data Public-data reference Medically Underserved Area

CA · Healthcare shortage profile

Lake County, CA

Home to 68,163 residents, with 43 active HRSA shortage designations.

Active HPSAs
43
Population
68,163
Peak shortage score
20.0
MUA Index
55.4
CA state overview → About this data

The verdict

Lake County ranks among the most underserved counties in the country - 43 active HPSA designations, more than 99% of the 2,991 US counties with a designated shortage, with dental the deepest gap.

43
Active HPSA designations
14
Primary-care shortages
20
Peak severity score (of 26)
Top 1%
US counties by volume

Healthcare shortage designations from HRSA. FIPS: 06033. Population: 68,163.

Lake County, CA (population 68,163) has 14 primary care, 14 mental health, and 15 dental Health Professional Shortage Area designations active according to HRSA. The county is also designated a Medically Underserved Area (MUA) with an MUA Index of 55.4. Shortage severity scores and individual HPSA designations are detailed below.

14
Primary Care HPSAs
14
Mental Health HPSAs
15
Dental HPSAs

HPSA Scores

Primary Care 18.0
Mental Health 19.0
Dental 20.0

Scores range 0–25 (primary/mental health), 0–26 (dental). Higher = greater need.

Medically Underserved Area

MUA Designated
MUA Index: 55.4

Lake County vs. every US county

Total active HPSA designations, how this county's shortage volume compares nationally

43 Top 1% higher than 99% of 2,991 US counties

0–20: 2,828 US counties (95%). Below this entry. 20–40: 124 US counties (4%). Below this entry. 40–60: 27 US counties (1%). This entry sits in this band. 60–80: 6 US counties (0%). Above this entry. 80–100: 1 US counties (0%). Above this entry. 100–120: 2 US counties (0%). Above this entry. 120–140: 1 US counties (0%). Above this entry. 140–160: 1 US counties (0%). Above this entry. 160–180: 0 US counties (0%). Above this entry. 180–200: 0 US counties (0%). Above this entry. 200–220: 0 US counties (0%). Above this entry. 220–240: 0 US counties (0%). Above this entry. 240–260: 0 US counties (0%). Above this entry. 260–280: 1 US counties (0%). Above this entry. This county 0 280 every US county with a designation, bucketed by value

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more US counties. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source HRSA Data Warehouse, designated HPSAs · 2026

Highest-severity HPSA designations

Showing the 40 most-severe of 43 active (designated) HPSAs in Lake County, ranked by HRSA shortage score.

Name Type Score
ME - MSSA 71.1/Clearlake/Clearlake Oaks dental 20.0
Lake County Tribal Health Consortium dental 20.0
LI/MFW-Lake County mental_health 19.0
Lake County Tribal Health Consortium dental 19.0
Lake County Tribal Health Consortium primary_care 18.0
Lake County Tribal Health Consortium primary_care 18.0
ADVENTIST HEALTH CLEARLAKE primary_care 17.0
ADVENTIST HEALTH CLEARLAKE primary_care 17.0
ADVENTIST HEALTH CLEARLAKE primary_care 17.0
ADVENTIST HEALTH CLEARLAKE primary_care 17.0
ADVENTIST HEALTH CLEAR LAKE primary_care 17.0
ADVENTIST HEALTH CLEARLAKE primary_care 17.0
ADVENTIST HEALTH CLEARLAKE primary_care 17.0
SUTTER LAKESIDE MEDICAL PRACTICE primary_care 17.0
SUTTER LAKESIDE COMMUNITY CLINIC primary_care 17.0
ADVENTIST HEALTH CLEARLAKE primary_care 17.0
ADVENTIST HEALTH CLEARLAKE mental_health 17.0
ADVENTIST HEALTH CLEAR LAKE mental_health 17.0
SUTTER LAKESIDE COMMUNITY CLINIC mental_health 17.0
ADVENTIST HEALTH CLEARLAKE mental_health 17.0
ADVENTIST HEALTH CLEARLAKE mental_health 17.0
ADVENTIST HEALTH CLEARLAKE mental_health 17.0
ADVENTIST HEALTH CLEARLAKE mental_health 17.0
ADVENTIST HEALTH CLEARLAKE mental_health 17.0
SUTTER LAKESIDE MEDICAL PRACTICE mental_health 17.0
ADVENTIST HEALTH CLEARLAKE dental 17.0
ADVENTIST HEALTH CLEARLAKE dental 17.0
ADVENTIST HEALTH CLEARLAKE dental 17.0
ADVENTIST HEALTH CLEARLAKE dental 17.0
ADVENTIST HEALTH CLEARLAKE dental 17.0
ADVENTIST HEALTH CLEARLAKE dental 17.0
ADVENTIST HEALTH CLEAR LAKE dental 17.0
SUTTER LAKESIDE MEDICAL PRACTICE dental 17.0
SUTTER LAKESIDE COMMUNITY CLINIC dental 17.0
ADVENTIST HEALTH CLEARLAKE primary_care 16.0
ADVENTIST HEALTH CLEARLAKE mental_health 16.0
ADVENTIST HEALTH CLEARLAKE mental_health 16.0
MSSA 71.1 Clearlake/Clearlake Oaks primary_care 15.0
Lake County Tribal Health Consortium mental_health 15.0
ADVENTIST HEALTH CLEARLAKE dental 15.0

What the HRSA Data Shows for Lake County

Lake County, CA - population 68,163 carries 43 active Health Professional Shortage Area designations in the HRSA Data Warehouse: 14 in primary care, 14 in mental health, and 15 in dental. The county is also flagged as a Medically Underserved Area, scoring 55.4 on the MUA Index (lower scores indicate greater need).

The county's highest shortage-severity score across the three categories is 20.0, which crosses the 17-point threshold HRSA uses to flag high-priority shortage areas eligible for National Health Service Corps placement and enhanced Medicare reimbursement. Primary-care scoring reached 18.0 (0–25 scale). Mental-health scoring reached 19.0 (0–25 scale). Dental scoring reached 20.0 (0–26 scale).

HRSA lists 43 active (designated) HPSA records tied to Lake County, covering the specific facilities, geographies, and population groups that received the designation; the table above shows the most severe.

Lake County designations by care type

Active Health Professional Shortage Area designations in the county, by provider category.

designations
Source HRSA Data Warehouse, designated HPSAs As of 2026

Source: HRSA Data Warehouse, Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSA) + Medically Underserved Areas/Populations (MUA/P) HPSA primary-care, mental-health, and dental designations for Lake County, CA · 2026 HRSA designation data updated quarterly; HPSA scores 0-25 (primary/mental) and 0-26 (dental); higher = greater shortage severity. Coverage tiers from U.S. Census ACS PUMS + KFF state tracker.

What to do with Lake County's data

Lake County's shortage designations unlock specific federal programs and comparisons, here is how to act on them.

  • Lake County's 43 active designations make providers here eligible for National Health Service Corps loan repayment, estimate the award and service terms. NHSC estimator
  • See how the county's dental burden compares with the rest of CA before you draw conclusions from a single score. CA overview
  • Check whether an area clears HRSA's 3,500:1 population-to-provider threshold with the provider-to-population ratio behind an HPSA score. HPSA score estimator

HPSA scores describe structural access to care, not the availability of any individual provider. For a specific appointment, contact a provider or your insurer; designations are reviewed by HRSA each quarter.

Counties With a Similar Primary Care Shortage Score

Other U.S. counties whose HRSA primary-care HPSA score is closest to Lake County's 18.0.

Santa Clara County, CA

18.0 score 1,936,259 pop.

Westchester County, NY

18.0 score 1,004,457 pop.

New Haven County, CT

18.0 score 864,835 pop.

Ventura County, CA

18.0 score 843,843 pop.

Utah County, UT

18.0 score 659,399 pop.

Western Connecticut County, CT

18.0 score 620,666 pop.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many healthcare shortage areas does Lake County have?

Lake County, CA has 43 Health Professional Shortage Area designations: 14 in primary care, 14 in mental health, and 15 in dental care, according to HRSA data.

Is Lake County a Medically Underserved Area?

Yes, Lake County is designated as a Medically Underserved Area (MUA) by HRSA. The MUA Index for this county is 55.4. MUA designation qualifies the area for enhanced federal funding and provider incentive programs.

What does an HPSA score mean?

HPSA scores range from 0 to 25 for primary care and mental health (0 to 26 for dental). Higher scores indicate greater shortage severity. Areas with scores of 17 or above are considered high-priority shortage areas eligible for National Health Service Corps placement and enhanced Medicare/Medicaid reimbursement.

What healthcare providers are needed in Lake County?

Based on HRSA shortage designations, Lake County needs additional providers in primary care (family physicians, internists, pediatricians), mental health (psychiatrists, psychologists, clinical social workers), and dental care (dentists, dental hygienists). The National Health Service Corps offers loan repayment and scholarship programs for providers who serve in designated shortage areas.

How are HPSA designations used by federal programs?

HPSA designations determine eligibility for over 30 federal programs, including National Health Service Corps placements, Community Health Center grants, Medicare bonus payments (10% for physicians in HPSAs), J-1 visa waiver programs for international medical graduates, and Rural Health Clinic certification. These programs channel billions of dollars annually to underserved communities.

How does Lake County compare to other counties in CA?

Lake County has 43 total HPSA designations with a peak shortage score of 20.0. You can compare shortage levels across all counties in CA on the state overview page, or view national county rankings to see where Lake County stands relative to the rest of the country.

Learn More About Healthcare Shortages

Explore more CA shortage data

Source: HRSA Data Warehouse. FIPS: 06033. PlainHealthAccess is not affiliated with HRSA or any government agency.

Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the HRSA Data Warehouse. Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Verify with U.S. Census Bureau →

Every figure on PlainHealthAccess is rendered directly from HRSA source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page lists every HPSA and MUA designation on record for the county. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026.