GA · Healthcare shortage profile
Jefferson County, GA
Home to 15,709 residents, with 12 active HRSA shortage designations.
- Active HPSAs
- 12
- Population
- 15,709
- Peak shortage score
- 21.0
- MUA Index
- 37.5
Heavy-burden verdict
According to current HRSA Data Warehouse records, Jefferson County ranks among the most underserved counties in the country - 12 active HPSA designations, more than 85% of the 3,289 real US counties, with primary care the deepest gap.
- 12
- Active HPSA designations
- 4
- Primary-care shortages
- 21
- Peak severity score (of 26)
- Top 15%
- US counties by volume
Key findings
What the HRSA Data Warehouse does not surface for Jefferson County, GA on its own pages , computed from the retained designation mirror as of 2026-08-03. Each line carries its own denominator so it can be quoted as it stands.
-
33.3% of Jefferson County's 12 active designations are primary care.
Discipline mix from designated HPSA records only: 4 primary care, 4 mental health, 4 dental (denominator 12).
-
Closing Jefferson County's active designations would take about 5.7 additional clinician FTEs, with mental health the largest gap.
HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id (no double-count across status rows): 0.9 primary care, 3.9 mental health, 0.9 dental. This is the federal gap estimate, not a headcount of practising clinicians.
-
Peak HPSA score 21.0 clears HRSA's 17-point high-priority line.
Scores at or above 17 on the 0–25/26 scales open NHSC placement priority for the matching provider type; eligibility still follows the designated area, not the county boundary alone.
Corpus placement
Active-designation volume placement
According to current HRSA Data Warehouse records, Jefferson County carries 12 active designations, above 85% of real US counties. Use the state peer line below before treating the national percentile as a local access verdict.
State peer position. Jefferson County sits among the top three county rank positions in GA, at rank 3 of 159. Ties share a rank.
Computed from current designated HPSA rows for every five-digit county FIPS. See the placement methodology.
Healthcare shortage designations from HRSA. FIPS: 13163. Population: 15,709.
Medically Underserved Area
Peak severity scores
Current designated records only. Scores range 0–25 (primary/mental health), 0–26 (dental). Higher = greater need. What counts as a high score?
Highest-severity HPSA designations
All 12 active (designated) HPSAs in Jefferson County, ranked by HRSA shortage score.
| Name | Type | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Physicians' Health Group | primary_care | 21.0 |
| Physicians' Health Group- Wadley | primary_care | 21.0 |
| Wrens Physicians' Health Group | primary_care | 20.0 |
| Ogeechee Catchment Area | mental_health | 18.0 |
| Physicians' Health Group | mental_health | 18.0 |
| Physicians' Health Group- Wadley | mental_health | 17.0 |
| Wrens Physicians' Health Group | mental_health | 17.0 |
| Wrens Physicians' Health Group | dental | 17.0 |
| Physicians' Health Group | dental | 17.0 |
| Physicians' Health Group- Wadley | dental | 17.0 |
| Jefferson County | primary_care | 15.0 |
| LI-Jefferson County | dental | 15.0 |
Heavy-burden reading for Jefferson County
Primary care is where Jefferson County is stretched thinnest: HRSA scores it 21.0 of 25, the county's highest severity reading and past the 17-point line HRSA uses to open National Health Service Corps placement and enhanced Medicare reimbursement. Mental health reads 18.0 of 25; Dental care reads 17.0 of 26. The county also sits inside a Medically Underserved Area, indexed at 37.5, and the lower the index, the greater the measured need.
Volume places Jefferson County above 85% of real US counties (12 active designations: 4 primary care, 4 mental health, 4 dental). Peak severity on the current designated set is 21.0. The table on this page lists the highest-severity records first so a reader can see which named facilities, geographies, or population groups drive that burden without treating the county total as a personal appointment forecast.
Jefferson County sits among the top three county rank positions in GA, at rank 3 of 159. Heavy-burden counties are where NHSC placement, Community Health Center grant geography, and related federal instruments concentrate; eligibility still follows the designated area and provider type, not the county boundary alone.
Jefferson County designations by care type
Active Health Professional Shortage Area designations in the county, by provider category (high-priority disciplines emphasized).
- Primary care
Primary care
4 designations
- Mental health
Mental health
4 designations
- Dental
Dental
4 designations
Source: HRSA Data Warehouse, Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSA) + Medically Underserved Areas/Populations (MUA/P) HPSA primary-care, mental-health, and dental designations for Jefferson County, GA · 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.
Acting on a heavy-burden county
Jefferson County's shortage designations unlock specific federal programs and comparisons, here is how to act on them.
- Jefferson County's 12 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 primary care burden compares with the rest of GA before you draw conclusions from a single score. GA 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 lookup
HPSA scores describe shortage severity within HRSA's designation criteria, not the availability of any individual provider. For a specific appointment, contact a provider or your insurer; use HRSA's current tools to verify a designation.
Counties With a Similar Primary Care Shortage Score
Other U.S. counties whose active HRSA primary-care HPSA score is closest to Jefferson County's 21.0. This compares the designation score only, not local appointment availability or care quality. Start with Forsyth County, NC and Webb County, TX.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Jefferson County a Medically Underserved Area?
Yes, Jefferson County is designated as a Medically Underserved Area (MUA) by HRSA. The MUA Index for this county is 37.5. MUA designation qualifies the area for enhanced federal funding and provider incentive programs.
How many healthcare shortage areas does Jefferson County have?
Jefferson County, GA has 12 Health Professional Shortage Area designations: 4 in primary care, 4 in mental health, and 4 in dental care, according to HRSA data.
What does Jefferson County's HPSA score of 21.0 mean?
21.0 in primary care clears 17, HRSA's high-priority line, which is what makes providers here eligible for NHSC placement and enhanced reimbursement.
What healthcare providers are needed in Jefferson County?
Based on HRSA shortage designations, Jefferson 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.
Which federal programs do Jefferson County's designations unlock?
Jefferson County's 12 active designations open NHSC placement, Community Health Center grants, the Medicare bonus and J-1 waivers, but eligibility follows the designated area and provider type, not the county line.
How does Jefferson County compare to other counties in GA?
Jefferson County has 12 total HPSA designations with a peak shortage score of 21.0. You can compare shortage levels across all counties in GA on the state overview page, or view national county rankings to see where Jefferson County stands relative to the rest of the country. Score-nearest counties on this release include Forsyth County, NC and Webb County, TX.
Learn More About Healthcare Shortages
Explore more GA shortage data
Source: HRSA Data Warehouse. FIPS: 13163. 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 counts active HPSA rows for FIPS 13163 (Jefferson County, GA) from the current HRSA release and places that total among all real US counties. Designations describe federal shortage criteria, not appointment availability or care quality for any person. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, review the public data changelog, or report a data issue for this page. Data current as of 2026-08-03.