Medically Underserved Area High-priority · dental care only

GA · Healthcare shortage profile

Lanier County, GA

Peak severity leads this reading: Lanier County's highest active HPSA score is 20.0, clearing HRSA's 17-point high-priority line. Population 9,877.

Active HPSAs
2
Population
9,877
Peak shortage score
20.0
MUA Index
61.5
GA state overview → About this data

Light-burden verdict

According to current HRSA Data Warehouse records, Lanier County carries a comparatively light shortage burden - 2 active HPSA designations, more than 10% of the 3,289 real US counties, with mental health the deepest gap.

2
Active HPSA designations
1
Dental shortages
20
Peak severity score (of 26)
Top 90%
US counties by volume

Few Census ZCTAs touch Lanier County

The Census ZCTA-county crosswalk lists only 5 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas intersecting Lanier County, a sparse footprint relative to most US counties in this mirror (at or below the 9-ZIP tercile cut).

Intersecting ZCTA

Source: Census ZCTA–county relationship file joined to this portal's county FIPS set. As of 2026-08-15.

Key findings

What the HRSA Data Warehouse does not surface for Lanier County, GA on its own pages , computed from the retained designation mirror as of 2026-08-15. Each line carries its own denominator so it can be quoted as it stands.

  1. Peak HPSA score 20.0 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.

  2. Closing Lanier County's active designations would take about 6.7 additional clinician FTEs, with mental health the largest gap.

    HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id (no double-count across status rows): 5.4 mental health, 1.2 dental. This is the federal gap estimate, not a headcount of practising clinicians.

  3. 50% of Lanier County's 2 active designations are mental health.

    Discipline mix from designated HPSA records only: 0 primary care, 1 mental health, 1 dental (denominator 2).

Lanier County vs. every real US county

Total active HPSA designations, including counties with none

2 Top 90% higher than 10% of 3,289 real US counties

0–20: 3,115 real US counties (95%). This entry sits in this band. 20–40: 128 real US counties (4%). Above this entry. 40–60: 32 real US counties (1%). Above this entry. 60–80: 7 real US counties (0%). Above this entry. 80–100: 2 real US counties (0%). Above this entry. 100–120: 1 real US counties (0%). Above this entry. 120–140: 2 real US counties (0%). Above this entry. 140–160: 1 real US counties (0%). Above this entry. 160–180: 0 real US counties (0%). Above this entry. 180–200: 0 real US counties (0%). Above this entry. 200–220: 0 real US counties (0%). Above this entry. 220–240: 0 real US counties (0%). Above this entry. 240–260: 0 real US counties (0%). Above this entry. 260–280: 1 real US counties (0%). Above this entry. This county 0 280 every real US county, bucketed by value

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more real 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

State peer position. Lanier County falls in the upper half of GA counties by active-designation volume, at rank 66 of 159. Ties share a rank; the comparison uses the same current designated records as the national chart.

Healthcare shortage designations from HRSA. FIPS: 13173. Population: 9,877.

Medically Underserved Area

MUA Designated
MUA Index: 61.5

Active HPSA scores

Mental Health 14.0
Dental 20.0

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 2 active (designated) HPSAs in Lanier County, ranked by HRSA shortage score.

Name Type Score
LI - Lanier County dental 20.0
Mhca 22 - Behavioral Health Services - South Georgia mental_health 14.0

Light-burden reading for Lanier County

Peak severity leads this reading: Lanier County's highest active HPSA score is 20.0, clearing HRSA's 17-point high-priority line. Dental care carries Lanier County's deepest shortage reading, 20.0 on HRSA's 0–26 dental scale, past the 17-point line HRSA uses to open National Health Service Corps placement and enhanced Medicare reimbursement. Mental health reads 14.0 of 25. The county also sits inside a Medically Underserved Area, indexed at 61.5, and the lower the index, the greater the measured need.

Lanier County carries 2 active designations and sits below the national mid-pack (above 10% of counties). A light footprint still matters: a single high-score dental or mental-health record can open program geography even when the county total looks small next to heavy peers.

Lanier County falls in the upper half of GA counties by active-designation volume, at rank 66 of 159. Read the active scores and the deepest-care guide link below before collapsing this county into a "no shortage" story.

Light-volume FTE gap for Lanier County

HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id for Lanier County's active designations: about 6.7 FTE, a federal gap estimate, not a headcount of practising clinicians.

Acting on Lanier County's high-priority dental care

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

  • Lanier County's high-priority dental care designations are where NHSC placement geography concentrates, estimate the award and service terms. NHSC estimator
  • See how the county's dental care burden compares with the rest of GA before drawing conclusions from a single score. GA overview
  • Check the provider-to-population ratio behind an HPSA score against HRSA's designation thresholds. 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 near Lanier County's dental score of 20.0

One peer set for this severity-led county: nearest active dental HPSA score to 20.0 (severity lead on this page is “LI - Lanier County”).

Snohomish County, WA

20.0 dental score · 827,957 pop.

Marion County, FL

20.0 dental score · 375,908 pop.

Clark County, OH

20.0 dental score · 136,001 pop.

Polk County, OR

20.0 dental score · 87,433 pop.

Lake County, CA

20.0 dental score · 68,163 pop.

Sampson County, NC

20.0 dental score · 59,036 pop.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Lanier County's MUA standing sit beside its HPSA records?
Yes - Lanier County carries an MUA designation (index 61.5; lower = greater measured need) in addition to its HPSA rows. MUA and HPSA are separate HRSA tracks; both can open different federal pathways.
Which record sets Lanier County's peak score of 20.0?
"LI - Lanier County" leads the active set (score 20.0; dental; 4,941 people in the service area; ~1.2 FTE still needed on the record; designated 07/01/2014). Clearing 17 opens NHSC high-priority placement for the matching provider type on the designated geography. Discipline mix across 2 active rows: 0 primary care, 1 mental health, 1 dental.
Which other active designations sit under Lanier County's severity reading?
After "LI - Lanier County", the next active names on this release are "LI - Lanier County" and "MHCA 22 - Behavioral Health Services - South Georgia". Provider need (id-de-duped) totals ~6.7 FTE across disciplines that still carry a gap.

Source: HRSA Data Warehouse. FIPS: 13173. This county’s designations come from BCD_HPSA_FCT_DET_MH.csv (mental health) and BCD_HPSA_FCT_DET_DH.csv (dental) — download the normalized export on our open data page. PlainHealthAccess is not affiliated with HRSA or any government agency.

HRSA Data Warehouse HPSA + MUA/P records for FIPS 13173 (Lanier County, GA), vintage 2026-08-15. Active designation count 2; peak score 20.0; signature peak score 20.0. This profile is reference material, not professional advice; see methodology.