Medically Underserved Area Two high-priority disciplines

GA · Healthcare shortage profile

McDuffie County, GA

Peak severity leads this reading: McDuffie County's highest active HPSA score is 20.0, clearing HRSA's 17-point high-priority line. Population 21,632.

Active HPSAs
2
Population
21,632
Peak shortage score
20.0
MUA Index
55.4

Light-burden verdict

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

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

Few Census ZCTAs touch McDuffie County

The Census ZCTA-county crosswalk lists only 4 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas intersecting McDuffie 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 McDuffie 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 McDuffie County's active designations would take about 11 additional clinician FTEs, with mental health the largest gap.

    HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id (no double-count across status rows): 2.5 primary care, 8.4 mental health. This is the federal gap estimate, not a headcount of practising clinicians.

  3. 50% of McDuffie County's 2 active designations are primary care.

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

McDuffie 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. McDuffie 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: 13189. Population: 21,632.

Medically Underserved Area

MUA Designated
MUA Index: 55.4

Active HPSA scores

Primary Care 20.0
Mental Health 18.0

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 McDuffie County, ranked by HRSA shortage score.

Name Type Score
LI-McDuffie County primary_care 20.0
LI-Community Service Board of East Central Georgia mental_health 18.0

Light-burden reading for McDuffie County

Peak severity leads this reading: McDuffie County's highest active HPSA score is 20.0, clearing HRSA's 17-point high-priority line. Primary care is where McDuffie County is stretched thinnest: HRSA scores it 20.0 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. The county also sits inside a Medically Underserved Area, indexed at 55.4, and the lower the index, the greater the measured need.

McDuffie 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.

McDuffie 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 McDuffie County

HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id for McDuffie County's active designations: about 11 FTE, a federal gap estimate, not a headcount of practising clinicians.

Source: HRSA Data Warehouse, Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSA) + Medically Underserved Areas/Populations (MUA/P) HPSA primary-care, mental-health, and dental designations for McDuffie 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 McDuffie County's designations

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

  • McDuffie County's 2 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 near McDuffie County's primary score of 20.0

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

Frequently Asked Questions

Does McDuffie County's MUA standing sit beside its HPSA records?
Yes - McDuffie County carries an MUA designation (index 55.4; 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 McDuffie County's peak score of 20.0?
"LI-McDuffie County" leads the active set (score 20.0; primary care; 1,222 people in the service area; ~2.5 FTE still needed on the record; designated 11/05/1999). Clearing 17 opens NHSC high-priority placement for the matching provider type on the designated geography. Discipline mix across 2 active rows: 1 primary care, 1 mental health, 0 dental.
Which other active designations sit under McDuffie County's severity reading?
After "LI-McDuffie County", the next active names on this release are "LI-McDuffie County" and "LI-Community Service Board of East Central Georgia". Provider need (id-de-duped) totals ~11 FTE across disciplines that still carry a gap.

Source: HRSA Data Warehouse. FIPS: 13189. This county’s designations come from BCD_HPSA_FCT_DET_PC.csv (primary care) and BCD_HPSA_FCT_DET_MH.csv (mental health) — 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 13189 (McDuffie 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.