Medically Underserved Area Two high-priority disciplines

ID · Healthcare shortage profile

Gooding County, ID

Home to 15,598 residents, with 5 active HRSA shortage designations.

Active HPSAs
5
Population
15,598
Peak shortage score
17.0
MUA Index
61.5

Mid-burden verdict

According to current HRSA Data Warehouse records, Gooding County holds a moderate federal shortage burden - 5 active HPSA designations, more than 47% of the 3,289 real US counties, with primary care the deepest gap.

5
Active HPSA designations
2
Primary-care shortages
17
Peak severity score (of 26)
Top 53%
US counties by volume

Key findings

What the HRSA Data Warehouse does not surface for Gooding County, ID 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.

  1. 40% of Gooding County's 5 active designations are primary care.

    Discipline mix from designated HPSA records only: 2 primary care, 2 mental health, 1 dental (denominator 5).

  2. Closing Gooding County's active designations would take about 7.9 additional clinician FTEs, with mental health the largest gap.

    HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id (no double-count across status rows): 2.1 primary care, 5.8 mental health. This is the federal gap estimate, not a headcount of practising clinicians.

  3. Peak HPSA score 17.0 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.

Gooding County vs. every real US county

Total active HPSA designations, including counties with none

5 Top 53% higher than 47% 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. Gooding County falls in the lower half of ID counties by active-designation volume, at rank 28 of 44. Ties share a rank; the comparison uses the same current designated records as the national chart.

Healthcare shortage designations from HRSA. FIPS: 16047. Population: 15,598.

2
Primary Care HPSAs
2
Mental Health HPSAs

Medically Underserved Area

MUA Designated
MUA Index: 61.5

Active HPSA scores

Primary Care 17.0
Mental Health 17.0
Dental 11.0

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 5 active (designated) HPSAs in Gooding County, ranked by HRSA shortage score.

Name Type Score
LI - Gooding County primary_care 17.0
North Canyon Family Practice mental_health 17.0
North Canyon Family Practice primary_care 14.0
District 5 - South Central Mental Health Catchment Area mental_health 14.0
North Canyon Family Practice dental 11.0

Moderate-burden reading for Gooding County

Gooding County's shortage runs equally deep in primary care and mental health: both scored 17.0 by HRSA, past the 17-point line HRSA uses to open National Health Service Corps placement and enhanced Medicare reimbursement. Dental care reads 11.0 of 26. The county also sits inside a Medically Underserved Area, indexed at 61.5, and the lower the index, the greater the measured need.

Gooding County sits in the middle of the national designation-volume distribution (above 47% of counties) with 5 active records. That is enough for a formal shortage footprint without landing in the heaviest US tier. Compare the three discipline counts (2/2/1) before assuming every care category is equally short.

Gooding County falls in the lower half of ID counties by active-designation volume, at rank 28 of 44. For moderate counties, the useful move is usually a state peer check plus the score cards above, not a national superlative claim.

Gooding County designations by care type

Active Health Professional Shortage Area designations in the county, by provider category (high-priority disciplines emphasized).

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 Gooding County, ID · 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 Gooding County's designations

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

  • Gooding County's 5 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 ID before you draw conclusions from a single score. ID 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.

Nearby primary-care score peers

Closest U.S. counties on active primary-care HPSA score to Gooding County's 17.0. Open Hamilton County, TN or Ingham County, MI next.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Gooding County a Medically Underserved Area?

Yes, Gooding County is designated as a Medically Underserved Area (MUA) by HRSA. The MUA Index for this county is 61.5. MUA designation qualifies the area for enhanced federal funding and provider incentive programs.

How many healthcare shortage areas does Gooding County have?

Gooding County, ID has 5 Health Professional Shortage Area designations: 2 in primary care, 2 in mental health, and 1 in dental care, according to HRSA data.

What does Gooding County's HPSA score of 17.0 mean?

17.0 in primary care and mental health 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 Gooding County?

Based on HRSA shortage designations, Gooding 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.

Next read: The Primary-Care Shortage · ID state overview · NHSC loan repayment

Source: HRSA Data Warehouse. FIPS: 16047. 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.

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 16047 (Gooding County, ID) 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.