IL · Healthcare shortage profile
DeKalb County, IL
Home to 100,420 residents, with 2 active HRSA shortage designations.
- Active HPSAs
- 2
- Population
- 100,420
- Peak shortage score
- 17.0
- MUA Index
- 59.4
Light-burden verdict
According to current HRSA Data Warehouse records, DeKalb 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
- 17
- Peak severity score (of 26)
- Top 90%
- US counties by volume
Key findings
What the HRSA Data Warehouse does not surface for DeKalb County, IL 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.
-
50% of DeKalb 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).
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Closing DeKalb County's active designations would take about 46 additional clinician FTEs, with mental health the largest gap.
HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id (no double-count across status rows): 9.9 primary care, 36 mental health. This is the federal gap estimate, not a headcount of practising clinicians.
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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.
DeKalb 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
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. DeKalb County falls in the lower half of IL counties by active-designation volume, at rank 85 of 102. Ties share a rank; the comparison uses the same current designated records as the national chart.
Healthcare shortage designations from HRSA. FIPS: 17037. Population: 100,420.
Medically Underserved Area
Active HPSA 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 2 active (designated) HPSAs in DeKalb County, ranked by HRSA shortage score.
| Name | Type | Score |
|---|---|---|
| LI-DeKalb County | primary_care | 17.0 |
| LI-Northern IL Mhca | mental_health | 17.0 |
Light-burden reading for DeKalb County
DeKalb 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. The county also sits inside a Medically Underserved Area, indexed at 59.4, and the lower the index, the greater the measured need.
DeKalb 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.
DeKalb County falls in the lower half of IL counties by active-designation volume, at rank 85 of 102. Read the active scores and the deepest-care guide link below before collapsing this county into a "no shortage" story.
Clinician FTE gap by care type
HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id for DeKalb County's active designations: 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 DeKalb County, IL · 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 DeKalb County's designations
DeKalb County's shortage designations unlock specific federal programs and comparisons, here is how to act on them.
- DeKalb 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 IL before you draw conclusions from a single score. IL 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.
Nationwide counties with similar HRSA profiles
Two peer sets for DeKalb County: active designation volume and primary-care HPSA score, ranked across the national county corpus.
Similar designation volume
Nearest active designation count (2 here).
Similar primary-care score
Nearest active primary-care HPSA score (17.0 here).
Frequently Asked Questions
Is DeKalb County a Medically Underserved Area?
Yes, DeKalb County is designated as a Medically Underserved Area (MUA) by HRSA. The MUA Index for this county is 59.4. MUA designation qualifies the area for enhanced federal funding and provider incentive programs.
How many healthcare shortage areas does DeKalb County have?
DeKalb County, IL has 2 Health Professional Shortage Area designations: 1 in primary care, 1 in mental health, and 0 in dental care, according to HRSA data.
What does DeKalb 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.
Source: HRSA Data Warehouse. FIPS: 17037. 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.