KS · Healthcare shortage profile
Thomas County, KS
Peak severity leads this reading: Thomas County's highest active HPSA score is 17.0, clearing HRSA's 17-point high-priority line. Population 7,930.
- Active HPSAs
- 1
- Population
- 7,930
- Peak shortage score
- 17.0
- MUA Index
- -
Light-burden verdict
According to current HRSA Data Warehouse records, Thomas County carries a comparatively light shortage burden - 1 active HPSA designation, more than 2% of the 3,289 real US counties, with mental health the deepest gap.
- 1
- Active HPSA designations
- 1
- Mental-health shortages
- 17
- Peak severity score (of 26)
- Top 98%
- US counties by volume
Few Census ZCTAs touch Thomas County
The Census ZCTA-county crosswalk lists only 8 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas intersecting Thomas County, a sparse footprint relative to most US counties in this mirror (at or below the 9-ZIP tercile cut).
Intersecting ZCTA
3 additional ZCTAs intersect this county in the crosswalk (ordered by land share).
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 Thomas County, KS 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.
-
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.
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Closing Thomas County's active designations would take about 3.3 additional clinician FTEs, with mental health the largest gap.
HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id (no double-count across status rows): 3.3 mental health. This is the federal gap estimate, not a headcount of practising clinicians.
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100% of Thomas County's 1 active designations are mental health.
Discipline mix from designated HPSA records only: 0 primary care, 1 mental health, 0 dental (denominator 1).
Thomas County vs. every real US county
Total active HPSA designations, including counties with none
1 Top 98% higher than 2% 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. Thomas County falls in the lower half of KS counties by active-designation volume, at rank 79 of 105. Ties share a rank; the comparison uses the same current designated records as the national chart.
Healthcare shortage designations from HRSA. FIPS: 20193. Population: 7,930.
Active HPSA scores
Current designated records only · mental health only on this FIPS. No Medically Underserved Area designation covers Thomas County in the current HRSA release, federal support here runs through the HPSA route alone. Scores range 0–25 (primary/mental health), 0–26 (dental). Higher = greater need. What counts as a high score?
Highest-severity HPSA designations
All 1 active (designated) HPSAs in Thomas County, ranked by HRSA shortage score.
| Name | Type | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Mhca 23 | mental_health | 17.0 |
Light-burden reading for Thomas County
Peak severity leads this reading: Thomas County's highest active HPSA score is 17.0, clearing HRSA's 17-point high-priority line. Thomas County's severest measured gap is in mental health, scored 17.0 of 25, past the 17-point line HRSA uses to open National Health Service Corps placement and enhanced Medicare reimbursement. No Medically Underserved Area designation covers Thomas County, so federal support here runs through the HPSA route alone.
Thomas County carries 1 active designation and sits below the national mid-pack (above 2% 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.
Thomas County falls in the lower half of KS counties by active-designation volume, at rank 79 of 105. Read the active scores and the deepest-care guide link below before collapsing this county into a "no shortage" story.
Acting on Thomas County's high-priority mental health
Thomas County's shortage designations unlock specific federal programs and comparisons, here is how to act on them.
- Thomas County's high-priority mental health designations are where NHSC placement geography concentrates, estimate the award and service terms. NHSC estimator
- See how the county's mental health burden compares with the rest of KS before drawing conclusions from a single score. KS 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 Thomas County's mental score of 17.0
One peer set for this severity-led county: nearest active mental HPSA score to 17.0 (severity lead on this page is “MHCA 23”).
Lafourche County, LA
17.0 mental score · 97,557 pop.
Dane County, WI
17.0 mental score · 561,504 pop.
McHenry County, IL
17.0 mental score · 310,229 pop.
Clay County, MO
17.0 mental score · 253,335 pop.
Dorchester County, SC
17.0 mental score · 161,540 pop.
Flagler County, FL
17.0 mental score · 115,378 pop.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Which record sets Thomas County's peak score of 17.0?
- "MHCA 23" leads the active set (score 17.0; mental health; 45,000 people in the service area; ~3.3 FTE still needed on the record; designated 12/29/1980). Clearing 17 opens NHSC high-priority placement for the matching provider type on the designated geography. Discipline mix across 1 active rows: 0 primary care, 1 mental health, 0 dental.
- Why is Thomas County not listed as a Medically Underserved Area?
- Thomas County has no MUA designation on this release. Federal shortage support here runs through the active HPSA record set alone.
- What provider types does Thomas County's severity cover?
- Active rows break down 0 primary care / 1 mental health / 0 dental. Closing published gaps would take about 3.3 additional clinician FTEs on this release.
Source: HRSA Data Warehouse. FIPS: 20193. This county’s designations come from 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 20193 (Thomas County, KS), vintage 2026-08-15. Active designation count 1; peak score 17.0; signature peak score 17.0. This profile is reference material, not professional advice; see methodology.