0 Designated · below priority line

MI · Healthcare shortage profile

Barry County, MI

Home to 62,423 residents, with 12 active HRSA shortage designations.

Active HPSAs
12
Population
62,423
Peak shortage score
15.0
MUA Index
-

Heavy-burden verdict

According to current HRSA Data Warehouse records, Barry County ranks among the most underserved counties in the country - 12 active HPSA designations, more than 85% of the 3,289 real US counties, with primary care the deepest gap.

12
Active HPSA designations
4
Dental shortages
15
Peak severity score (of 26)
Top 15%
US counties by volume

Key findings

What the HRSA Data Warehouse does not surface for Barry County, MI 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. 33.3% of Barry County's 12 active designations are primary care.

    Discipline mix from designated HPSA records only: 4 primary care, 4 mental health, 4 dental (denominator 12).

  2. Peak HPSA score 15.0 sits below HRSA's 17-point high-priority line.

    Below-17 designations still count as shortages for program geography, but they do not clear the high-priority NHSC placement threshold on this release.

Corpus placement

Designated volume without a high-priority score

According to current HRSA Data Warehouse records, Barry County carries 12 active designations, above 85% of real US counties. None of those scores clear HRSA's high-priority line of 17 on this release, so the page leads with severity reading rather than a national distribution chart.

State peer position. Barry County falls in the upper quarter of MI counties by active-designation volume, at rank 19 of 83. Ties share a rank.

Computed from current designated HPSA rows for every five-digit county FIPS. See the placement methodology.

Healthcare shortage designations from HRSA. FIPS: 26015. Population: 62,423.

Below high-priority line

Barry County is designated, but no active score clears 17

12 active designations sit on this FIPS (4 primary care, 4 mental health, 4 dental), and the peak severity is 15.0. That is a formal shortage footprint without HRSA's high-priority (≥17) tier, so NHSC placement geography is usually weaker here than on counties whose lead score clears the line.

Peak severity scores

Primary Care 14.0
Mental Health 10.0
Dental 15.0

Current designated records only. No Medically Underserved Area designation covers Barry 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 12 active (designated) HPSAs in Barry County, ranked by HRSA shortage score.

Name Type Score
Corewell Health Pennock Hospital Family Medicine - Middleville dental 15.0
Corewell Health Pennock Hospital Family Medicine - Gun Lake dental 15.0
Corewell Health Pennock Hospital Multispecialty Center - Green St dental 15.0
Corewell Health Pennock Hospital Family Medicine - State St dental 15.0
Corewell Health Pennock Hospital Multispecialty Center - Green St primary_care 14.0
Corewell Health Pennock Hospital Family Medicine - State St primary_care 14.0
Corewell Health Pennock Hospital Family Medicine - Middleville primary_care 12.0
Corewell Health Pennock Hospital Family Medicine - Gun Lake primary_care 12.0
Corewell Health Pennock Hospital Family Medicine - Middleville mental_health 10.0
Corewell Health Pennock Hospital Family Medicine - State St mental_health 10.0
Corewell Health Pennock Hospital Family Medicine - Gun Lake mental_health 9.0
Corewell Health Pennock Hospital Multispecialty Center - Green St mental_health 9.0

Heavy-burden reading for Barry County

Dental care carries Barry County's deepest shortage reading, 15.0 on HRSA's 0–26 dental scale, still short of the 17-point priority line, though the designation itself is formal. Primary care reads 14.0 of 25; Mental health reads 10.0 of 25. No Medically Underserved Area designation covers Barry County, so federal support here runs through the HPSA route alone.

Volume places Barry County above 85% of real US counties (12 active designations: 4 primary care, 4 mental health, 4 dental). Peak severity on the current designated set is 15.0. The table on this page lists the highest-severity records first so a reader can see which named facilities, geographies, or population groups drive that burden without treating the county total as a personal appointment forecast.

Barry County falls in the upper quarter of MI counties by active-designation volume, at rank 19 of 83. Heavy-burden counties are where NHSC placement, Community Health Center grant geography, and related federal instruments concentrate; eligibility still follows the designated area and provider type, not the county boundary alone.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many healthcare shortage areas does Barry County have?

Barry County, MI has 12 Health Professional Shortage Area designations: 4 in primary care, 4 in mental health, and 4 in dental care, according to HRSA data.

Is Barry County a Medically Underserved Area?

Barry County does not currently have a Medically Underserved Area (MUA) designation from HRSA. However, the county may still have individual HPSA designations for specific provider types.

What does Barry County's HPSA score of 15.0 mean?

15.0 in dental care falls under 17, so the shortage is formally designated but outside HRSA's high-priority tier.

What healthcare providers are needed in Barry County?

Based on HRSA shortage designations, Barry 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.

Which federal programs do Barry County's designations unlock?

Barry County's 12 active designations open NHSC placement, Community Health Center grants, the Medicare bonus and J-1 waivers, but eligibility follows the designated area and provider type, not the county line.

How does Barry County compare to other counties in MI?

Barry County has 12 total HPSA designations with a peak shortage score of 15.0. You can compare shortage levels across all counties in MI on the state overview page, or view national county rankings to see where Barry County stands relative to the rest of the country. Score-nearest counties on this release include Richland County, SC and Onslow County, NC.

Next read: Dental Shortage in America · MI state overview · NHSC loan repayment

Source: HRSA Data Warehouse. FIPS: 26015. This county’s designations come from BCD_HPSA_FCT_DET_PC.csv (primary care) , 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.

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 26015 (Barry County, MI) 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 2026-08-15.