MI · Healthcare shortage profile
Gratiot County, MI
Home to 41,761 residents, with 24 active HRSA shortage designations.
- Active HPSAs
- 24
- Population
- 41,761
- Peak shortage score
- 17.0
- MUA Index
- 61.1
Heavy-burden verdict
According to current HRSA Data Warehouse records, Gratiot County ranks among the most underserved counties in the country - 24 active HPSA designations, more than 96% of the 3,289 real US counties, with primary care the deepest gap.
- 24
- Active HPSA designations
- 8
- Dental shortages
- 17
- Peak severity score (of 26)
- Top 4%
- US counties by volume
Key findings
What the HRSA Data Warehouse does not surface for Gratiot 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.
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33.3% of Gratiot County's 24 active designations are primary care.
Discipline mix from designated HPSA records only: 8 primary care, 8 mental health, 8 dental (denominator 24).
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Closing Gratiot County's active designations would take about 7 additional clinician FTEs, with dental the largest gap.
HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id (no double-count across status rows): 2.6 primary care, 0.9 mental health, 3.4 dental. 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.
Gratiot County vs. every real US county
Total active HPSA designations, including counties with none
24 Top 4% higher than 96% 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. Gratiot County falls in the upper quarter of MI counties by active-designation volume, at rank 6 of 83. Ties share a rank; the comparison uses the same current designated records as the national chart.
Healthcare shortage designations from HRSA. FIPS: 26057. Population: 41,761.
Single high-priority discipline
Gratiot County's only high-priority (≥17) footprint is dental care
Current HRSA Data Warehouse rows attribute 8 active dental care designations to Gratiot County , with a peak score of 17.0. Other care categories may still be designated here, but none of them clear HRSA's high-priority score line of 17 on the current release, NHSC and related instruments concentrate on the dental care records.
Medically Underserved Area
Peak severity 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 24 active (designated) HPSAs in Gratiot County, ranked by HRSA shortage score.
| Name | Type | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Family Medical Care Ithaca | dental | 17.0 |
| Family Medical Care - Breckenridge | dental | 17.0 |
| Sparrow Medical Group- Ithaca | dental | 17.0 |
| Family Medical Care - Breckenridge | mental_health | 16.0 |
| Sparrow Medical Group- Ithaca | primary_care | 15.0 |
| Midmichigan Health Family Practice Center-Alma | primary_care | 15.0 |
| Alma Internal Medicine | primary_care | 15.0 |
| Center For Obstetrics & Gynecology | primary_care | 15.0 |
| Family Medical Care Ithaca | primary_care | 15.0 |
| Family Medical Care - Breckenridge | primary_care | 15.0 |
| Alma Internal Medicine | dental | 15.0 |
| Center For Obstetrics & Gynecology | dental | 15.0 |
| Midmichigan Health Family Practice Center-Alma | dental | 15.0 |
| LI-Gratiot County | dental | 15.0 |
| LI - Gratiot County | primary_care | 13.0 |
| Midmichigan Health Family Practice Center-Alma | mental_health | 13.0 |
| Alma Internal Medicine | mental_health | 13.0 |
| Center For Obstetrics & Gynecology | mental_health | 13.0 |
| St. Louis Correctional Facility | mental_health | 12.0 |
| LI - Gratiot County | mental_health | 12.0 |
| CF - St. Louis | dental | 12.0 |
| Family Medical Care Ithaca | mental_health | 10.0 |
| Sparrow Medical Group- Ithaca | mental_health | 10.0 |
| CF - St. Louis | primary_care | 6.0 |
Heavy-burden reading for Gratiot County
Dental care carries Gratiot County's deepest shortage reading, 17.0 on HRSA's 0–26 dental scale, past the 17-point line HRSA uses to open National Health Service Corps placement and enhanced Medicare reimbursement. Primary care reads 15.0 of 25; Mental health reads 16.0 of 25. The county also sits inside a Medically Underserved Area, indexed at 61.1, and the lower the index, the greater the measured need.
Volume places Gratiot County above 96% of real US counties (24 active designations: 8 primary care, 8 mental health, 8 dental). Peak severity on the current designated set is 17.0. 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.
Gratiot County falls in the upper quarter of MI counties by active-designation volume, at rank 6 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.
Acting on Gratiot County's high-priority dental care
Gratiot County's shortage designations unlock specific federal programs and comparisons, here is how to act on them.
- Gratiot County's high-priority dental care designations are where NHSC placement geography concentrates, estimate the award and service terms. NHSC estimator
- See how the county's dental care burden compares with the rest of MI before drawing conclusions from a single score. MI 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 With a Similar Dental Shortage Score
Other U.S. counties whose active HRSA dental HPSA score is closest to Gratiot County's 17.0. This compares the designation score only, not local appointment availability or care quality. Start with Rockingham County, NC and Putnam County, TN.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Gratiot County a Medically Underserved Area?
Yes, Gratiot County is designated as a Medically Underserved Area (MUA) by HRSA. The MUA Index for this county is 61.1. MUA designation qualifies the area for enhanced federal funding and provider incentive programs.
How many healthcare shortage areas does Gratiot County have?
Gratiot County, MI has 24 Health Professional Shortage Area designations: 8 in primary care, 8 in mental health, and 8 in dental care, according to HRSA data.
What does Gratiot County's HPSA score of 17.0 mean?
17.0 in dental care 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 Gratiot County?
Based on HRSA shortage designations, Gratiot 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 Gratiot County's designations unlock?
Gratiot County's 24 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 Gratiot County compare to other counties in MI?
Gratiot County has 24 total HPSA designations with a peak shortage score of 17.0. You can compare shortage levels across all counties in MI on the state overview page, or view national county rankings to see where Gratiot County stands relative to the rest of the country. Score-nearest counties on this release include Rockingham County, NC and Putnam County, TN.
Next read: Dental Shortage in America · MI state overview · NHSC loan repayment
Source: HRSA Data Warehouse. FIPS: 26057. 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.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
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 26057 (Gratiot 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.