MI · Healthcare shortage profile
Houghton County, MI
Designation volume is the standout signal for Houghton County: 12 active HPSA records, above 85% of real US counties. Population 37,361.
- Active HPSAs
- 12
- Population
- 37,361
- Peak shortage score
- 18.0
- MUA Index
- 56.0
Heavy-burden verdict
According to current HRSA Data Warehouse records, Houghton 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
- 18
- Peak severity score (of 26)
- Top 15%
- US counties by volume
Dense ZCTA lattice over Houghton County
Houghton County intersects 20 Census ZCTAs, above the 15-ZIP dense-tercile cut. Shortage designations still attach at the county (or smaller HPSA) grain; the ZIP list is geography, not a second severity score.
Largest land-share ZCTAs in this county
8 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 Houghton 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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Peak HPSA score 18.0 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 Houghton County's active designations would take about 6.4 additional clinician FTEs, with mental health the largest gap.
HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id (no double-count across status rows): 1.9 primary care, 2.4 mental health, 2.1 dental. This is the federal gap estimate, not a headcount of practising clinicians.
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33.3% of Houghton 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).
Houghton County vs. every real US county
Total active HPSA designations, including counties with none
12 Top 15% higher than 85% 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. Houghton County falls in the upper quarter of MI counties by active-designation volume, at rank 19 of 83. Ties share a rank; the comparison uses the same current designated records as the national chart.
Healthcare shortage designations from HRSA. FIPS: 26061. Population: 37,361.
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 12 active (designated) HPSAs in Houghton County, ranked by HRSA shortage score.
| Name | Type | Score |
|---|---|---|
| LI-Houghton County | dental | 18.0 |
| Aspirus Keweenaw Lake Linden Clinic | mental_health | 17.0 |
| Houghton/Keweenaw Counties | mental_health | 17.0 |
| Keweenaw Memorial Laurium Clinic | mental_health | 17.0 |
| Aspirus Keweenaw Lake Linden Clinic | dental | 17.0 |
| Keweenaw Memorial Laurium Clinic | dental | 17.0 |
| Aspirus Houghton Clinic | mental_health | 16.0 |
| Aspirus Houghton Clinic | dental | 15.0 |
| Aspirus Keweenaw Lake Linden Clinic | primary_care | 14.0 |
| LI-Houghton/Keweenaw Counties | primary_care | 14.0 |
| Keweenaw Memorial Laurium Clinic | primary_care | 14.0 |
| Aspirus Houghton Clinic | primary_care | 14.0 |
Heavy-burden reading for Houghton County
Designation volume is the standout signal for Houghton County: 12 active HPSA records, above 85% of real US counties. Dental care carries Houghton County's deepest shortage reading, 18.0 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 14.0 of 25; Mental health reads 17.0 of 25. The county also sits inside a Medically Underserved Area, indexed at 56.0, and the lower the index, the greater the measured need.
Volume places Houghton 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 18.0. 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.
Houghton 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.
Houghton County designations by care type
Active Health Professional Shortage Area designations in the county, by provider category (high-priority disciplines emphasized).
- Mental health
Mental health
4 designations
- Dental
Dental
4 designations
Heavy-volume FTE gap in Houghton County
HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id for Houghton County's active designations: about 6.4 FTE, 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 Houghton County, MI · 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 a heavy-burden county
Houghton County's shortage designations unlock specific federal programs and comparisons, here is how to act on them.
- Houghton County's 12 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 MI before you draw conclusions from a single score. MI 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.
Counties With a Similar Dental Shortage Score
Other U.S. counties whose active HRSA dental HPSA score is closest to Houghton County's 18.0. This compares the designation score only, not local appointment availability or care quality. Start with Atascosa County, TX and Lawrence County, TN.
Showing 6 of 2744 counties nationally with an active designation this severe.
High-volume peers of Houghton County (12 active)
One peer set for this volume-led county: nearest active designation count to 12 across the national corpus.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Does Houghton County's MUA standing sit beside its HPSA records?
- Yes - Houghton County carries an MUA designation (index 56.0; lower = greater measured need) in addition to its HPSA rows. MUA and HPSA are separate HRSA tracks; both can open different federal pathways.
- What makes up Houghton County's 12 active HPSA designations?
- 12 Designated rows (4 primary care, 4 mental health, 4 dental). Highest-scored name on this release: "LI-Houghton County" (score 18.0; dental; 4,014 people in the service area; ~2.1 FTE still needed on the record; designated 06/08/1995). Also active: "ASPIRUS KEWEENAW LAKE LINDEN CLINIC", "Houghton/Keweenaw Counties", "KEWEENAW MEMORIAL LAURIUM CLINIC". Above 85% of real US counties by volume.
- What does volume-plus-score look like for Houghton County?
- Peak active score 18.0 in dental care clears the 17-point line while volume sits at 12 rows.
- What clinician need sits behind Houghton County's designation volume?
- Closing published gaps would take about 6.4 additional clinician FTEs (id-de-duped providers_needed). "LI-Houghton County" is the severity lead inside that inventory.
- Which federal programs follow Houghton County's designation volume?
- 12 active designations can open NHSC placement, CHC grants, Medicare bonus and J-1 waivers, by designated area and provider type, not by county line alone.
- How does Houghton County's volume compare inside MI?
- 12 active HPSA rows · peak 18.0. Houghton County falls in the upper quarter of MI counties by active-designation volume, at rank 19 of 83. Score-nearest counties on this release include Atascosa County, TX and Lawrence County, TN.
Source: HRSA Data Warehouse. FIPS: 26061. 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.
HRSA Data Warehouse HPSA + MUA/P records for FIPS 26061 (Houghton County, MI), vintage 2026-08-15. Active designation count 12; peak score 18.0; signature 12 active designations. This profile is reference material, not professional advice; see methodology.