MI · Healthcare shortage profile
Tuscola County, MI
Home to 53,323 residents, with 27 active HRSA shortage designations.
- Active HPSAs
- 27
- Population
- 53,323
- Peak shortage score
- 17.0
- MUA Index
- -
Heavy-burden verdict
According to current HRSA Data Warehouse records, Tuscola County ranks among the most underserved counties in the country - 27 active HPSA designations, more than 97% of the 3,289 real US counties, with primary care the deepest gap.
- 27
- Active HPSA designations
- 9
- Dental shortages
- 17
- Peak severity score (of 26)
- Top 3%
- US counties by volume
Key findings
What the HRSA Data Warehouse does not surface for Tuscola 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.
-
33.3% of Tuscola County's 27 active designations are primary care.
Discipline mix from designated HPSA records only: 9 primary care, 9 mental health, 9 dental (denominator 27).
-
Closing Tuscola County's active designations would take about 7.9 additional clinician FTEs, with dental the largest gap.
HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id (no double-count across status rows): 2.4 primary care, 1.5 mental health, 4.1 dental. This is the federal gap estimate, not a headcount of practising clinicians.
-
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.
Tuscola County vs. every real US county
Total active HPSA designations, including counties with none
27 Top 3% higher than 97% 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. Tuscola County falls in the upper quarter of MI counties by active-designation volume, at rank 4 of 83. Ties share a rank; the comparison uses the same current designated records as the national chart.
Healthcare shortage designations from HRSA. FIPS: 26157. Population: 53,323.
Single high-priority discipline
Tuscola County's only high-priority (≥17) footprint is dental care
Current HRSA Data Warehouse rows attribute 9 active dental care designations to Tuscola 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.
Peak severity scores
Current designated records only. No Medically Underserved Area designation covers Tuscola 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 27 active (designated) HPSAs in Tuscola County, ranked by HRSA shortage score.
| Name | Type | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Millwood Street Primary Care | dental | 17.0 |
| Mayville Family Healthcare | mental_health | 16.0 |
| Family Healthcare OF Cass City | dental | 15.0 |
| Cass City Family Practice | dental | 15.0 |
| Thumb Pediatrics | dental | 15.0 |
| Cass City Medical Practice | dental | 15.0 |
| Kingston Family Practice | dental | 15.0 |
| Mayville Family Healthcare | dental | 15.0 |
| LI-Tuscola County | dental | 15.0 |
| Kingston Family Healthcare | dental | 15.0 |
| Cass City Medical Practice | primary_care | 14.0 |
| Thumb Pediatrics | primary_care | 14.0 |
| Family Healthcare OF Cass City | primary_care | 14.0 |
| Cass City Family Practice | primary_care | 14.0 |
| Millwood Street Primary Care | primary_care | 14.0 |
| Kingston Family Practice | primary_care | 14.0 |
| Kingston Family Healthcare | primary_care | 14.0 |
| Mayville Family Healthcare | primary_care | 14.0 |
| Kingston Family Practice | mental_health | 14.0 |
| Millwood Street Primary Care | mental_health | 14.0 |
| Kingston Family Healthcare | mental_health | 14.0 |
| Thumb Pediatrics | mental_health | 12.0 |
| Cass City Medical Practice | mental_health | 12.0 |
| Family Healthcare OF Cass City | mental_health | 12.0 |
| Cass City Family Practice | mental_health | 12.0 |
| Tuscola County | mental_health | 12.0 |
| LI - Tuscola County | primary_care | 11.0 |
Heavy-burden reading for Tuscola County
Dental care carries Tuscola 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 14.0 of 25; Mental health reads 16.0 of 25. No Medically Underserved Area designation covers Tuscola County, so federal support here runs through the HPSA route alone.
Volume places Tuscola County above 97% of real US counties (27 active designations: 9 primary care, 9 mental health, 9 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.
Tuscola County falls in the upper quarter of MI counties by active-designation volume, at rank 4 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 Tuscola County's high-priority dental care
Tuscola County's shortage designations unlock specific federal programs and comparisons, here is how to act on them.
- Tuscola 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 Tuscola County's 17.0. This compares the designation score only, not local appointment availability or care quality. Start with Twin Falls County, ID and Chelan County, WA.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many healthcare shortage areas does Tuscola County have?
Tuscola County, MI has 27 Health Professional Shortage Area designations: 9 in primary care, 9 in mental health, and 9 in dental care, according to HRSA data.
Is Tuscola County a Medically Underserved Area?
Tuscola 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 Tuscola 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 Tuscola County?
Based on HRSA shortage designations, Tuscola 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 Tuscola County's designations unlock?
Tuscola County's 27 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 Tuscola County compare to other counties in MI?
Tuscola County has 27 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 Tuscola County stands relative to the rest of the country. Score-nearest counties on this release include Twin Falls County, ID and Chelan County, WA.
Next read: Dental Shortage in America · MI state overview · NHSC loan repayment
Source: HRSA Data Warehouse. FIPS: 26157. 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 26157 (Tuscola 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.