MN · Healthcare shortage profile
Nicollet County, MN
Home to 34,454 residents, with 4 active HRSA shortage designations.
- Active HPSAs
- 4
- Population
- 34,454
- Peak shortage score
- 18.0
- MUA Index
- 60.6
Mid-burden verdict
According to current HRSA Data Warehouse records, Nicollet County holds a moderate federal shortage burden - 4 active HPSA designations, more than 44% of the 3,289 real US counties, with mental health the deepest gap.
- 4
- Active HPSA designations
- 4
- Mental-health shortages
- 18
- Peak severity score (of 26)
- Top 56%
- US counties by volume
Key findings
What the HRSA Data Warehouse does not surface for Nicollet County, MN 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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100% of Nicollet County's 4 active designations are mental health.
Discipline mix from designated HPSA records only: 0 primary care, 4 mental health, 0 dental (denominator 4).
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Closing Nicollet County's active designations would take about 11 additional clinician FTEs, with mental health the largest gap.
HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id (no double-count across status rows): 11 mental health. This is the federal gap estimate, not a headcount of practising clinicians.
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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.
Nicollet County vs. every real US county
Total active HPSA designations, including counties with none
4 Top 56% higher than 44% 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. Nicollet County falls in the lower half of MN counties by active-designation volume, at rank 46 of 85. Ties share a rank; the comparison uses the same current designated records as the national chart.
Healthcare shortage designations from HRSA. FIPS: 27103. Population: 34,454.
Single-discipline footprint
Nicollet County's active designations are all in mental health
Current HRSA Data Warehouse rows attribute 4 active mental health designations to Nicollet County , with a peak score of 18.0. The other two HRSA care categories carry no active designation on this FIPS, so the rest of this page reads the mental health file rather than a three-way shortage mix.
Medically Underserved Area
Active HPSA scores
Current designated records only · mental health only on this FIPS. Scores range 0–25 (primary/mental health), 0–26 (dental). Higher = greater need. What counts as a high score?
Highest-severity HPSA designations
All 4 active (designated) HPSAs in Nicollet County, ranked by HRSA shortage score.
| Name | Type | Score |
|---|---|---|
| South Central Region | mental_health | 18.0 |
| St. Peter/MSOP | mental_health | 16.0 |
| St. Peter Hospital | mental_health | 12.0 |
| St. Peter Regional Treatment Center | mental_health | 8.0 |
Moderate-burden reading for Nicollet County
Nicollet County's severest measured gap is in mental health, scored 18.0 of 25, past the 17-point line HRSA uses to open National Health Service Corps placement and enhanced Medicare reimbursement. The county also sits inside a Medically Underserved Area, indexed at 60.6, and the lower the index, the greater the measured need.
Nicollet County sits in the middle of the national designation-volume distribution (above 44% of counties) with 4 active records. That is enough for a formal shortage footprint without landing in the heaviest US tier. Compare the three discipline counts (0/4/0) before assuming every care category is equally short.
Nicollet County falls in the lower half of MN counties by active-designation volume, at rank 46 of 85. For moderate counties, the useful move is usually a state peer check plus the score cards above, not a national superlative claim.
Acting on Nicollet County's high-priority mental health
Nicollet County's shortage designations unlock specific federal programs and comparisons, here is how to act on them.
- Nicollet 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 MN before drawing conclusions from a single score. MN 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.
Nearby mental-health score peers
Closest U.S. counties on active mental-health HPSA score to Nicollet County's 18.0. Open Chesterfield County, VA or Warren County, OH next.
Showing 3 of 3083 counties nationally with an active designation this severe.
Nationwide counties with similar HRSA profiles
Two peer sets for Nicollet County: active designation volume and primary-care HPSA score, ranked across the national county corpus.
Similar designation volume
Nearest active designation count (4 here).
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Nicollet County a Medically Underserved Area?
Yes, Nicollet County is designated as a Medically Underserved Area (MUA) by HRSA. The MUA Index for this county is 60.6. MUA designation qualifies the area for enhanced federal funding and provider incentive programs.
How many healthcare shortage areas does Nicollet County have?
Nicollet County, MN has 4 Health Professional Shortage Area designations: 0 in primary care, 4 in mental health, and 0 in dental care, according to HRSA data.
What does Nicollet County's HPSA score of 18.0 mean?
18.0 in mental health 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 Nicollet County?
Based on HRSA shortage designations, Nicollet County needs additional providers in mental health (psychiatrists, psychologists, clinical social workers). The National Health Service Corps offers loan repayment and scholarship programs for providers who serve in designated shortage areas.
Source: HRSA Data Warehouse. FIPS: 27103. 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.