MN · Healthcare shortage profile
Scott County, MN
Peak severity leads this reading: Scott County's highest active HPSA score is 19.0, clearing HRSA's 17-point high-priority line. Population 150,928.
- Active HPSAs
- 4
- Population
- 150,928
- Peak shortage score
- 19.0
- MUA Index
- -
Mid-burden verdict
According to current HRSA Data Warehouse records, Scott 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
- 1
- Dental shortages
- 19
- Peak severity score (of 26)
- Top 56%
- US counties by volume
Based on HRSA primary/mental/dental shortage severity, Medically Underserved Area status, and estimated unmet provider need -- not patient outcomes, insurance access, facility quality, or wait times.
Key findings
What the HRSA Data Warehouse does not surface for Scott 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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Peak HPSA score 19.0 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 Scott County's active designations would take about 0.2 additional clinician FTEs, with mental health the largest gap.
HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id (no double-count across status rows): 0.2 mental health. This is the federal gap estimate, not a headcount of practising clinicians.
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50% of Scott County's 4 active designations are mental health.
Discipline mix from designated HPSA records only: 1 primary care, 2 mental health, 1 dental (denominator 4).
Scott County's mid-pack ZIP footprint
10 Census ZCTAs intersect Scott County, between the 9 and 15 ZIP cuts across published counties: neither a postage-stamp footprint nor a metro-scale lattice.
Largest land-share ZCTAs
2 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.
Scott 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. Scott 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: 27139. Population: 150,928.
Active HPSA scores
Current designated records only. No Medically Underserved Area designation covers Scott 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 4 active (designated) HPSAs in Scott County, ranked by HRSA shortage score.
| Name | Type | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Prior Lake Health Station | dental | 19.0 |
| Prior Lake Health Station | primary_care | 18.0 |
| Prior Lake Health Station | mental_health | 15.0 |
| Minnesota Correctional Facility/Shakopee | mental_health | 6.0 |
Moderate-burden reading for Scott County
Peak severity leads this reading: Scott County's highest active HPSA score is 19.0, clearing HRSA's 17-point high-priority line. Dental care carries Scott County's deepest shortage reading, 19.0 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 18.0 of 25; Mental health reads 15.0 of 25. No Medically Underserved Area designation covers Scott County, so federal support here runs through the HPSA route alone.
Scott 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 (1/2/1) before assuming every care category is equally short.
Scott 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.
Scott County designations by care type
Active Health Professional Shortage Area designations in the county, by provider category (high-priority disciplines emphasized).
- Primary care
Primary care
1 designations
- Dental
Dental
1 designations
Source: HRSA Data Warehouse, Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSA) + Medically Underserved Areas/Populations (MUA/P) HPSA primary-care, mental-health, and dental designations for Scott County, MN · 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 Scott County's designations
Scott County's shortage designations unlock specific federal programs and comparisons, here is how to act on them.
- Scott County's 4 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 mental health burden compares with the rest of MN before you draw conclusions from a single score. MN 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.
Nearby dental score peers
Closest U.S. counties on active dental HPSA score to Scott County's 19.0. Open Cobb County, GA or Dauphin County, PA next.
Showing 3 of 2744 counties nationally with an active designation this severe.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Which record sets Scott County's peak score of 19.0?
- "PRIOR LAKE HEALTH STATION" leads the active set (score 19.0; dental; 20,905 people in the service area; designated 10/26/2002). Clearing 17 opens NHSC high-priority placement for the matching provider type on the designated geography. Discipline mix across 4 active rows: 1 primary care, 2 mental health, 1 dental.
- Why is Scott County not listed as a Medically Underserved Area?
- Scott County has no MUA designation on this release. Federal shortage support here runs through the active HPSA record set alone.
- Which other active designations sit under Scott County's severity reading?
- After "PRIOR LAKE HEALTH STATION", the next active names on this release are "PRIOR LAKE HEALTH STATION" and "Minnesota Correctional Facility/Shakopee". Provider need (id-de-duped) totals ~0.2 FTE across disciplines that still carry a gap.
- Which federal pathways follow Scott County's high-severity geography?
- Scott County's 4 active designations can open NHSC placement, CHC grants, Medicare bonus and J-1 waivers, eligibility follows the designated area and provider type, not merely the county line around "PRIOR LAKE HEALTH STATION".
Source: HRSA Data Warehouse. FIPS: 27139. 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 27139 (Scott County, MN), vintage 2026-08-15. Active designation count 4; peak score 19.0; signature peak score 19.0. This profile is reference material, not professional advice; see methodology.