MN · Healthcare shortage profile
Wright County, MN
Home to 141,337 residents, with 2 active HRSA shortage designations.
- Active HPSAs
- 2
- Population
- 141,337
- Peak shortage score
- 19.0
- MUA Index
- 59.8
Light-burden verdict
According to current HRSA Data Warehouse records, Wright County carries a comparatively light shortage burden - 2 active HPSA designations, more than 10% of the 3,289 real US counties, with mental health the deepest gap.
- 2
- Active HPSA designations
- 1
- Mental-health shortages
- 19
- Peak severity score (of 26)
- Top 90%
- US counties by volume
Key findings
What the HRSA Data Warehouse does not surface for Wright 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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50% of Wright County's 2 active designations are mental health.
Discipline mix from designated HPSA records only: 0 primary care, 1 mental health, 1 dental (denominator 2).
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Closing Wright County's active designations would take about 19 additional clinician FTEs, with mental health the largest gap.
HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id (no double-count across status rows): 19 mental health. This is the federal gap estimate, not a headcount of practising clinicians.
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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.
Wright County vs. every real US county
Total active HPSA designations, including counties with none
2 Top 90% higher than 10% 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. Wright County falls in the lower half of MN counties by active-designation volume, at rank 74 of 85. Ties share a rank; the comparison uses the same current designated records as the national chart.
Healthcare shortage designations from HRSA. FIPS: 27171. Population: 141,337.
Medically Underserved Area
Active HPSA 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 2 active (designated) HPSAs in Wright County, ranked by HRSA shortage score.
| Name | Type | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Southwest Central Region Mhca | mental_health | 19.0 |
| Community Dental Care - Buffalo | dental | 15.0 |
Light-burden reading for Wright County
Wright County's severest measured gap is in mental health, scored 19.0 of 25, past the 17-point line HRSA uses to open National Health Service Corps placement and enhanced Medicare reimbursement. Dental care reads 15.0 of 26. The county also sits inside a Medically Underserved Area, indexed at 59.8, and the lower the index, the greater the measured need.
Wright County carries 2 active designations and sits below the national mid-pack (above 10% of counties). A light footprint still matters: a single high-score dental or mental-health record can open program geography even when the county total looks small next to heavy peers.
Wright County falls in the lower half of MN counties by active-designation volume, at rank 74 of 85. Read the active scores and the deepest-care guide link below before collapsing this county into a "no shortage" story.
Acting on Wright County's high-priority mental health
Wright County's shortage designations unlock specific federal programs and comparisons, here is how to act on them.
- Wright 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.
Nationwide counties with similar HRSA profiles
Two peer sets for Wright County: active designation volume and primary-care HPSA score, ranked across the national county corpus.
Similar designation volume
Nearest active designation count (2 here).
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Wright County a Medically Underserved Area?
Yes, Wright County is designated as a Medically Underserved Area (MUA) by HRSA. The MUA Index for this county is 59.8. MUA designation qualifies the area for enhanced federal funding and provider incentive programs.
How many healthcare shortage areas does Wright County have?
Wright County, MN has 2 Health Professional Shortage Area designations: 0 in primary care, 1 in mental health, and 1 in dental care, according to HRSA data.
What does Wright County's HPSA score of 19.0 mean?
19.0 in mental health clears 17, HRSA's high-priority line, which is what makes providers here eligible for NHSC placement and enhanced reimbursement.
Source: HRSA Data Warehouse. FIPS: 27171. This county’s designations come from 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.