NE · Healthcare shortage profile
Box Butte County, NE
Peak severity leads this reading: Box Butte County's highest active HPSA score is 19.0, clearing HRSA's 17-point high-priority line. Population 10,842.
- Active HPSAs
- 3
- Population
- 10,842
- Peak shortage score
- 19.0
- MUA Index
- -
Light-burden verdict
According to current HRSA Data Warehouse records, Box Butte County carries a comparatively light shortage burden - 3 active HPSA designations, more than 20% of the 3,289 real US counties, with primary care the deepest gap.
- 3
- Active HPSA designations
- 1
- Mental-health shortages
- 19
- Peak severity score (of 26)
- Top 80%
- US counties by volume
Few Census ZCTAs touch Box Butte County
The Census ZCTA-county crosswalk lists only 3 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas intersecting Box Butte County, a sparse footprint relative to most US counties in this mirror (at or below the 9-ZIP tercile cut).
Intersecting ZCTA
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 Box Butte County, NE 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 Box Butte County's active designations would take about 3.8 additional clinician FTEs, with mental health the largest gap.
HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id (no double-count across status rows): 0.3 primary care, 3 mental health, 0.5 dental. This is the federal gap estimate, not a headcount of practising clinicians.
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33.3% of Box Butte County's 3 active designations are primary care.
Discipline mix from designated HPSA records only: 1 primary care, 1 mental health, 1 dental (denominator 3).
Box Butte County vs. every real US county
Total active HPSA designations, including counties with none
3 Top 80% higher than 20% 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. Box Butte County falls in the lower half of NE counties by active-designation volume, at rank 51 of 92. Ties share a rank; the comparison uses the same current designated records as the national chart.
Healthcare shortage designations from HRSA. FIPS: 31013. Population: 10,842.
Active HPSA scores
Current designated records only. No Medically Underserved Area designation covers Box Butte 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 3 active (designated) HPSAs in Box Butte County, ranked by HRSA shortage score.
| Name | Type | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Region 1 MH Catchment Area | mental_health | 19.0 |
| LI - Box Butte County | dental | 13.0 |
| LI - Dawes/Box Butte | primary_care | 10.0 |
Light-burden reading for Box Butte County
Peak severity leads this reading: Box Butte County's highest active HPSA score is 19.0, clearing HRSA's 17-point high-priority line. Box Butte 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. Primary care reads 10.0 of 25; Dental care reads 13.0 of 26. No Medically Underserved Area designation covers Box Butte County, so federal support here runs through the HPSA route alone.
Box Butte County carries 3 active designations and sits below the national mid-pack (above 20% 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.
Box Butte County falls in the lower half of NE counties by active-designation volume, at rank 51 of 92. Read the active scores and the deepest-care guide link below before collapsing this county into a "no shortage" story.
Light-volume FTE gap for Box Butte County
HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id for Box Butte County's active designations: about 3.8 FTE, a federal gap estimate, not a headcount of practising clinicians.
Acting on Box Butte County's high-priority mental health
Box Butte County's shortage designations unlock specific federal programs and comparisons, here is how to act on them.
- Box Butte 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 NE before drawing conclusions from a single score. NE 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 near Box Butte County's mental score of 19.0
One peer set for this severity-led county: nearest active mental HPSA score to 19.0 (severity lead on this page is “Region 1 MH Catchment Area”).
Etowah County, AL
19.0 mental score · 103,436 pop.
Franklin County, OH
19.0 mental score · 1,323,807 pop.
Douglas County, NE
19.0 mental score · 584,526 pop.
Stark County, OH
19.0 mental score · 374,853 pop.
Canyon County, ID
19.0 mental score · 231,105 pop.
Minnehaha County, SD
19.0 mental score · 197,214 pop.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Which record sets Box Butte County's peak score of 19.0?
- "Region 1 MH Catchment Area" leads the active set (score 19.0; mental health; 30,000 people in the service area; ~3 FTE still needed on the record; designated 07/21/1978). Clearing 17 opens NHSC high-priority placement for the matching provider type on the designated geography. Discipline mix across 3 active rows: 1 primary care, 1 mental health, 1 dental.
- Why is Box Butte County not listed as a Medically Underserved Area?
- Box Butte 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 Box Butte County's severity reading?
- After "Region 1 MH Catchment Area", the next active names on this release are "Region 1 MH Catchment Area", "LI - Box Butte County" and "LI - Dawes/Box Butte". Provider need (id-de-duped) totals ~3.8 FTE across disciplines that still carry a gap.
Source: HRSA Data Warehouse. FIPS: 31013. 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 31013 (Box Butte County, NE), vintage 2026-08-15. Active designation count 3; peak score 19.0; signature peak score 19.0. This profile is reference material, not professional advice; see methodology.