NM · Healthcare shortage profile
Sierra County, NM
Home to 11,576 residents, with 6 active HRSA shortage designations.
- Active HPSAs
- 6
- Population
- 11,576
- Peak shortage score
- 19.0
- MUA Index
- 18.1
Mid-burden verdict
According to current HRSA Data Warehouse records, Sierra County holds a moderate federal shortage burden - 6 active HPSA designations, more than 54% of the 3,289 real US counties, with primary care the deepest gap.
- 6
- Active HPSA designations
- 2
- Primary-care shortages
- 19
- Peak severity score (of 26)
- Top 46%
- US counties by volume
Corpus placement
Active-designation volume placement
According to current HRSA Data Warehouse records, Sierra County carries 6 active designations, above 54% of real US counties. Use the state peer line below before treating the national percentile as a local access verdict.
State peer position. Sierra County falls in the upper half of NM counties by active-designation volume, at rank 12 of 32. Ties share a rank.
Computed from current designated HPSA rows for every five-digit county FIPS. See the placement methodology.
Healthcare shortage designations from HRSA. FIPS: 35051. Population: 11,576.
Medically Underserved Area
Active HPSA scores
Current designated records only. Scores range 0–25 (primary/mental health), 0–26 (dental). Higher = greater need.
Highest-severity HPSA designations
All 6 active (designated) HPSAs in Sierra County, ranked by HRSA shortage score.
| Name | Type | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Sierra Vista Community Health Center | primary_care | 19.0 |
| Sierra Vista Community Health Center | dental | 19.0 |
| Sierra Vista Community Health Center | mental_health | 18.0 |
| South Central Catchment Area | mental_health | 13.0 |
| Sierra County | dental | 11.0 |
| Sierra County | primary_care | 10.0 |
Moderate-burden reading for Sierra County
Sierra County's shortage runs equally deep in primary care and dental care: both scored 19.0 by HRSA, past the 17-point line HRSA uses to open National Health Service Corps placement and enhanced Medicare reimbursement. Mental health reads 18.0 of 25. The county also sits inside a Medically Underserved Area, indexed at 18.1, and the lower the index, the greater the measured need.
Sierra County sits in the middle of the national designation-volume distribution (above 54% of counties) with 6 active records. That is enough for a formal shortage footprint without landing in the heaviest US tier. Compare the three discipline counts (2/2/2) before assuming every care category is equally short.
Sierra County falls in the upper half of NM counties by active-designation volume, at rank 12 of 32. For moderate counties, the useful move is usually a state peer check plus the score cards above, not a national superlative claim.
Sierra 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
2 designations
- Mental health
Mental health
2 designations
- Dental
Dental
2 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 Sierra County, NM · 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 Sierra County's designations
Sierra County's shortage designations unlock specific federal programs and comparisons, here is how to act on them.
- Sierra County's 6 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 primary care burden compares with the rest of NM before you draw conclusions from a single score. NM 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 ratio checker
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 primary-care score peers
Closest U.S. counties on active primary-care HPSA score to Sierra County's 19.0.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sierra County a Medically Underserved Area?
Yes, Sierra County is designated as a Medically Underserved Area (MUA) by HRSA. The MUA Index for this county is 18.1. MUA designation qualifies the area for enhanced federal funding and provider incentive programs.
How many healthcare shortage areas does Sierra County have?
Sierra County, NM has 6 Health Professional Shortage Area designations: 2 in primary care, 2 in mental health, and 2 in dental care, according to HRSA data.
What does Sierra County's HPSA score of 19.0 mean?
19.0 in primary care and 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 Sierra County?
Based on HRSA shortage designations, Sierra 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.
Next read: The Primary-Care Shortage · NM state overview · NHSC loan repayment
Source: HRSA Data Warehouse. FIPS: 35051. 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 35051 (Sierra County, NM) 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 2026-08-03.