NC · Healthcare shortage profile
Cherokee County, NC
Home to 28,774 residents, with 12 active HRSA shortage designations.
- Active HPSAs
- 12
- Population
- 28,774
- Peak shortage score
- 19.0
- MUA Index
- 52.5
Heavy-burden verdict
According to current HRSA Data Warehouse records, Cherokee County ranks among the most underserved counties in the country - 12 active HPSA designations, more than 85% of the 3,289 real US counties, with primary care the deepest gap.
- 12
- Active HPSA designations
- 4
- Dental shortages
- 19
- Peak severity score (of 26)
- Top 15%
- US counties by volume
Key findings
What the HRSA Data Warehouse does not surface for Cherokee County, NC on its own pages , computed from the retained designation mirror as of 2026-08-03. Each line carries its own denominator so it can be quoted as it stands.
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33.3% of Cherokee County's 12 active designations are primary care.
Discipline mix from designated HPSA records only: 4 primary care, 4 mental health, 4 dental (denominator 12).
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Closing Cherokee County's active designations would take about 5.1 additional clinician FTEs, with dental the largest gap.
HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id (no double-count across status rows): 1.6 primary care, 0.7 mental health, 2.7 dental. 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.
Cherokee County vs. every real US county
Total active HPSA designations, including counties with none
12 Top 15% higher than 85% 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. Cherokee County falls in the upper quarter of NC counties by active-designation volume, at rank 8 of 100. Ties share a rank; the comparison uses the same current designated records as the national chart.
Healthcare shortage designations from HRSA. FIPS: 37039. Population: 28,774.
Medically Underserved Area
Peak severity 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 12 active (designated) HPSAs in Cherokee County, ranked by HRSA shortage score.
| Name | Type | Score |
|---|---|---|
| The Cherokee County Clinic | dental | 19.0 |
| The Cherokee County Clinic | primary_care | 18.0 |
| Erlanger Andrews Family Practice | mental_health | 16.0 |
| Erlanger Primary Care Peachtree | mental_health | 16.0 |
| LI - Cherokee County | dental | 16.0 |
| LI - Cherokee County | mental_health | 15.0 |
| Erlanger Primary Care Peachtree | dental | 15.0 |
| Erlanger Andrews Family Practice | dental | 15.0 |
| LI - Cherokee County | primary_care | 14.0 |
| Erlanger Primary Care Peachtree | primary_care | 14.0 |
| Erlanger Andrews Family Practice | primary_care | 14.0 |
| The Cherokee County Clinic | mental_health | 13.0 |
Heavy-burden reading for Cherokee County
Dental care carries Cherokee 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 16.0 of 25. The county also sits inside a Medically Underserved Area, indexed at 52.5, and the lower the index, the greater the measured need.
Volume places Cherokee County above 85% of real US counties (12 active designations: 4 primary care, 4 mental health, 4 dental). Peak severity on the current designated set is 19.0. The table on this page lists the highest-severity records first so a reader can see which named facilities, geographies, or population groups drive that burden without treating the county total as a personal appointment forecast.
Cherokee County falls in the upper quarter of NC counties by active-designation volume, at rank 8 of 100. Heavy-burden counties are where NHSC placement, Community Health Center grant geography, and related federal instruments concentrate; eligibility still follows the designated area and provider type, not the county boundary alone.
Cherokee 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
4 designations
- Dental
Dental
4 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 Cherokee County, NC · 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 a heavy-burden county
Cherokee County's shortage designations unlock specific federal programs and comparisons, here is how to act on them.
- Cherokee County's 12 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 NC before you draw conclusions from a single score. NC 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.
Counties With a Similar Dental Shortage Score
Other U.S. counties whose active HRSA dental HPSA score is closest to Cherokee County's 19.0. This compares the designation score only, not local appointment availability or care quality. Start with Escambia County, FL and Kenton County, KY.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cherokee County a Medically Underserved Area?
Yes, Cherokee County is designated as a Medically Underserved Area (MUA) by HRSA. The MUA Index for this county is 52.5. MUA designation qualifies the area for enhanced federal funding and provider incentive programs.
How many healthcare shortage areas does Cherokee County have?
Cherokee County, NC has 12 Health Professional Shortage Area designations: 4 in primary care, 4 in mental health, and 4 in dental care, according to HRSA data.
What does Cherokee County's HPSA score of 19.0 mean?
19.0 in 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 Cherokee County?
Based on HRSA shortage designations, Cherokee 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.
Which federal programs do Cherokee County's designations unlock?
Cherokee County's 12 active designations open NHSC placement, Community Health Center grants, the Medicare bonus and J-1 waivers, but eligibility follows the designated area and provider type, not the county line.
How does Cherokee County compare to other counties in NC?
Cherokee County has 12 total HPSA designations with a peak shortage score of 19.0. You can compare shortage levels across all counties in NC on the state overview page, or view national county rankings to see where Cherokee County stands relative to the rest of the country. Score-nearest counties on this release include Escambia County, FL and Kenton County, KY.
Learn More About Healthcare Shortages
Source: HRSA Data Warehouse. FIPS: 37039. 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 37039 (Cherokee County, NC) 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.