OH · Healthcare shortage profile
Mercer County, OH
Peak severity leads this reading: Mercer County's highest active HPSA score is 17.0, clearing HRSA's 17-point high-priority line. Population 42,528.
- Active HPSAs
- 2
- Population
- 42,528
- Peak shortage score
- 17.0
- MUA Index
- -
Light-burden verdict
According to current HRSA Data Warehouse records, Mercer County carries a comparatively light shortage burden - 2 active HPSA designations, more than 10% of the 3,289 real US counties, with primary care the deepest gap.
- 2
- Active HPSA designations
- 1
- Mental-health shortages
- 17
- Peak severity score (of 26)
- Top 90%
- 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.
Dense ZCTA lattice over Mercer County
Mercer County intersects 18 Census ZCTAs, above the 15-ZIP dense-tercile cut. Shortage designations still attach at the county (or smaller HPSA) grain; the ZIP list is geography, not a second severity score.
Largest land-share ZCTAs in this county
6 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.
Key findings
What the HRSA Data Warehouse does not surface for Mercer County, OH 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.
-
Peak HPSA score 17.0 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 Mercer County's active designations would take about 6 additional clinician FTEs, with mental health the largest gap.
HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id (no double-count across status rows): 1.2 primary care, 4.8 mental health. This is the federal gap estimate, not a headcount of practising clinicians.
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50% of Mercer County's 2 active designations are primary care.
Discipline mix from designated HPSA records only: 1 primary care, 1 mental health, 0 dental (denominator 2).
Mercer 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. Mercer County falls in the lower half of OH counties by active-designation volume, at rank 68 of 88. Ties share a rank; the comparison uses the same current designated records as the national chart.
Healthcare shortage designations from HRSA. FIPS: 39107. Population: 42,528.
Active HPSA scores
Current designated records only. No Medically Underserved Area designation covers Mercer 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 2 active (designated) HPSAs in Mercer County, ranked by HRSA shortage score.
| Name | Type | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Mhca 61 | mental_health | 17.0 |
| LI-Mercer County | primary_care | 7.0 |
Light-burden reading for Mercer County
Peak severity leads this reading: Mercer County's highest active HPSA score is 17.0, clearing HRSA's 17-point high-priority line. Mercer County's severest measured gap is in mental health, scored 17.0 of 25, past the 17-point line HRSA uses to open National Health Service Corps placement and enhanced Medicare reimbursement. Primary care reads 7.0 of 25. No Medically Underserved Area designation covers Mercer County, so federal support here runs through the HPSA route alone.
Mercer 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.
Mercer County falls in the lower half of OH counties by active-designation volume, at rank 68 of 88. 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 Mercer County
HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id for Mercer County's active designations: about 6 FTE, a federal gap estimate, not a headcount of practising clinicians.
Acting on Mercer County's high-priority mental health
Mercer County's shortage designations unlock specific federal programs and comparisons, here is how to act on them.
- Mercer 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 OH before drawing conclusions from a single score. OH 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 Mercer County's mental score of 17.0
One peer set for this severity-led county: nearest active mental HPSA score to 17.0 (severity lead on this page is “MHCA 61”).
Thurston County, WA
17.0 mental score · 294,793 pop.
Boone County, MO
17.0 mental score · 183,610 pop.
Hampton City County, VA
17.0 mental score · 137,148 pop.
Cowlitz County, WA
17.0 mental score · 110,730 pop.
Cleveland County, NC
17.0 mental score · 99,519 pop.
Cape May County, NJ
17.0 mental score · 95,263 pop.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Which record sets Mercer County's peak score of 17.0?
- "MHCA 61" leads the active set (score 17.0; mental health; 21,500 people in the service area; ~4.8 FTE still needed on the record; designated 01/04/2008). Clearing 17 opens NHSC high-priority placement for the matching provider type on the designated geography. Discipline mix across 2 active rows: 1 primary care, 1 mental health, 0 dental.
- Why is Mercer County not listed as a Medically Underserved Area?
- Mercer 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 Mercer County's severity reading?
- After "MHCA 61", the next active names on this release are "MHCA 61" and "LI-Mercer County". Provider need (id-de-duped) totals ~6 FTE across disciplines that still carry a gap.
Source: HRSA Data Warehouse. FIPS: 39107. This county’s designations come from BCD_HPSA_FCT_DET_PC.csv (primary care) and BCD_HPSA_FCT_DET_MH.csv (mental health) — 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 39107 (Mercer County, OH), vintage 2026-08-15. Active designation count 2; peak score 17.0; signature peak score 17.0. This profile is reference material, not professional advice; see methodology.