Medically Underserved Area Two high-priority disciplines

PA · Healthcare shortage profile

Westmoreland County, PA

Home to 354,663 residents, with 3 active HRSA shortage designations.

Active HPSAs
3
Population
354,663
Peak shortage score
21.0
MUA Index
57.0

Light-burden verdict

According to current HRSA Data Warehouse records, Westmoreland 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
Dental shortages
21
Peak severity score (of 26)
Top 80%
US counties by volume

Key findings

What the HRSA Data Warehouse does not surface for Westmoreland County, PA 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.

  1. 33.3% of Westmoreland 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).

  2. Peak HPSA score 21.0 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.

Westmoreland 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

0–20: 3,115 real US counties (95%). This entry sits in this band. 20–40: 128 real US counties (4%). Above this entry. 40–60: 32 real US counties (1%). Above this entry. 60–80: 7 real US counties (0%). Above this entry. 80–100: 2 real US counties (0%). Above this entry. 100–120: 1 real US counties (0%). Above this entry. 120–140: 2 real US counties (0%). Above this entry. 140–160: 1 real US counties (0%). Above this entry. 160–180: 0 real US counties (0%). Above this entry. 180–200: 0 real US counties (0%). Above this entry. 200–220: 0 real US counties (0%). Above this entry. 220–240: 0 real US counties (0%). Above this entry. 240–260: 0 real US counties (0%). Above this entry. 260–280: 1 real US counties (0%). Above this entry. This county 0 280 every real US county, bucketed by value

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. Westmoreland County falls in the lower half of PA counties by active-designation volume, at rank 37 of 67. Ties share a rank; the comparison uses the same current designated records as the national chart.

Healthcare shortage designations from HRSA. FIPS: 42129. Population: 354,663.

Medically Underserved Area

MUA Designated
MUA Index: 57.0

Active HPSA scores

Primary Care 17.0
Mental Health 8.0
Dental 21.0

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 3 active (designated) HPSAs in Westmoreland County, ranked by HRSA shortage score.

Name Type Score
Community Health Clinic Inc dental 21.0
Community Health Clinic Inc primary_care 17.0
Community Health Clinic Inc mental_health 8.0

Light-burden reading for Westmoreland County

Dental care carries Westmoreland County's deepest shortage reading, 21.0 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 17.0 of 25; Mental health reads 8.0 of 25. The county also sits inside a Medically Underserved Area, indexed at 57.0, and the lower the index, the greater the measured need.

Westmoreland 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.

Westmoreland County falls in the lower half of PA counties by active-designation volume, at rank 37 of 67. Read the active scores and the deepest-care guide link below before collapsing this county into a "no shortage" story.

Source: HRSA Data Warehouse, Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSA) + Medically Underserved Areas/Populations (MUA/P) HPSA primary-care, mental-health, and dental designations for Westmoreland County, PA · 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 Westmoreland County's designations

Westmoreland County's shortage designations unlock specific federal programs and comparisons, here is how to act on them.

  • Westmoreland County's 3 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 PA before you draw conclusions from a single score. PA 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.

Nationwide counties with similar HRSA profiles

Two peer sets for Westmoreland County: active designation volume and primary-care HPSA score, ranked across the national county corpus.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Westmoreland County a Medically Underserved Area?

Yes, Westmoreland County is designated as a Medically Underserved Area (MUA) by HRSA. The MUA Index for this county is 57.0. MUA designation qualifies the area for enhanced federal funding and provider incentive programs.

How many healthcare shortage areas does Westmoreland County have?

Westmoreland County, PA has 3 Health Professional Shortage Area designations: 1 in primary care, 1 in mental health, and 1 in dental care, according to HRSA data.

What does Westmoreland County's HPSA score of 21.0 mean?

21.0 in dental care 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: 42129. 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.