SC · Healthcare shortage profile
Clarendon County, SC
Home to 31,144 residents, with 6 active HRSA shortage designations.
- Active HPSAs
- 6
- Population
- 31,144
- Peak shortage score
- 21.0
- MUA Index
- 59.5
Mid-burden verdict
According to current HRSA Data Warehouse records, Clarendon 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
- Dental shortages
- 21
- Peak severity score (of 26)
- Top 46%
- US counties by volume
Key findings
What the HRSA Data Warehouse does not surface for Clarendon County, SC 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 Clarendon County's 6 active designations are primary care.
Discipline mix from designated HPSA records only: 2 primary care, 2 mental health, 2 dental (denominator 6).
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Closing Clarendon County's active designations would take about 19 additional clinician FTEs, with mental health the largest gap.
HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id (no double-count across status rows): 2 primary care, 11 mental health, 5.9 dental. This is the federal gap estimate, not a headcount of practising clinicians.
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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.
Clarendon County vs. every real US county
Total active HPSA designations, including counties with none
6 Top 46% higher than 54% 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. Clarendon County falls in the upper half of SC counties by active-designation volume, at rank 18 of 46. Ties share a rank; the comparison uses the same current designated records as the national chart.
Healthcare shortage designations from HRSA. FIPS: 45027. Population: 31,144.
Single high-priority discipline
Clarendon County's only high-priority (≥17) footprint is dental care
Current HRSA Data Warehouse rows attribute 2 active dental care designations to Clarendon County , with a peak score of 21.0. Other care categories may still be designated here, but none of them clear HRSA's high-priority score line of 17 on the current release, NHSC and related instruments concentrate on the dental care records.
Medically Underserved Area
Active HPSA 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 6 active (designated) HPSAs in Clarendon County, ranked by HRSA shortage score.
| Name | Type | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Turbeville Correctional Institution | dental | 21.0 |
| LI-Clarendon County | primary_care | 16.0 |
| Clarendon County | dental | 16.0 |
| Turbeville Correctional Institution | mental_health | 15.0 |
| Mhca Santee/Wateree | mental_health | 15.0 |
| Turbeville Correctional Institution | primary_care | 12.0 |
Moderate-burden reading for Clarendon County
Dental care carries Clarendon 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 16.0 of 25; Mental health reads 15.0 of 25. The county also sits inside a Medically Underserved Area, indexed at 59.5, and the lower the index, the greater the measured need.
Clarendon 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.
Clarendon County falls in the upper half of SC counties by active-designation volume, at rank 18 of 46. For moderate counties, the useful move is usually a state peer check plus the score cards above, not a national superlative claim.
Acting on Clarendon County's high-priority dental care
Clarendon County's shortage designations unlock specific federal programs and comparisons, here is how to act on them.
- Clarendon County's high-priority dental care designations are where NHSC placement geography concentrates, estimate the award and service terms. NHSC estimator
- See how the county's dental care burden compares with the rest of SC before drawing conclusions from a single score. SC 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.
Nearby dental score peers
Closest U.S. counties on active dental HPSA score to Clarendon County's 21.0. Open Monterey County, CA or Lorain County, OH next.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Clarendon County a Medically Underserved Area?
Yes, Clarendon County is designated as a Medically Underserved Area (MUA) by HRSA. The MUA Index for this county is 59.5. MUA designation qualifies the area for enhanced federal funding and provider incentive programs.
How many healthcare shortage areas does Clarendon County have?
Clarendon County, SC 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 Clarendon 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.
What healthcare providers are needed in Clarendon County?
Based on HRSA shortage designations, Clarendon 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: Dental Shortage in America · SC state overview · NHSC loan repayment
Source: HRSA Data Warehouse. FIPS: 45027. 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 45027 (Clarendon County, SC) 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.