Medically Underserved Area High-priority · mental health only

TX · Healthcare shortage profile

Houston County, TX

Peak severity leads this reading: Houston County's highest active HPSA score is 19.0, clearing HRSA's 17-point high-priority line. Population 22,066.

Active HPSAs
3
Population
22,066
Peak shortage score
19.0
MUA Index
50.0
TX state overview → About this data

Light-burden verdict

According to current HRSA Data Warehouse records, Houston 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
Mental-health shortages
19
Peak severity score (of 26)
Top 80%
US counties by volume

Few Census ZCTAs touch Houston County

The Census ZCTA-county crosswalk lists only 8 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas intersecting Houston County, a sparse footprint relative to most US counties in this mirror (at or below the 9-ZIP tercile cut).

Intersecting ZCTA

3 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 Houston County, TX 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. 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.

  2. Closing Houston County's active designations would take about 5.3 additional clinician FTEs, with primary care the largest gap.

    HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id (no double-count across status rows): 2.6 primary care, 1.1 mental health, 1.7 dental. This is the federal gap estimate, not a headcount of practising clinicians.

  3. 33.3% of Houston 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).

Houston 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. Houston County falls in the upper half of TX counties by active-designation volume, at rank 98 of 254. Ties share a rank; the comparison uses the same current designated records as the national chart.

Healthcare shortage designations from HRSA. FIPS: 48225. Population: 22,066.

Medically Underserved Area

MUA Designated
MUA Index: 50.0

Active HPSA scores

Primary Care 13.0
Mental Health 19.0
Dental 12.0

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 Houston County, ranked by HRSA shortage score.

Name Type Score
Houston County mental_health 19.0
Houston County primary_care 13.0
Houston County dental 12.0

Light-burden reading for Houston County

Peak severity leads this reading: Houston County's highest active HPSA score is 19.0, clearing HRSA's 17-point high-priority line. Houston County's severest measured gap is in mental health, scored 19.0 of 25, past the 17-point line HRSA uses to open National Health Service Corps placement and enhanced Medicare reimbursement. Primary care reads 13.0 of 25; Dental care reads 12.0 of 26. The county also sits inside a Medically Underserved Area, indexed at 50.0, and the lower the index, the greater the measured need.

Houston 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.

Houston County falls in the upper half of TX counties by active-designation volume, at rank 98 of 254. 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 Houston County

HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id for Houston County's active designations: about 5.3 FTE, a federal gap estimate, not a headcount of practising clinicians.

Acting on Houston County's high-priority mental health

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

  • Houston 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 TX before drawing conclusions from a single score. TX 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 Houston County's mental score of 19.0

One peer set for this severity-led county: nearest active mental HPSA score to 19.0 (severity lead on this page is “Houston County”).

Etowah County, AL

19.0 mental score · 103,436 pop.

Franklin County, OH

19.0 mental score · 1,323,807 pop.

Douglas County, NE

19.0 mental score · 584,526 pop.

Stark County, OH

19.0 mental score · 374,853 pop.

Canyon County, ID

19.0 mental score · 231,105 pop.

Minnehaha County, SD

19.0 mental score · 197,214 pop.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Houston County's MUA standing sit beside its HPSA records?
Yes - Houston County carries an MUA designation (index 50.0; lower = greater measured need) in addition to its HPSA rows. MUA and HPSA are separate HRSA tracks; both can open different federal pathways.
Which record sets Houston County's peak score of 19.0?
"Houston County" leads the active set (score 19.0; mental health; 4,000 people in the service area; ~1.1 FTE still needed on the record; designated 06/02/2008). Clearing 17 opens NHSC high-priority placement for the matching provider type on the designated geography. Discipline mix across 3 active rows: 1 primary care, 1 mental health, 1 dental.
Which other active designations sit under Houston County's severity reading?
After "Houston County", the next active names on this release are "Houston County", "Houston County" and "Houston County". Provider need (id-de-duped) totals ~5.3 FTE across disciplines that still carry a gap.

Source: HRSA Data Warehouse. FIPS: 48225. 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.

HRSA Data Warehouse HPSA + MUA/P records for FIPS 48225 (Houston County, TX), vintage 2026-08-15. Active designation count 3; peak score 19.0; signature peak score 19.0. This profile is reference material, not professional advice; see methodology.