VT · Healthcare shortage profile
Franklin County, VT
Home to 49,946 residents, with 6 active HRSA shortage designations.
- Active HPSAs
- 6
- Population
- 49,946
- Peak shortage score
- 20.0
- MUA Index
- -
Mid-burden verdict
According to current HRSA Data Warehouse records, Franklin 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
- 20
- Peak severity score (of 26)
- Top 46%
- US counties by volume
Key findings
What the HRSA Data Warehouse does not surface for Franklin County, VT 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.
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33.3% of Franklin 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).
-
Peak HPSA score 20.0 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.
Franklin 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. Franklin County sits among the top three county rank positions in VT, at rank 2 of 14. Ties share a rank; the comparison uses the same current designated records as the national chart.
Healthcare shortage designations from HRSA. FIPS: 50011. Population: 49,946.
Active HPSA scores
Current designated records only. No Medically Underserved Area designation covers Franklin 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 6 active (designated) HPSAs in Franklin County, ranked by HRSA shortage score.
| Name | Type | Score |
|---|---|---|
| The Richford Health Center, Inc | dental | 20.0 |
| The Richford Health Center, Inc | mental_health | 19.0 |
| Cold Hollow Family Practice | mental_health | 16.0 |
| Cold Hollow Family Practice | dental | 15.0 |
| The Richford Health Center, Inc | primary_care | 8.0 |
| Cold Hollow Family Practice | primary_care | 5.0 |
Moderate-burden reading for Franklin County
Dental care carries Franklin County's deepest shortage reading, 20.0 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 8.0 of 25; Mental health reads 19.0 of 25. No Medically Underserved Area designation covers Franklin County, so federal support here runs through the HPSA route alone.
Franklin 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.
Franklin County sits among the top three county rank positions in VT, at rank 2 of 14. For moderate counties, the useful move is usually a state peer check plus the score cards above, not a national superlative claim.
Franklin County designations by care type
Active Health Professional Shortage Area designations in the county, by provider category (high-priority disciplines emphasized).
- Mental health
Mental health
2 designations
- Dental
Dental
2 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 Franklin County, VT · 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 Franklin County's designations
Franklin County's shortage designations unlock specific federal programs and comparisons, here is how to act on them.
- Franklin County's 6 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 VT before you draw conclusions from a single score. VT 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.
Nearby dental score peers
Closest U.S. counties on active dental HPSA score to Franklin County's 20.0. Open Marion County, OR or Washington County, RI next.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many healthcare shortage areas does Franklin County have?
Franklin County, VT has 6 Health Professional Shortage Area designations: 2 in primary care, 2 in mental health, and 2 in dental care, according to HRSA data.
Is Franklin County a Medically Underserved Area?
Franklin County does not currently have a Medically Underserved Area (MUA) designation from HRSA. However, the county may still have individual HPSA designations for specific provider types.
What does Franklin County's HPSA score of 20.0 mean?
20.0 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 Franklin County?
Based on HRSA shortage designations, Franklin 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 · VT state overview · NHSC loan repayment
Source: HRSA Data Warehouse. FIPS: 50011. 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.
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 50011 (Franklin County, VT) 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 2026-08-15.