VA · Healthcare shortage profile
Alleghany County, VA
Peak severity leads this reading: Alleghany County's highest active HPSA score is 19.0, clearing HRSA's 17-point high-priority line. Population 15,223.
- Active HPSAs
- 3
- Population
- 15,223
- Peak shortage score
- 19.0
- MUA Index
- -
Light-burden verdict
According to current HRSA Data Warehouse records, Alleghany 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
- Primary-care shortages
- 19
- Peak severity score (of 26)
- Top 80%
- US counties by volume
Few Census ZCTAs touch Alleghany County
The Census ZCTA-county crosswalk lists only 7 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas intersecting Alleghany County, a sparse footprint relative to most US counties in this mirror (at or below the 9-ZIP tercile cut).
Intersecting ZCTA
2 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 Alleghany County, VA 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 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.
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Closing Alleghany County's active designations would take about 4.4 additional clinician FTEs, with primary care the largest gap.
HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id (no double-count across status rows): 2.2 primary care, 0.5 mental health, 1.8 dental. This is the federal gap estimate, not a headcount of practising clinicians.
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33.3% of Alleghany 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).
Alleghany 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
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. Alleghany County falls in the upper half of VA counties by active-designation volume, at rank 55 of 133. Ties share a rank; the comparison uses the same current designated records as the national chart.
Healthcare shortage designations from HRSA. FIPS: 51005. Population: 15,223.
Active HPSA scores
Current designated records only. No Medically Underserved Area designation covers Alleghany 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 3 active (designated) HPSAs in Alleghany County, ranked by HRSA shortage score.
| Name | Type | Score |
|---|---|---|
| LI-Alleghany County/Covington City | primary_care | 19.0 |
| LI - Alleghany County/Covington City | dental | 17.0 |
| LI - Alleghany Highlands Mhca | mental_health | 14.0 |
Light-burden reading for Alleghany County
Peak severity leads this reading: Alleghany County's highest active HPSA score is 19.0, clearing HRSA's 17-point high-priority line. Primary care is where Alleghany County is stretched thinnest: HRSA scores it 19.0 of 25, the county's highest severity reading and past the 17-point line HRSA uses to open National Health Service Corps placement and enhanced Medicare reimbursement. Mental health reads 14.0 of 25; Dental care reads 17.0 of 26. No Medically Underserved Area designation covers Alleghany County, so federal support here runs through the HPSA route alone.
Alleghany 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.
Alleghany County falls in the upper half of VA counties by active-designation volume, at rank 55 of 133. 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 Alleghany County
HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id for Alleghany County's active designations: about 4.4 FTE, a federal gap estimate, not a headcount of practising clinicians.
Source: HRSA Data Warehouse, Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSA) + Medically Underserved Areas/Populations (MUA/P) HPSA primary-care, mental-health, and dental designations for Alleghany County, VA · 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 Alleghany County's designations
Alleghany County's shortage designations unlock specific federal programs and comparisons, here is how to act on them.
- Alleghany 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 VA before you draw conclusions from a single score. VA 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.
Counties near Alleghany County's primary score of 19.0
One peer set for this severity-led county: nearest active primary HPSA score to 19.0 (severity lead on this page is “LI-Alleghany County/Covington City”).
Lancaster County, NE
19.0 primary score · 322,608 pop.
Sacramento County, CA
19.0 primary score · 1,585,055 pop.
Salt Lake County, UT
19.0 primary score · 1,185,238 pop.
San Joaquin County, CA
19.0 primary score · 779,233 pop.
South Central Connecticut County, CT
19.0 primary score · 571,298 pop.
Washoe County, NV
19.0 primary score · 486,492 pop.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Which record sets Alleghany County's peak score of 19.0?
- "LI-Alleghany County/Covington City" leads the active set (score 19.0; primary care; 795 people in the service area; ~2.2 FTE still needed on the record; designated 06/01/2011). 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.
- Why is Alleghany County not listed as a Medically Underserved Area?
- Alleghany 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 Alleghany County's severity reading?
- After "LI-Alleghany County/Covington City", the next active names on this release are "LI-Alleghany County/Covington City", "LI - Alleghany County/Covington City" and "LI - Alleghany Highlands MHCA". Provider need (id-de-duped) totals ~4.4 FTE across disciplines that still carry a gap.
Source: HRSA Data Warehouse. FIPS: 51005. 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 51005 (Alleghany County, VA), 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.