VA · Healthcare shortage profile
Norfolk City County, VA
Home to 238,005 residents, with 3 active HRSA shortage designations.
- Active HPSAs
- 3
- Population
- 238,005
- Peak shortage score
- 18.0
- MUA Index
- 55.6
Light-burden verdict
According to current HRSA Data Warehouse records, Norfolk City 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
- 18
- Peak severity score (of 26)
- Top 80%
- US counties by volume
Key findings
What the HRSA Data Warehouse does not surface for Norfolk City County, VA 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 Norfolk City 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).
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Closing Norfolk City County's active designations would take about 17 additional clinician FTEs, with primary care the largest gap.
HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id (no double-count across status rows): 9.9 primary care, 3.9 mental health, 3.3 dental. This is the federal gap estimate, not a headcount of practising clinicians.
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Peak HPSA score 18.0 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.
Norfolk City 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. Norfolk City 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: 51710. Population: 238,005.
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 3 active (designated) HPSAs in Norfolk City County, ranked by HRSA shortage score.
| Name | Type | Score |
|---|---|---|
| LI - Norfolk City | mental_health | 18.0 |
| LI - Norfolk City | primary_care | 16.0 |
| Norfolk City | dental | 11.0 |
Light-burden reading for Norfolk City County
Norfolk City County's severest measured gap is in mental health, scored 18.0 of 25, 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; Dental care reads 11.0 of 26. The county also sits inside a Medically Underserved Area, indexed at 55.6, and the lower the index, the greater the measured need.
Norfolk City 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.
Norfolk City 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.
Acting on Norfolk City County's high-priority mental health
Norfolk City County's shortage designations unlock specific federal programs and comparisons, here is how to act on them.
- Norfolk City 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 VA before drawing conclusions from a single score. VA 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Norfolk City County a Medically Underserved Area?
Yes, Norfolk City County is designated as a Medically Underserved Area (MUA) by HRSA. The MUA Index for this county is 55.6. MUA designation qualifies the area for enhanced federal funding and provider incentive programs.
How many healthcare shortage areas does Norfolk City County have?
Norfolk City County, VA 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 Norfolk City County's HPSA score of 18.0 mean?
18.0 in mental health clears 17, HRSA's high-priority line, which is what makes providers here eligible for NHSC placement and enhanced reimbursement.
Next read: The Mental-Health Provider Shortage · VA state overview · NHSC loan repayment
Source: HRSA Data Warehouse. FIPS: 51710. 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 51710 (Norfolk City County, VA) 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.