WA · Healthcare shortage profile
Spokane County, WA
Home to 539,339 residents, with 24 active HRSA shortage designations.
- Active HPSAs
- 24
- Population
- 539,339
- Peak shortage score
- 25.0
- MUA Index
- 51.8
Heavy-burden verdict
According to current HRSA Data Warehouse records, Spokane County ranks among the most underserved counties in the country - 24 active HPSA designations, more than 96% of the 3,289 real US counties, with mental health the deepest gap.
- 24
- Active HPSA designations
- 7
- Dental shortages
- 25
- Peak severity score (of 26)
- Top 4%
- US counties by volume
Corpus placement
Active-designation volume placement
According to current HRSA Data Warehouse records, Spokane County carries 24 active designations, above 96% of real US counties. Use the state peer line below before treating the national percentile as a local access verdict.
State peer position. Spokane County falls in the upper half of WA counties by active-designation volume, at rank 10 of 39. Ties share a rank.
Computed from current designated HPSA rows for every five-digit county FIPS. See the placement methodology.
Healthcare shortage designations from HRSA. FIPS: 53063. Population: 539,339.
Medically Underserved Area
Peak severity scores
Current designated records only. Scores range 0–25 (primary/mental health), 0–26 (dental). Higher = greater need.
Highest-severity HPSA designations
All 24 active (designated) HPSAs in Spokane County, ranked by HRSA shortage score.
| Name | Type | Score |
|---|---|---|
| The Native Project | dental | 25.0 |
| Community Health Association OF Spokane | dental | 24.0 |
| The Native Project | primary_care | 20.0 |
| Community Health Association OF Spokane | mental_health | 20.0 |
| The Native Project | mental_health | 20.0 |
| Community Health Association OF Spokane | primary_care | 19.0 |
| Camas Path Behavioral Health | mental_health | 19.0 |
| The Native Project | primary_care | 18.0 |
| North Spokane Service Area | mental_health | 18.0 |
| Li/h - City of Spokane | mental_health | 18.0 |
| Camas Path Behavioral Health | primary_care | 17.0 |
| The Native Project | mental_health | 17.0 |
| The Native Project | dental | 17.0 |
| City of Spokane Service Area | primary_care | 16.0 |
| LI - SW Spokane Service Area | mental_health | 16.0 |
| SE Spokane Service Area | mental_health | 16.0 |
| NE Spokane County | primary_care | 15.0 |
| SW Spokane County | primary_care | 15.0 |
| Camas Path Behavioral Health | dental | 15.0 |
| Spokane County South | dental | 14.0 |
| Airway Heights Corrections Center | mental_health | 12.0 |
| Spokane County North | dental | 12.0 |
| CF-Airway Heights Corrections Center | primary_care | 3.0 |
| CF-Airway Heights Corrections Center | dental | 3.0 |
Heavy-burden reading for Spokane County
Dental care carries Spokane County's deepest shortage reading, 25.0 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 20.0 of 25; Mental health reads 20.0 of 25. The county also sits inside a Medically Underserved Area, indexed at 51.8, and the lower the index, the greater the measured need.
Volume places Spokane County above 96% of real US counties (24 active designations: 8 primary care, 9 mental health, 7 dental). Peak severity on the current designated set is 25.0. The table on this page lists the highest-severity records first so a reader can see which named facilities, geographies, or population groups drive that burden without treating the county total as a personal appointment forecast.
Spokane County falls in the upper half of WA counties by active-designation volume, at rank 10 of 39. Heavy-burden counties are where NHSC placement, Community Health Center grant geography, and related federal instruments concentrate; eligibility still follows the designated area and provider type, not the county boundary alone.
Spokane 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
9 designations
- Primary care
Primary care
8 designations
- Dental
Dental
7 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 Spokane County, WA · 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 a heavy-burden county
Spokane County's shortage designations unlock specific federal programs and comparisons, here is how to act on them.
- Spokane County's 24 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 mental health burden compares with the rest of WA before you draw conclusions from a single score. WA 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 ratio checker
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 With a Similar Dental Shortage Score
Other U.S. counties whose active HRSA dental HPSA score is closest to Spokane County's 25.0. This compares the designation score only, not local appointment availability or care quality.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Spokane County a Medically Underserved Area?
Yes, Spokane County is designated as a Medically Underserved Area (MUA) by HRSA. The MUA Index for this county is 51.8. MUA designation qualifies the area for enhanced federal funding and provider incentive programs.
How many healthcare shortage areas does Spokane County have?
Spokane County, WA has 24 Health Professional Shortage Area designations: 8 in primary care, 9 in mental health, and 7 in dental care, according to HRSA data.
What does Spokane County's HPSA score of 25.0 mean?
25.0 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 Spokane County?
Based on HRSA shortage designations, Spokane 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.
Which federal programs do Spokane County's designations unlock?
Spokane County's 24 active designations open NHSC placement, Community Health Center grants, the Medicare bonus and J-1 waivers, but eligibility follows the designated area and provider type, not the county line.
How does Spokane County compare to other counties in WA?
Spokane County has 24 total HPSA designations with a peak shortage score of 25.0. You can compare shortage levels across all counties in WA on the state overview page, or view national county rankings to see where Spokane County stands relative to the rest of the country.
Learn More About Healthcare Shortages
Explore more WA shortage data
Source: HRSA Data Warehouse. FIPS: 53063. 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 53063 (Spokane County, WA) 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.