WI · Healthcare shortage profile
La Crosse County, WI
Peak severity leads this reading: La Crosse County's highest active HPSA score is 21.0, clearing HRSA's 17-point high-priority line. Population 120,784.
- Active HPSAs
- 4
- Population
- 120,784
- Peak shortage score
- 21.0
- MUA Index
- -
Mid-burden verdict
According to current HRSA Data Warehouse records, La Crosse County holds a moderate federal shortage burden - 4 active HPSA designations, more than 44% of the 3,289 real US counties, with dental the deepest gap.
- 4
- Active HPSA designations
- 2
- Dental shortages
- 21
- Peak severity score (of 26)
- Top 56%
- US counties by volume
Based on HRSA primary/mental/dental shortage severity, Medically Underserved Area status, and estimated unmet provider need -- not patient outcomes, insurance access, facility quality, or wait times.
Key findings
What the HRSA Data Warehouse does not surface for La Crosse County, WI 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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Peak HPSA score 21.0 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 La Crosse County's active designations would take about 2.1 additional clinician FTEs, with dental the largest gap.
HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id (no double-count across status rows): 2.1 dental. This is the federal gap estimate, not a headcount of practising clinicians.
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50% of La Crosse County's 4 active designations are dental.
Discipline mix from designated HPSA records only: 1 primary care, 1 mental health, 2 dental (denominator 4).
La Crosse County's mid-pack ZIP footprint
15 Census ZCTAs intersect La Crosse County, between the 9 and 15 ZIP cuts across published counties: neither a postage-stamp footprint nor a metro-scale lattice.
Largest land-share ZCTAs
7 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.
La Crosse County vs. every real US county
Total active HPSA designations, including counties with none
4 Top 56% higher than 44% 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. La Crosse County falls in the lower half of WI counties by active-designation volume, at rank 41 of 71. Ties share a rank; the comparison uses the same current designated records as the national chart.
Healthcare shortage designations from HRSA. FIPS: 55063. Population: 120,784.
Single high-priority discipline
La Crosse County's only high-priority (≥17) footprint is dental care
Current HRSA Data Warehouse rows attribute 2 active dental care designations to La Crosse County , with a peak score of 21.0. Other care categories may still be designated here, but none of them clear HRSA's high-priority score line of 17 on the current release, NHSC and related instruments concentrate on the dental care records.
Active HPSA scores
Current designated records only. No Medically Underserved Area designation covers La Crosse 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 4 active (designated) HPSAs in La Crosse County, ranked by HRSA shortage score.
| Name | Type | Score |
|---|---|---|
| LI-La Crosse | dental | 21.0 |
| LaCrosse Health Location | dental | 15.0 |
| LaCrosse Health Location | primary_care | 12.0 |
| LaCrosse Health Location | mental_health | 10.0 |
Moderate-burden reading for La Crosse County
Peak severity leads this reading: La Crosse County's highest active HPSA score is 21.0, clearing HRSA's 17-point high-priority line. Dental care carries La Crosse County's deepest shortage reading, 21.0 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 12.0 of 25; Mental health reads 10.0 of 25. No Medically Underserved Area designation covers La Crosse County, so federal support here runs through the HPSA route alone.
La Crosse County sits in the middle of the national designation-volume distribution (above 44% of counties) with 4 active records. That is enough for a formal shortage footprint without landing in the heaviest US tier. Compare the three discipline counts (1/1/2) before assuming every care category is equally short.
La Crosse County falls in the lower half of WI counties by active-designation volume, at rank 41 of 71. For moderate counties, the useful move is usually a state peer check plus the score cards above, not a national superlative claim.
Acting on La Crosse County's high-priority dental care
La Crosse County's shortage designations unlock specific federal programs and comparisons, here is how to act on them.
- La Crosse County's high-priority dental care designations are where NHSC placement geography concentrates, estimate the award and service terms. NHSC estimator
- See how the county's dental care burden compares with the rest of WI before drawing conclusions from a single score. WI 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.
Nearby dental score peers
Closest U.S. counties on active dental HPSA score to La Crosse County's 21.0. Open Williamson County, TN or Mercer County, PA next.
Showing 3 of 2744 counties nationally with an active designation this severe.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Which record sets La Crosse County's peak score of 21.0?
- "LI-La Crosse" leads the active set (score 21.0; dental; 8,213 people in the service area; ~2.1 FTE still needed on the record; designated 07/10/2026). Clearing 17 opens NHSC high-priority placement for the matching provider type on the designated geography. Discipline mix across 4 active rows: 1 primary care, 1 mental health, 2 dental.
- Why is La Crosse County not listed as a Medically Underserved Area?
- La Crosse 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 La Crosse County's severity reading?
- After "LI-La Crosse", the next active names on this release are "LI-La Crosse" and "LaCrosse Health Location". Provider need (id-de-duped) totals ~2.1 FTE across disciplines that still carry a gap.
- Which federal pathways follow La Crosse County's high-severity geography?
- La Crosse County's 4 active designations can open NHSC placement, CHC grants, Medicare bonus and J-1 waivers, eligibility follows the designated area and provider type, not merely the county line around "LI-La Crosse".
Source: HRSA Data Warehouse. FIPS: 55063. 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 55063 (La Crosse County, WI), vintage 2026-08-15. Active designation count 4; peak score 21.0; signature peak score 21.0. This profile is reference material, not professional advice; see methodology.