WI · Healthcare shortage profile
Washburn County, WI
MUA standing opens this profile: Washburn County sits inside a Medically Underserved Area indexed at 0.0 (lower index = greater measured need). Population 16,623.
- Active HPSAs
- 6
- Population
- 16,623
- Peak shortage score
- 17.0
- MUA Index
- 0.0
Mid-burden verdict
According to current HRSA Data Warehouse records, Washburn 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
- Mental-health shortages
- 17
- Peak severity score (of 26)
- Top 46%
- US counties by volume
Key findings
What the HRSA Data Warehouse does not surface for Washburn 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 17.0 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 Washburn County's active designations would take about 8.2 additional clinician FTEs, with mental health the largest gap.
HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id (no double-count across status rows): 1.5 primary care, 5.4 mental health, 1.3 dental. This is the federal gap estimate, not a headcount of practising clinicians.
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33.3% of Washburn 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).
Washburn County's mid-pack ZIP footprint
12 Census ZCTAs intersect Washburn 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
4 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.
Washburn 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. Washburn County falls in the upper half of WI counties by active-designation volume, at rank 31 of 71. Ties share a rank; the comparison uses the same current designated records as the national chart.
Healthcare shortage designations from HRSA. FIPS: 55129. Population: 16,623.
Single high-priority discipline
Washburn County's only high-priority (≥17) footprint is mental health
Current HRSA Data Warehouse rows attribute 2 active mental health designations to Washburn County , with a peak score of 17.0. 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 mental health records.
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 6 active (designated) HPSAs in Washburn County, ranked by HRSA shortage score.
| Name | Type | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Ashland/Bayfield/Douglas/Iron/Sawyer/Washburn Counties | mental_health | 17.0 |
| Essentia Health Spooner Clinic | mental_health | 17.0 |
| LI - Washburn County | primary_care | 15.0 |
| Essentia Health Spooner Clinic | dental | 15.0 |
| LI - Washburn County | dental | 15.0 |
| Essentia Health Spooner Clinic | primary_care | 13.0 |
Moderate-burden reading for Washburn County
MUA standing opens this profile: Washburn County sits inside a Medically Underserved Area indexed at 0.0 (lower index = greater measured need). Washburn County's severest measured gap is in mental health, scored 17.0 of 25, past the 17-point line HRSA uses to open National Health Service Corps placement and enhanced Medicare reimbursement. Primary care reads 15.0 of 25; Dental care reads 15.0 of 26. The county also sits inside a Medically Underserved Area, indexed at 0.0, and the lower the index, the greater the measured need.
Washburn 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.
Washburn County falls in the upper half of WI counties by active-designation volume, at rank 31 of 71. For moderate counties, the useful move is usually a state peer check plus the score cards above, not a national superlative claim.
Mid-pack clinician FTE gap for Washburn County
HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id for Washburn County's active designations: about 8.2 FTE, a federal gap estimate, not a headcount of practising clinicians.
Acting on Washburn County's high-priority mental health
Washburn County's shortage designations unlock specific federal programs and comparisons, here is how to act on them.
- Washburn 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 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 mental-health score peers
Closest U.S. counties on active mental-health HPSA score to Washburn County's 17.0. Open Thurston County, WA or Boone County, MO next.
Showing 3 of 3081 counties nationally with an active designation this severe.
Score neighbours for Washburn County's MUA-led profile
One peer set beside the MUA standing: nearest primary-care HPSA score (15.0 here).
Frequently Asked Questions
- Does Washburn County's MUA standing sit beside its HPSA records?
- Yes - Washburn County carries an MUA designation (index 0.0; lower = greater measured need) in addition to its HPSA rows. MUA and HPSA are separate HRSA tracks; both can open different federal pathways.
- How do Washburn County's HPSA rows sit beside the MUA?
- 6 active HPSA designations (2 primary care / 2 mental health / 2 dental); highest-scored active name is "Ashland/Bayfield/Douglas/Iron/Sawyer/Washburn Counties" (score 17.0; mental health; 44,500 people in the service area; ~5.4 FTE still needed on the record; designated 10/26/2018). MUA and HPSA are separate tracks, one does not substitute for the other.
- What does the 17.0 HPSA score mean next to the MUA?
- 17.0 clears the 17-point high-priority HPSA line. MUA index 0.0 remains a separate need measure.
- Which programs can Washburn County's dual standing open?
- Active HPSA geography can open NHSC/CHC/Medicare-bonus/J-1 routes by provider type; MUA standing can open additional underserved-area pathways. Eligibility is record-specific, read the designated area, not the county boundary alone.
Source: HRSA Data Warehouse. FIPS: 55129. 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 55129 (Washburn County, WI), vintage 2026-08-15. Active designation count 6; peak score 17.0; signature MUA index 0.0. This profile is reference material, not professional advice; see methodology.