HRSA Counties Indexed
120
with HPSA / MUA coverage
Medically underserved areas & HPSA profile
Medically Underserved Areas in Kentucky
112 Medically Underserved Areas and 701 active HRSA Health Professional Shortage Area designations across Kentucky.
- MUAs
- 112
- Total HPSAs
- 701
- Primary care
- 245
- Mental health
- 210
- Dental
- 246
Highest-density verdict
Current HRSA Data Warehouse records put Kentucky in the highest-density quarter of states and territories. It carries 701 active shortage designations across 120 counties; Knox County has the largest county count at 24. About 44.5% of residents live in a geographic shortage county.
- 701
- Active HPSA designations
- 245
- Primary-care shortages
- 112
- Medically underserved areas
- 44.5%
- Residents in a shortage county
Key findings
What the HRSA Data Warehouse does not surface for Kentucky 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.
-
Knox County holds 3.4% of Kentucky's 701 active designations (24 of 701).
120 of 120 counties in this profile carry at least one active record; the remainder are zero-active on this release.
-
35.1% of Kentucky's active designations are dental.
Discipline mix from state aggregates: 245 primary care, 210 mental health, 246 dental (denominator 701).
-
Closing Kentucky's active designations would take about 774 additional clinician FTEs, led by primary care.
HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id across the state: 337 primary care, 136 mental health, 302 dental. Federal gap estimate, not a practising-clinician headcount.
Corpus placement
Where Kentucky sits among all 56 states and territories
Kentucky carries 701 active HPSA designations for a population of 4,505,836, which is 15.6 per 100,000 residents, ranking it 10 of 56 and above 82% of states and territories, against a median of 7.3.
76 of those are county-wide geographic designations; the remainder are facility-, population- or clinic-based, which is why the county map and the designation count answer different questions.
Designation density tracks rural geography as much as unmet need: AK records 134.7 designations per 100,000 residents and NJ 1.5, because a sparsely-settled state accumulates more separate designations to cover the same population. Designations also overlap, so this counts designations, not people. Counted as distinct HRSA designation IDs, the same unit as the totals above. Computed from the designation records and county populations behind this page; states without county population data are given no placement rather than an estimated one.
Snapshot comparison
Change since the previous HRSA snapshot
Between Jun 2, 2026 and Jul 25, 2026, the number of active stable HPSA IDs recorded for Kentucky changed from 687 to 701 (+14).
- IDs added
- 15
- IDs absent now
- 0
- Newly designated
- 0
- No longer designated
- 1
Among IDs present in both snapshots, scores rose for 4 and fell for 0; recorded providers needed rose for 0 and fell for 0. These are changes in published designation records, not evidence of cause, care quality, or patient outcomes. See the national comparison and limitations.
Medically Underserved Areas
112
Residents in Geographic Shortage Areas
2,005,960
% Residents in Geographic Shortage
44.5%
Discipline Mix
245 / 210 / 246 PC/MH/D
Primary care · Mental health · Dental
% Residents in Geographic Shortage-Designated Counties 44.5%
Kentucky Shortage Designations by Care Type
How Kentucky's 701 active HRSA designations split across the three provider categories. According to KFF's May 2026 tracker, Kentucky has adopted ACA Medicaid expansion. That policy context does not measure provider supply, appointment availability, or care quality.
Kentucky HPSA designations by type
Active Health Professional Shortage Area designations, by provider category.
- Dental
Dental
246 designations
- Primary care
Primary care
245 designations
- Mental health
Mental health
210 designations
Kentucky HPSA Counties by Care Type
County lists for the three HRSA shortage disciplines searchers ask for by name (dental, primary care, mental health). Counts are live designated-HPSA records in this release, not provider headcounts.
Dental HPSA counties in Kentucky
117 counties with at least one active dental designation ; led by Knox (8). Full list (designation count in parentheses): Knox (8) , Laurel (8) , Whitley (8) , Clay (7) , Fayette (6) , Jefferson (6) , Christian (5) , Madison (5) , McCreary (5) , Todd (5) , Floyd (4) , Hart (4) , Lee (4) , Webster (4) , Bell (3) , Breathitt (3) , Elliott (3) , Estill (3) , Garrard (3) , Harlan (3) ; plus 97 more in the table below.
Primary-care HPSA counties in Kentucky
115 counties with at least one active primary-care designation ; led by Knox (8). Full list: Knox (8) , Laurel (8) , Whitley (8) , Clay (7) , Jefferson (6) , Christian (5) , Madison (5) , McCreary (5) , Todd (5) , Elliott (4) , Fayette (4) , Floyd (4) , Hart (4) , Lee (4) , Webster (4) , Bell (3) , Breathitt (3) , Estill (3) , Garrard (3) , Harlan (3) ; plus 95 more in the table below.
Mental-health HPSA counties in Kentucky
118 counties with at least one active mental-health designation ; led by Fayette (8). Full list: Fayette (8) , Knox (8) , Laurel (8) , Whitley (8) , Clay (7) , Christian (5) , Madison (5) , McCreary (5) , Todd (5) , Floyd (4) , Hart (4) , Jefferson (4) , Lee (4) , Webster (4) , Bell (3) , Breathitt (3) , Elliott (3) , Estill (3) , Garrard (3) , Harlan (3) ; plus 98 more in the table below.
All counties in Kentucky, by total shortage volume
The 40 counties with the most active HPSA designations, of 120 in Kentucky. Columns split primary care, mental health, and dental.
| # | County | Designations | Primary Care | Mental Health | Dental | MUA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Knox | 24 | 8 | 8 | 8 | MUA |
| 2 | Laurel | 24 | 8 | 8 | 8 | - |
| 3 | Whitley | 24 | 8 | 8 | 8 | MUA |
| 4 | Clay | 21 | 7 | 7 | 7 | MUA |
| 5 | Fayette | 18 | 4 | 8 | 6 | MUA |
| 6 | Jefferson | 16 | 6 | 4 | 6 | MUA |
| 7 | Christian | 15 | 5 | 5 | 5 | MUA |
| 8 | Madison | 15 | 5 | 5 | 5 | MUA |
| 9 | McCreary | 15 | 5 | 5 | 5 | MUA |
| 10 | Todd | 15 | 5 | 5 | 5 | MUA |
| 11 | Floyd | 12 | 4 | 4 | 4 | - |
| 12 | Hart | 12 | 4 | 4 | 4 | MUA |
| 13 | Lee | 12 | 4 | 4 | 4 | MUA |
| 14 | Webster | 12 | 4 | 4 | 4 | MUA |
| 15 | Elliott | 10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | MUA |
| 16 | Bell | 9 | 3 | 3 | 3 | MUA |
| 17 | Breathitt | 9 | 3 | 3 | 3 | MUA |
| 18 | Estill | 9 | 3 | 3 | 3 | MUA |
| 19 | Garrard | 9 | 3 | 3 | 3 | MUA |
| 20 | Harlan | 9 | 3 | 3 | 3 | MUA |
| 21 | Jackson | 9 | 3 | 3 | 3 | MUA |
| 22 | Livingston | 9 | 3 | 3 | 3 | MUA |
| 23 | Marion | 9 | 3 | 3 | 3 | MUA |
| 24 | Montgomery | 9 | 3 | 3 | 3 | MUA |
| 25 | Morgan | 9 | 3 | 3 | 3 | MUA |
| 26 | Perry | 9 | 3 | 3 | 3 | MUA |
| 27 | Pike | 9 | 3 | 3 | 3 | MUA |
| 28 | Rockcastle | 9 | 3 | 3 | 3 | MUA |
| 29 | Taylor | 9 | 3 | 3 | 3 | MUA |
| 30 | Wayne | 9 | 3 | 3 | 3 | MUA |
| 31 | Wolfe | 9 | 3 | 3 | 3 | MUA |
| 32 | Allen | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | MUA |
| 33 | Anderson | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | - |
| 34 | Bath | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | MUA |
| 35 | Boyd | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | MUA |
| 36 | Boyle | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | - |
| 37 | Caldwell | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | MUA |
| 38 | Carter | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | MUA |
| 39 | Clark | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | MUA |
| 40 | Crittenden | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | MUA |
Medically Underserved Areas in Kentucky
Showing 30 of 112 MUA designations (lowest MUA Index first, i.e. most underserved).
| Name | MUA Index |
|---|---|
| Marion Service Area | 42.7 |
| Fulton County | 44.0 |
| Pike Service Area | 44.4 |
| Elliott County | 45.0 |
| Buckhorn Service Area | 45.2 |
| Spencer Service Area | 45.2 |
| Boyd Service Area | 45.7 |
| Robertson County | 46.0 |
| Lee County | 46.0 |
| Leslie County | 47.0 |
| Logan Service Area | 48.0 |
| Letcher Service Area | 48.2 |
| Jefferson Service Area | 48.8 |
| Owsley County | 49.0 |
| Hickman County | 49.0 |
| Menifee County | 49.0 |
| Knott County | 49.0 |
| Casey County | 49.0 |
| Estill County | 49.0 |
| Census Tracts 301-306, McCracken County | 49.2 |
| Madison Service Area | 49.6 |
| Central Hopkins | 49.7 |
| Webster County | 50.0 |
| McCreary County | 50.0 |
| Jackson County | 50.0 |
| Livingston County | 51.0 |
| Knox County | 51.0 |
| Clay County | 51.0 |
| Nicholas County | 51.4 |
| Crittenden County | 52.0 |
High-density reading for Kentucky
At 701 active designations (245 primary care / 210 mental health / 246 dental), Kentucky sits in the top quarter of the state and territory corpus by designations per resident. That volume is where NHSC placements, FQHC operating geography, and related federal instruments concentrate; eligibility still follows the designated area and provider type, not the state boundary alone.
Knox County leads the in-state table with 24 active records; open that county profile before treating the state total as evenly spread. About 44.5% of residents live in a geographic shortage county; facility and population-group designations cover additional residents counted separately.
Learn More About Healthcare Shortages
Explore more Kentucky shortage data
Dig deeper into the federal shortage designations behind Kentucky's numbers.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Medically Underserved Areas are in Kentucky? ▼
Kentucky has 112 Medically Underserved Areas (MUAs). About 2,005,960 residents (44.5% of the state) live in a county with a geographic HRSA shortage designation. MUA-designated areas qualify for enhanced federal funding and Community Health Center grants.
Which counties in Kentucky have dental HPSA designations? ▼
117 Kentucky counties carry at least one active dental Health Professional Shortage Area in the current HRSA release: Knox (8), Laurel (8), Whitley (8), Clay (7), Fayette (6), Jefferson (6), Christian (5), Madison (5), McCreary (5), Todd (5), Floyd (4), Hart (4), Lee (4), Webster (4), Bell (3), Breathitt (3), Elliott (3), Estill (3), Garrard (3), Harlan (3); plus 97 more on the table below. Counts are designated dental HPSA records per county, not a dentist headcount.
Are there doctor shortages in Kentucky? ▼
Yes. Kentucky has 701 Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs), including 245 in primary care, 210 in mental health, and 246 in dental care. About 44.5% of Kentucky residents live in a county that HRSA has designated as a geographic (whole-community) shortage area; additional residents are covered by population-group and facility designations counted separately.
What are HPSAs? ▼
Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) are federal designations by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) identifying communities with insufficient healthcare providers. HPSAs are categorized into three types: primary care, mental health, and dental. In Kentucky, there are 701 designated HPSAs and 112 Medically Underserved Areas (MUAs).
What federal programs address healthcare shortages in Kentucky? ▼
HRSA shortage designations in Kentucky unlock eligibility for over 30 federal programs, including National Health Service Corps (NHSC) loan repayment and scholarships, Community Health Center (FQHC) funding, Medicare bonus payments (10% for physicians in HPSAs), J-1 visa waiver programs for international medical graduates, and Rural Health Clinic certification. These programs direct billions of dollars annually toward underserved communities.
How does Kentucky compare to other states in HRSA shortage designations? ▼
Kentucky has 701 total HPSA designations and 112 Medically Underserved Areas. With 44.5% of residents in counties carrying a geographic shortage designation, you can compare the recorded HRSA designations and scores with other states on our national rankings pages for primary care, mental health, and dental care.
How often is Kentucky HPSA data updated? ▼
HRSA publishes HPSA designation changes through the Data Warehouse on a rolling basis. This page reports the portal's stated HRSA source vintage after a verified refresh; use HRSA's official tools when a current designation status matters.
Source: HRSA Data Warehouse Not affiliated with HRSA
Choose the next comparison
Use Kentucky's designation totals as a starting point, then move to the comparison that answers the next decision without treating a shortage designation as a personal care outcome.
- Compare Kentucky's primary-care shortage record with every other state before drawing conclusions from a raw total; population and geography affect designation counts. Compare states
- Knox County has the most active HPSA designations in this state profile. Open its county record to inspect the local primary-care, mental-health, and dental breakdown. Open county profile
- Use the national statistics reference for the source vintage, aggregate context, and methodology behind these state-level figures. Read national context
HRSA designations describe structural provider-shortage criteria and federal-program eligibility. They do not measure appointment availability, insurance coverage, care quality, or an individual patient’s access to care.
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 aggregates every county-level HPSA and MUA designation on record for Kentucky (KY) and ranks the state's per-capita designation density among all states and territories. 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.