HRSA Counties Indexed
115
with HPSA / MUA coverage
Medically underserved areas & HPSA profile
Medically Underserved Areas in Missouri
123 Medically Underserved Areas and 925 active HRSA Health Professional Shortage Area designations across Missouri.
- MUAs
- 123
- Total HPSAs
- 925
- Primary care
- 340
- Mental health
- 259
- Dental
- 326
Highest-density verdict
Current HRSA Data Warehouse records put Missouri in the highest-density quarter of states and territories. It carries 925 active shortage designations across 115 counties; Scott County has the largest county count at 33. About 43.8% of residents live in a geographic shortage county.
- 925
- Active HPSA designations
- 340
- Primary-care shortages
- 123
- Medically underserved areas
- 43.8%
- Residents in a shortage county
Key findings
What the HRSA Data Warehouse does not surface for Missouri 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.
-
Scott County holds 3.6% of Missouri's 925 active designations (33 of 925).
114 of 115 counties in this profile carry at least one active record; the remainder are zero-active on this release.
-
36.8% of Missouri's active designations are primary care.
Discipline mix from state aggregates: 340 primary care, 259 mental health, 326 dental (denominator 925).
-
Closing Missouri's active designations would take about 885 additional clinician FTEs, led by primary care.
HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id across the state: 482 primary care, 117 mental health, 285 dental. Federal gap estimate, not a practising-clinician headcount.
Corpus placement
Where Missouri sits among all 56 states and territories
Missouri carries 925 active HPSA designations for a population of 6,154,913, which is 15.0 per 100,000 residents, ranking it 11 of 56 and above 80% of states and territories, against a median of 7.3.
40 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 Missouri changed from 883 to 925 (+42).
- IDs added
- 40
- IDs absent now
- 0
- Newly designated
- 15
- No longer designated
- 13
Among IDs present in both snapshots, scores rose for 1 and fell for 12; recorded providers needed rose for 8 and fell for 8. 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
123
Residents in Geographic Shortage Areas
2,696,046
% Residents in Geographic Shortage
43.8%
Discipline Mix
340 / 259 / 326 PC/MH/D
Primary care · Mental health · Dental
% Residents in Geographic Shortage-Designated Counties 43.8%
Missouri Shortage Designations by Care Type
How Missouri's 925 active HRSA designations split across the three provider categories. According to KFF's May 2026 tracker, Missouri has adopted ACA Medicaid expansion. That policy context does not measure provider supply, appointment availability, or care quality.
Missouri HPSA designations by type
Active Health Professional Shortage Area designations, by provider category.
- Primary care
Primary care
340 designations
- Dental
Dental
326 designations
- Mental health
Mental health
259 designations
Missouri 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 Missouri
112 counties with at least one active dental designation ; led by Scott (11). Full list (designation count in parentheses): Scott (11) , Crawford (8) , Howell (8) , Pike (8) , Polk (8) , Stoddard (8) , St. Louis City (7) , Washington (7) , Webster (7) , Bates (6) , Camden (6) , Dunklin (6) , McDonald (6) , Phelps (6) , Ste. Genevieve (6) , Taney (6) , Cape Girardeau (5) , Cedar (5) , Greene (5) , Jackson (5) ; plus 92 more in the table below.
Primary-care HPSA counties in Missouri
112 counties with at least one active primary-care designation ; led by Scott (11). Full list: Scott (11) , Jackson (9) , Crawford (8) , Howell (8) , Pike (8) , Polk (8) , Stoddard (8) , Washington (7) , Webster (7) , Bates (6) , Camden (6) , Dunklin (6) , McDonald (6) , Phelps (6) , St. Louis City (6) , Ste. Genevieve (6) , Taney (6) , Cape Girardeau (5) , Cedar (5) , Greene (5) ; plus 92 more in the table below.
Mental-health HPSA counties in Missouri
114 counties with at least one active mental-health designation ; led by Scott (11). Full list: Scott (11) , Crawford (8) , Howell (8) , Polk (8) , Stoddard (8) , Pike (7) , Webster (7) , Bates (6) , Camden (6) , Dunklin (6) , McDonald (6) , Phelps (6) , Ste. Genevieve (6) , Taney (6) , Washington (6) , Cape Girardeau (5) , Cedar (5) , Greene (5) , Jackson (5) , Mississippi (5) ; plus 94 more in the table below.
All counties in Missouri, by total shortage volume
The 40 counties with the most active HPSA designations, of 115 in Missouri. Columns split primary care, mental health, and dental.
| # | County | Designations | Primary Care | Mental Health | Dental | MUA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Scott | 33 | 11 | 11 | 11 | MUA |
| 2 | Crawford | 24 | 8 | 8 | 8 | MUA |
| 3 | Howell | 24 | 8 | 8 | 8 | MUA |
| 4 | Polk | 24 | 8 | 8 | 8 | MUA |
| 5 | Stoddard | 24 | 8 | 8 | 8 | MUA |
| 6 | Pike | 23 | 8 | 7 | 8 | MUA |
| 7 | Webster | 21 | 7 | 7 | 7 | MUA |
| 8 | Washington | 20 | 7 | 6 | 7 | MUA |
| 9 | Jackson | 19 | 9 | 5 | 5 | MUA |
| 10 | Bates | 18 | 6 | 6 | 6 | MUA |
| 11 | Camden | 18 | 6 | 6 | 6 | MUA |
| 12 | Dunklin | 18 | 6 | 6 | 6 | MUA |
| 13 | McDonald | 18 | 6 | 6 | 6 | MUA |
| 14 | Phelps | 18 | 6 | 6 | 6 | MUA |
| 15 | St. Louis City | 18 | 6 | 5 | 7 | MUA |
| 16 | Ste. Genevieve | 18 | 6 | 6 | 6 | - |
| 17 | Taney | 18 | 6 | 6 | 6 | MUA |
| 18 | Cape Girardeau | 15 | 5 | 5 | 5 | MUA |
| 19 | Cedar | 15 | 5 | 5 | 5 | MUA |
| 20 | Greene | 15 | 5 | 5 | 5 | MUA |
| 21 | Mississippi | 15 | 5 | 5 | 5 | MUA |
| 22 | Newton | 15 | 5 | 5 | 5 | MUA |
| 23 | Pemiscot | 15 | 5 | 5 | 5 | MUA |
| 24 | Pulaski | 15 | 5 | 5 | 5 | MUA |
| 25 | Wright | 15 | 5 | 5 | 5 | MUA |
| 26 | Texas | 14 | 5 | 5 | 4 | MUA |
| 27 | Adair | 12 | 4 | 4 | 4 | - |
| 28 | Barry | 12 | 4 | 4 | 4 | MUA |
| 29 | Dent | 12 | 4 | 4 | 4 | MUA |
| 30 | Henry | 12 | 4 | 4 | 4 | - |
| 31 | Jasper | 12 | 4 | 4 | 4 | MUA |
| 32 | Laclede | 12 | 4 | 4 | 4 | MUA |
| 33 | Lewis | 12 | 4 | 4 | 4 | MUA |
| 34 | New Madrid | 12 | 4 | 4 | 4 | MUA |
| 35 | Pettis | 12 | 4 | 4 | 4 | - |
| 36 | St. Clair | 12 | 4 | 4 | 4 | MUA |
| 37 | Stone | 12 | 4 | 4 | 4 | MUA |
| 38 | Audrain | 11 | 4 | 4 | 3 | MUA |
| 39 | St. Louis | 11 | 5 | 3 | 3 | MUA |
| 40 | St. Francois | 10 | 3 | 4 | 3 | - |
Medically Underserved Areas in Missouri
Showing 30 of 123 MUA designations (lowest MUA Index first, i.e. most underserved).
| Name | MUA Index |
|---|---|
| Crooked River Service Area | 0.0 |
| Elmwood Service Area | 0.0 |
| Med Ind - Wentzville/Flint Hill | 0.0 |
| Med Ind - Portage/West Alton/St. Charles | 0.0 |
| Ripley Service Area | 28.0 |
| Mercer Service Area | 30.6 |
| Pemiscot Service Area | 31.5 |
| Oregon Service Area | 35.1 |
| Carter Service Area | 37.3 |
| Putnam Service Area | 38.8 |
| Douglas Service Area | 40.0 |
| Dallas Service Area | 41.9 |
| Mcdonald Service Area | 42.4 |
| Harris Service Area | 42.7 |
| Arrow Rock Service Area | 43.4 |
| Sullivan Service Area | 44.0 |
| Low Inc - Columbia City Service Area | 44.1 |
| New Madrid Service Area | 44.3 |
| Howard Service Area | 44.6 |
| Benton Service Area | 44.9 |
| Reynolds Service Area | 45.5 |
| Bollinger Service Area | 46.0 |
| Dekalb Service Area | 46.5 |
| Cedar Service Area | 46.8 |
| Grundy Service Area | 47.1 |
| Boulware Service Area | 47.6 |
| Cape Girardeau Service Area | 47.8 |
| Worth Service Area | 48.9 |
| Mississippi Service Area | 48.9 |
| Iron Service Area | 49.2 |
High-density reading for Missouri
At 925 active designations (340 primary care / 259 mental health / 326 dental), Missouri 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.
Scott County leads the in-state table with 33 active records; open that county profile before treating the state total as evenly spread. About 43.8% 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 Missouri shortage data
Dig deeper into the federal shortage designations behind Missouri's numbers.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Medically Underserved Areas are in Missouri? ▼
Missouri has 123 Medically Underserved Areas (MUAs). About 2,696,046 residents (43.8% 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 Missouri have dental HPSA designations? ▼
112 Missouri counties carry at least one active dental Health Professional Shortage Area in the current HRSA release: Scott (11), Crawford (8), Howell (8), Pike (8), Polk (8), Stoddard (8), St. Louis City (7), Washington (7), Webster (7), Bates (6), Camden (6), Dunklin (6), McDonald (6), Phelps (6), Ste. Genevieve (6), Taney (6), Cape Girardeau (5), Cedar (5), Greene (5), Jackson (5); plus 92 more on the table below. Counts are designated dental HPSA records per county, not a dentist headcount.
Are there doctor shortages in Missouri? ▼
Yes. Missouri has 925 Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs), including 340 in primary care, 259 in mental health, and 326 in dental care. About 43.8% of Missouri 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 Missouri, there are 925 designated HPSAs and 123 Medically Underserved Areas (MUAs).
What federal programs address healthcare shortages in Missouri? ▼
HRSA shortage designations in Missouri 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 Missouri compare to other states in HRSA shortage designations? ▼
Missouri has 925 total HPSA designations and 123 Medically Underserved Areas. With 43.8% 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 Missouri 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 Missouri'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 Missouri's primary-care shortage record with every other state before drawing conclusions from a raw total; population and geography affect designation counts. Compare states
- Scott 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 Missouri (MO) 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.