HRSA Counties Indexed
46
with HPSA / MUA coverage
Medically underserved areas & HPSA profile
Medically Underserved Areas in South Carolina
80 Medically Underserved Areas and 267 active HRSA Health Professional Shortage Area designations across South Carolina.
- MUAs
- 80
- Total HPSAs
- 267
- Primary care
- 99
- Mental health
- 77
- Dental
- 91
Lower-middle density verdict
South Carolina sits in the lower-middle quarter by active designations per resident. According to current HRSA Data Warehouse records, its 46 counties carry 267 active shortage designations; York County has the largest county count at 13, while about 83.9% of residents live in a geographic shortage county.
- 267
- Active HPSA designations
- 99
- Primary-care shortages
- 80
- Medically underserved areas
- 83.9%
- Residents in a shortage county
Key findings
What the HRSA Data Warehouse does not surface for South Carolina 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.
-
York County holds 4.9% of South Carolina's 267 active designations (13 of 267).
46 of 46 counties in this profile carry at least one active record; the remainder are zero-active on this release.
-
37.1% of South Carolina's active designations are primary care.
Discipline mix from state aggregates: 99 primary care, 77 mental health, 91 dental (denominator 267).
-
Closing South Carolina's active designations would take about 524 additional clinician FTEs, led by dental.
HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id across the state: 152 primary care, 175 mental health, 197 dental. Federal gap estimate, not a practising-clinician headcount.
Corpus placement
Where South Carolina sits among all 56 states and territories
South Carolina carries 267 active HPSA designations for a population of 5,118,425, which is 5.2 per 100,000 residents, ranking it 39 of 56 and above 30% of states and territories, against a median of 7.3.
52 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.
Medically Underserved Areas
80
Residents in Geographic Shortage Areas
4,294,043
% Residents in Geographic Shortage
83.9%
Discipline Mix
99 / 77 / 91 PC/MH/D
Primary care · Mental health · Dental
% Residents in Geographic Shortage-Designated Counties 83.9%
South Carolina Shortage Designations by Care Type
How South Carolina's 267 active HRSA designations split across the three provider categories. According to KFF's May 2026 tracker, South Carolina has not adopted ACA Medicaid expansion. That policy context does not measure provider supply, appointment availability, or care quality.
South Carolina HPSA designations by type
Active Health Professional Shortage Area designations, by provider category.
- Primary care
Primary care
99 designations
- Dental
Dental
91 designations
- Mental health
Mental health
77 designations
South Carolina 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 South Carolina
45 counties with at least one active dental designation ; led by Hampton (4). Full list (designation count in parentheses): Hampton (4) , Horry (4) , Marlboro (4) , Richland (4) , Abbeville (3) , Allendale (3) , Cherokee (3) , Darlington (3) , Edgefield (3) , Florence (3) , Greenville (3) , Greenwood (3) , Lancaster (3) , Spartanburg (3) , Williamsburg (3) , York (3) , Aiken (2) , Bamberg (2) , Beaufort (2) , Charleston (2) ; plus 25 more in the table below.
Primary-care HPSA counties in South Carolina
46 counties with at least one active primary-care designation ; led by York (5). Full list: York (5) , Greenville (4) , Hampton (4) , Horry (4) , Marlboro (4) , Abbeville (3) , Allendale (3) , Cherokee (3) , Darlington (3) , Edgefield (3) , Florence (3) , Lancaster (3) , Spartanburg (3) , Sumter (3) , Williamsburg (3) , Aiken (2) , Bamberg (2) , Beaufort (2) , Berkeley (2) , Charleston (2) ; plus 26 more in the table below.
Mental-health HPSA counties in South Carolina
46 counties with at least one active mental-health designation ; led by York (5). Full list: York (5) , Greenville (4) , Hampton (4) , Horry (4) , Marlboro (4) , Abbeville (3) , Allendale (3) , Cherokee (3) , Darlington (3) , Edgefield (3) , Florence (3) , Lancaster (3) , Lexington (3) , Richland (3) , Spartanburg (3) , Sumter (3) , Williamsburg (3) , Aiken (2) , Anderson (2) , Bamberg (2) ; plus 26 more in the table below.
All counties in South Carolina, by total shortage volume
The 40 counties with the most active HPSA designations, of 46 in South Carolina. Columns split primary care, mental health, and dental.
| # | County | Designations | Primary Care | Mental Health | Dental | MUA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | York | 13 | 5 | 5 | 3 | MUA |
| 2 | Hampton | 12 | 4 | 4 | 4 | MUA |
| 3 | Horry | 12 | 4 | 4 | 4 | MUA |
| 4 | Marlboro | 12 | 4 | 4 | 4 | MUA |
| 5 | Greenville | 11 | 4 | 4 | 3 | MUA |
| 6 | Abbeville | 9 | 3 | 3 | 3 | MUA |
| 7 | Allendale | 9 | 3 | 3 | 3 | MUA |
| 8 | Cherokee | 9 | 3 | 3 | 3 | MUA |
| 9 | Darlington | 9 | 3 | 3 | 3 | MUA |
| 10 | Edgefield | 9 | 3 | 3 | 3 | MUA |
| 11 | Florence | 9 | 3 | 3 | 3 | MUA |
| 12 | Lancaster | 9 | 3 | 3 | 3 | MUA |
| 13 | Richland | 9 | 2 | 3 | 4 | MUA |
| 14 | Spartanburg | 9 | 3 | 3 | 3 | MUA |
| 15 | Williamsburg | 9 | 3 | 3 | 3 | MUA |
| 16 | Sumter | 8 | 3 | 3 | 2 | MUA |
| 17 | Greenwood | 7 | 2 | 2 | 3 | MUA |
| 18 | Aiken | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | MUA |
| 19 | Bamberg | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | MUA |
| 20 | Beaufort | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | MUA |
| 21 | Charleston | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | MUA |
| 22 | Chesterfield | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | MUA |
| 23 | Clarendon | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | MUA |
| 24 | Dillon | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | MUA |
| 25 | Jasper | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | MUA |
| 26 | Laurens | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | MUA |
| 27 | Lee | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | MUA |
| 28 | Lexington | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | MUA |
| 29 | Marion | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | MUA |
| 30 | McCormick | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | MUA |
| 31 | Oconee | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | MUA |
| 32 | Orangeburg | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | MUA |
| 33 | Pickens | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | MUA |
| 34 | Dorchester | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | MUA |
| 35 | Anderson | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | MUA |
| 36 | Barnwell | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | MUA |
| 37 | Berkeley | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | MUA |
| 38 | Calhoun | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | MUA |
| 39 | Chester | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | MUA |
| 40 | Colleton | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | MUA |
Medically Underserved Areas in South Carolina
Showing 30 of 80 MUA designations (lowest MUA Index first, i.e. most underserved).
| Name | MUA Index |
|---|---|
| Newberry Service Area | 0.0 |
| Westville Service Area | 0.0 |
| Boykin Service Area | 0.0 |
| Chappells Service Area | 0.0 |
| Lee Service Area | 29.5 |
| Williamsburg Service Area | 30.2 |
| Mccormick Service Area | 35.3 |
| Dillon Service Area | 35.6 |
| Inner City Greenwood Service Area | 37.5 |
| Marlboro Service Area | 38.5 |
| Edgefield Service Area | 39.6 |
| Jasper Service Area | 41.1 |
| Chesterfield Service Area | 44.0 |
| Chester Service Area | 44.8 |
| Saluda Service Area | 45.2 |
| South Anderson City Service Area | 46.6 |
| Richland Service Area | 47.2 |
| LI-North Greenville City | 47.4 |
| Fairfield Service Area | 48.0 |
| Troy Service Area | 48.7 |
| Lancaster Service Area | 49.3 |
| Hampton Service Area | 49.6 |
| Bethune Division Service Area | 50.1 |
| Orangeburg Service Area | 51.5 |
| Sheldon Service Area | 51.5 |
| Sw Richland | 51.6 |
| Spartanburg Service Area | 52.2 |
| South Spartanburg Service Area | 53.7 |
| Johnsonville Service Area | 54.2 |
| Horry Service Area | 54.6 |
Lower-middle density reading for South Carolina
South Carolina sits below the national mid-pack by designations per resident with 267 active records across 46 counties. A moderate footprint still matters: a single high-score dental or mental-health record can open program geography even when the state total looks small next to denser peers.
About 83.9% of residents live in a geographic shortage county. Use the county ranking below to see which localities drive that share.
Learn More About Healthcare Shortages
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Medically Underserved Areas are in South Carolina? ▼
South Carolina has 80 Medically Underserved Areas (MUAs). About 4,294,043 residents (83.9% 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 South Carolina have dental HPSA designations? ▼
45 South Carolina counties carry at least one active dental Health Professional Shortage Area in the current HRSA release: Hampton (4), Horry (4), Marlboro (4), Richland (4), Abbeville (3), Allendale (3), Cherokee (3), Darlington (3), Edgefield (3), Florence (3), Greenville (3), Greenwood (3), Lancaster (3), Spartanburg (3), Williamsburg (3), York (3), Aiken (2), Bamberg (2), Beaufort (2), Charleston (2); plus 25 more on the table below. Counts are designated dental HPSA records per county, not a dentist headcount.
Are there doctor shortages in South Carolina? ▼
Yes. South Carolina has 267 Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs), including 99 in primary care, 77 in mental health, and 91 in dental care. About 83.9% of South Carolina 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.
Source: HRSA Data Warehouse Not affiliated with HRSA
Choose the next comparison
Use South Carolina'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 South Carolina's primary-care shortage record with every other state before drawing conclusions from a raw total; population and geography affect designation counts. Compare states
- York 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 South Carolina (SC) 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.