HRSA Counties Indexed
82
with HPSA / MUA coverage
Medically underserved areas & HPSA profile
Medically Underserved Areas in Mississippi
91 Medically Underserved Areas and 388 active HRSA Health Professional Shortage Area designations across Mississippi.
- MUAs
- 91
- Total HPSAs
- 388
- Primary care
- 153
- Mental health
- 86
- Dental
- 149
Upper-middle density verdict
Within HRSA's current state and territory corpus, Mississippi occupies the upper-middle density quarter. The Data Warehouse counts 388 active shortage designations across 82 counties; Neshoba County has the largest county count at 18; about 67.7% of residents live in a geographic shortage county.
- 388
- Active HPSA designations
- 153
- Primary-care shortages
- 91
- Medically underserved areas
- 67.7%
- Residents in a shortage county
Key findings
What the HRSA Data Warehouse does not surface for Mississippi 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.
-
Closing Mississippi's active designations would take about 590 additional clinician FTEs, led by primary care.
HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id across the state: 288 primary care, 99 mental health, 203 dental. Federal gap estimate, not a practising-clinician headcount.
-
39.4% of Mississippi's active designations are primary care.
Discipline mix from state aggregates: 153 primary care, 86 mental health, 149 dental (denominator 388).
-
Neshoba County holds 4.6% of Mississippi's 388 active designations (18 of 388).
81 of 82 counties in this profile carry at least one active record; the remainder are zero-active on this release.
HRSA state registry desk
Mississippi designation file stamps
- HPSA-VOL
- 388
- MUA-COUNT
- 91
- PC/MH/DH
- 153/86/149
- RANK
- 16/56
- DENSITY
- MID-HIGH
- BOOK
- 82 counties
Lead discipline: primary-care. Photo-finish peer: Arkansas (391HPSAs).
Corpus placement
Where Mississippi sits among all 56 states and territories
Mississippi's 388 active HPSA designations across 2,961,279 residents work out to 13.1 per 100,000, good for rank 16 of 56, ahead of the 7.3 national median and 71% of the corpus.
62 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 Mississippi changed from 386 to 388 (+2).
- IDs added
- 5
- IDs absent now
- 0
- Newly designated
- 0
- No longer designated
- 3
Among IDs present in both snapshots, scores rose for 0 and fell for 3; 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
91
Residents in Geographic Shortage Areas
2,003,679
% Residents in Geographic Shortage
67.7%
Discipline Mix
153 / 86 / 149 PC/MH/D
Primary care · Mental health · Dental
% Residents in Geographic Shortage-Designated Counties 67.7%
Mississippi Shortage Designations by Care Type
How Mississippi's 388 active HRSA designations split across the three provider categories. According to KFF's May 2026 tracker, Mississippi has not adopted ACA Medicaid expansion. That policy context does not measure provider supply, appointment availability, or care quality.
Mississippi HPSA designations by type
Active Health Professional Shortage Area designations, by provider category.
- Primary care
Primary care
153 designations
- Dental
Dental
149 designations
- Mental health
Mental health
86 designations
Mississippi 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 Mississippi
81 counties with at least one active dental designation ; led by Neshoba (6). Full list (designation count in parentheses): Neshoba (6) , Covington (5) , Amite (4) , Jones (4) , Noxubee (4) , Scott (4) , Simpson (4) , Bolivar (3) , Franklin (3) , Hinds (3) , Lauderdale (3) , Leake (3) , Panola (3) , Tallahatchie (3) , Wilkinson (3) , Yalobusha (3) , Benton (2) , Choctaw (2) , Claiborne (2) , Clarke (2) ; plus 61 more in the table below.
Primary-care HPSA counties in Mississippi
81 counties with at least one active primary-care designation ; led by Neshoba (6). Full list: Neshoba (6) , Covington (5) , Amite (4) , Jones (4) , Lauderdale (4) , Noxubee (4) , Scott (4) , Simpson (4) , Wilkinson (4) , Bolivar (3) , Franklin (3) , Hinds (3) , Leake (3) , Madison (3) , Marshall (3) , Panola (3) , Rankin (3) , Tallahatchie (3) , Yalobusha (3) , Benton (2) ; plus 61 more in the table below.
Mental-health HPSA counties in Mississippi
80 counties with at least one active mental-health designation ; led by Neshoba (6). Full list: Neshoba (6) , Covington (5) , Amite (4) , Jones (4) , Lauderdale (4) , Noxubee (4) , Scott (4) , Simpson (4) , Wilkinson (4) , Bolivar (3) , Franklin (3) , Hinds (3) , Leake (3) , Madison (3) , Marshall (3) , Panola (3) , Rankin (3) , Tallahatchie (3) , Yalobusha (3) , Benton (2) ; plus 60 more in the table below.
All counties in Mississippi, by total shortage volume
The 40 counties with the most active HPSA designations, of 82 in Mississippi. Columns split primary care, mental health, and dental. On a narrow screen, this list keeps each county’s total and MUA status visible; the care-type split is available on wider screens.
| # | County | Designations | MUA |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Neshoba | 18 | MUA |
| 2 | Covington | 15 | MUA |
| 3 | Amite | 12 | MUA |
| 4 | Jones | 12 | MUA |
| 5 | Noxubee | 12 | MUA |
| 6 | Scott | 12 | MUA |
| 7 | Simpson | 12 | MUA |
| 8 | Lauderdale | 11 | MUA |
| 9 | Wilkinson | 11 | MUA |
| 10 | Bolivar | 9 | MUA |
| 11 | Franklin | 9 | MUA |
| 12 | Hinds | 9 | MUA |
| 13 | Leake | 9 | MUA |
| 14 | Panola | 9 | MUA |
| 15 | Tallahatchie | 9 | MUA |
| 16 | Yalobusha | 9 | MUA |
| 17 | Madison | 8 | MUA |
| 18 | Marshall | 8 | MUA |
| 19 | Rankin | 8 | MUA |
| 20 | Benton | 6 | MUA |
| 21 | Choctaw | 6 | MUA |
| 22 | Claiborne | 6 | MUA |
| 23 | Clarke | 6 | MUA |
| 24 | Coahoma | 6 | MUA |
| 25 | Forrest | 6 | MUA |
| 26 | Greene | 6 | MUA |
| 27 | Harrison | 6 | MUA |
| 28 | Holmes | 6 | MUA |
| 29 | Itawamba | 6 | MUA |
| 30 | Jefferson | 6 | MUA |
| 31 | Jefferson Davis | 6 | MUA |
| 32 | Lamar | 6 | MUA |
| 33 | Marion | 6 | MUA |
| 34 | Monroe | 6 | MUA |
| 35 | Newton | 6 | MUA |
| 36 | Pearl River | 6 | MUA |
| 37 | Quitman | 6 | MUA |
| 38 | Smith | 6 | MUA |
| 39 | Sunflower | 6 | MUA |
| 40 | Tunica | 6 | MUA |
Medically Underserved Areas in Mississippi
Showing 30 of 91 MUA designations (lowest MUA Index first, i.e. most underserved).
| Name | MUA Index |
|---|---|
| Issaquena Service Area | 19.7 |
| Kemper Service Area | 22.0 |
| Benton Service Area | 23.5 |
| Yalobusha Service Area | 25.8 |
| Noxubee Service Area | 26.5 |
| Jefferson Davis Service Area | 26.5 |
| Marshall Service Area | 26.7 |
| Claiborne Service Area | 26.9 |
| Montgomery Service Area | 27.8 |
| Leflore Service Area | 29.6 |
| Amite Service Area | 29.6 |
| Coahoma Service Area | 29.9 |
| Tallahatchie Service Area | 30.1 |
| Sharkey Service Area | 30.6 |
| Tunica Service Area | 30.7 |
| Walthall Service Area | 30.8 |
| Panola Service Area | 31.0 |
| Chickasaw Service Area | 31.2 |
| Holmes Service Area | 31.9 |
| Yazoo Service Area | 32.1 |
| Webster Service Area | 32.1 |
| Sunflower Service Area | 32.1 |
| Quitman Service Area | 32.2 |
| Humphreys Service Area | 32.3 |
| Winston Service Area | 32.4 |
| Wilkinson Service Area | 32.4 |
| Newton Service Area | 32.4 |
| Bolivar Service Area | 34.0 |
| Tate Service Area | 35.5 |
| Wayne Service Area | 35.7 |
Upper-middle density reading for Mississippi
Mississippi carries 388 active HPSA designations with 91 Medically Underserved Areas, enough for a formal shortage footprint without landing in the densest US tier. Compare the three discipline counts (153/86/149) before assuming every care category is equally short.
Geographic shortage counties cover about 67.7% of residents. That coverage signal routes federal recruitment dollars; it is not a service-denial verdict for any one household.
Nationwide states with similar HRSA shortage footprints
Two peer sets for Mississippi: total active HPSA designations and Medically Underserved Area counts, ranked against every other state and territory.
Similar designation volume
Nearest total HPSA count (388 active here).
Similar MUA inventory
Nearest MUA count (91 here).
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Medically Underserved Areas are in Mississippi? ▼
Mississippi has 91 Medically Underserved Areas (MUAs). About 2,003,679 residents (67.7% 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 Mississippi have dental HPSA designations? ▼
81 Mississippi counties carry at least one active dental Health Professional Shortage Area in the current HRSA release: Neshoba (6), Covington (5), Amite (4), Jones (4), Noxubee (4), Scott (4), Simpson (4), Bolivar (3), Franklin (3), Hinds (3), Lauderdale (3), Leake (3), Panola (3), Tallahatchie (3), Wilkinson (3), Yalobusha (3), Benton (2), Choctaw (2), Claiborne (2), Clarke (2); plus 61 more on the table below. Counts are designated dental HPSA records per county, not a dentist headcount.
Are there doctor shortages in Mississippi? ▼
Yes. Mississippi has 388 Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs), including 153 in primary care, 86 in mental health, and 149 in dental care. About 67.7% of Mississippi 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 Mississippi, there are 388 designated HPSAs and 91 Medically Underserved Areas (MUAs).
Source: HRSA Data Warehouse Not affiliated with HRSA
Choose the next comparison
Use Mississippi'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 Mississippi's primary-care shortage record with every other state before drawing conclusions from a raw total; population and geography affect designation counts. Compare states
- Neshoba 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 Mississippi (MS) 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.