ME · Healthcare shortage profile
Cumberland County, ME
Peak severity leads this reading: Cumberland County's highest active HPSA score is 23.0, clearing HRSA's 17-point high-priority line. Population 303,069.
- Active HPSAs
- 7
- Population
- 303,069
- Peak shortage score
- 23.0
- MUA Index
- 54.0
Heavy-burden verdict
According to current HRSA Data Warehouse records, Cumberland County carries a heavier shortage burden than most US counties - 7 active HPSA designations, more than 70% of the 3,289 real US counties, with primary care the deepest gap.
- 7
- Active HPSA designations
- 2
- Dental shortages
- 23
- Peak severity score (of 26)
- Top 30%
- US counties by volume
Dense ZCTA lattice over Cumberland County
Cumberland County intersects 38 Census ZCTAs, above the 15-ZIP dense-tercile cut. Shortage designations still attach at the county (or smaller HPSA) grain; the ZIP list is geography, not a second severity score.
Largest land-share ZCTAs in this county
26 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.
Key findings
What the HRSA Data Warehouse does not surface for Cumberland County, ME 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 23.0 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 Cumberland County's active designations would take about 5.3 additional clinician FTEs, with primary care the largest gap.
HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id (no double-count across status rows): 4.6 primary care, 0.7 dental. This is the federal gap estimate, not a headcount of practising clinicians.
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57.1% of Cumberland County's 7 active designations are primary care.
Discipline mix from designated HPSA records only: 4 primary care, 1 mental health, 2 dental (denominator 7).
Cumberland County vs. every real US county
Total active HPSA designations, including counties with none
7 Top 30% higher than 70% 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. Cumberland County falls in the lower half of ME counties by active-designation volume, at rank 13 of 16. Ties share a rank; the comparison uses the same current designated records as the national chart.
Healthcare shortage designations from HRSA. FIPS: 23005. Population: 303,069.
Single high-priority discipline
Cumberland County's only high-priority (≥17) footprint is dental care
Current HRSA Data Warehouse rows attribute 2 active dental care designations to Cumberland County , with a peak score of 23.0. 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 dental care records.
Medically Underserved Area
Peak severity 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 7 active (designated) HPSAs in Cumberland County, ranked by HRSA shortage score.
| Name | Type | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Portland Community Health Center | dental | 23.0 |
| LI-Fryeburg SA | primary_care | 16.0 |
| Portland Community Health Center | mental_health | 14.0 |
| LI - Parsonsfield | dental | 14.0 |
| Sebago Lake SA | primary_care | 11.0 |
| Porter SA | primary_care | 10.0 |
| Portland Community Health Center | primary_care | 10.0 |
Heavy-burden reading for Cumberland County
Peak severity leads this reading: Cumberland County's highest active HPSA score is 23.0, clearing HRSA's 17-point high-priority line. Dental care carries Cumberland County's deepest shortage reading, 23.0 on HRSA's 0–26 dental scale, past the 17-point line HRSA uses to open National Health Service Corps placement and enhanced Medicare reimbursement. Primary care reads 16.0 of 25; Mental health reads 14.0 of 25. The county also sits inside a Medically Underserved Area, indexed at 54.0, and the lower the index, the greater the measured need.
Volume places Cumberland County above 70% of real US counties (7 active designations: 4 primary care, 1 mental health, 2 dental). Peak severity on the current designated set is 23.0. The table on this page lists the highest-severity records first so a reader can see which named facilities, geographies, or population groups drive that burden without treating the county total as a personal appointment forecast.
Cumberland County falls in the lower half of ME counties by active-designation volume, at rank 13 of 16. Heavy-burden counties are where NHSC placement, Community Health Center grant geography, and related federal instruments concentrate; eligibility still follows the designated area and provider type, not the county boundary alone.
Heavy-volume FTE gap in Cumberland County
HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id for Cumberland County's active designations: about 5.3 FTE, a federal gap estimate, not a headcount of practising clinicians.
Acting on Cumberland County's high-priority dental care
Cumberland County's shortage designations unlock specific federal programs and comparisons, here is how to act on them.
- Cumberland County's high-priority dental care designations are where NHSC placement geography concentrates, estimate the award and service terms. NHSC estimator
- See how the county's dental care burden compares with the rest of ME before drawing conclusions from a single score. ME 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.
Counties With a Similar Dental Shortage Score
Other U.S. counties whose active HRSA dental HPSA score is closest to Cumberland County's 23.0. This compares the designation score only, not local appointment availability or care quality. Start with Spartanburg County, SC and Cumberland County, PA.
Showing 6 of 2744 counties nationally with an active designation this severe.
Counties near Cumberland County's dental score of 23.0
One peer set for this severity-led county: nearest active dental HPSA score to 23.0 (severity lead on this page is “PORTLAND COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER”).
Spartanburg County, SC
23.0 dental score · 327,997 pop.
Cumberland County, PA
23.0 dental score · 259,469 pop.
Bayamon County, PR
23.0 dental score · 185,187 pop.
Johnson County, IN
23.0 dental score · 161,765 pop.
Kennebec County, ME
23.0 dental score · 123,642 pop.
Kent County, MI
23.0 dental score · 657,974 pop.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Does Cumberland County's MUA standing sit beside its HPSA records?
- Yes - Cumberland County carries an MUA designation (index 54.0; lower = greater measured need) in addition to its HPSA rows. MUA and HPSA are separate HRSA tracks; both can open different federal pathways.
- Which record sets Cumberland County's peak score of 23.0?
- "PORTLAND COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER" leads the active set (score 23.0; dental; 22,211 people in the service area; designated 08/18/2019). Clearing 17 opens NHSC high-priority placement for the matching provider type on the designated geography. Discipline mix across 7 active rows: 4 primary care, 1 mental health, 2 dental.
- Which other active designations sit under Cumberland County's severity reading?
- After "PORTLAND COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER", the next active names on this release are "PORTLAND COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER", "LI-Fryeburg SA", "PORTLAND COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER" and "LI - Parsonsfield". Provider need (id-de-duped) totals ~5.3 FTE across disciplines that still carry a gap.
- Which federal pathways follow Cumberland County's high-severity geography?
- Cumberland County's 7 active designations can open NHSC placement, CHC grants, Medicare bonus and J-1 waivers, eligibility follows the designated area and provider type, not merely the county line around "PORTLAND COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER".
- How does Cumberland County's peak severity sit inside ME?
- Cumberland County holds 7 active HPSA rows with peak 23.0. Cumberland County falls in the lower half of ME counties by active-designation volume, at rank 13 of 16. Score-nearest national peers appear below when the peer module renders. Score-nearest counties on this release include Spartanburg County, SC and Cumberland County, PA.
Source: HRSA Data Warehouse. FIPS: 23005. 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 23005 (Cumberland County, ME), vintage 2026-08-15. Active designation count 7; peak score 23.0; signature peak score 23.0. This profile is reference material, not professional advice; see methodology.