0 Two high-priority disciplines

VT · Healthcare shortage profile

Franklin County, VT

Peak severity leads this reading: Franklin County's highest active HPSA score is 20.0, clearing HRSA's 17-point high-priority line. Population 49,946.

Active HPSAs
6
Population
49,946
Peak shortage score
20.0
MUA Index
-
VT state overview → About this data

Mid-burden verdict

According to current HRSA Data Warehouse records, Franklin County holds a moderate federal shortage burden - 6 active HPSA designations, more than 54% of the 3,289 real US counties, with primary care the deepest gap.

6
Active HPSA designations
2
Dental shortages
20
Peak severity score (of 26)
Top 46%
US counties by volume

Dense ZCTA lattice over Franklin County

Franklin County intersects 18 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

6 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 Franklin County, VT 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.

  1. Peak HPSA score 20.0 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.

  2. 33.3% of Franklin County's 6 active designations are primary care.

    Discipline mix from designated HPSA records only: 2 primary care, 2 mental health, 2 dental (denominator 6).

Franklin County vs. every real US county

Total active HPSA designations, including counties with none

6 Top 46% higher than 54% of 3,289 real US counties

0–20: 3,115 real US counties (95%). This entry sits in this band. 20–40: 128 real US counties (4%). Above this entry. 40–60: 32 real US counties (1%). Above this entry. 60–80: 7 real US counties (0%). Above this entry. 80–100: 2 real US counties (0%). Above this entry. 100–120: 1 real US counties (0%). Above this entry. 120–140: 2 real US counties (0%). Above this entry. 140–160: 1 real US counties (0%). Above this entry. 160–180: 0 real US counties (0%). Above this entry. 180–200: 0 real US counties (0%). Above this entry. 200–220: 0 real US counties (0%). Above this entry. 220–240: 0 real US counties (0%). Above this entry. 240–260: 0 real US counties (0%). Above this entry. 260–280: 1 real US counties (0%). Above this entry. This county 0 280 every real US county, bucketed by value

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. Franklin County sits among the top three county rank positions in VT, at rank 2 of 14. Ties share a rank; the comparison uses the same current designated records as the national chart.

Healthcare shortage designations from HRSA. FIPS: 50011. Population: 49,946.

2
Dental HPSAs
2
Mental Health HPSAs

Active HPSA scores

Primary Care 8.0
Mental Health 19.0
Dental 20.0

Current designated records only. No Medically Underserved Area designation covers Franklin County in the current HRSA release, federal support here runs through the HPSA route alone. Scores range 0–25 (primary/mental health), 0–26 (dental). Higher = greater need. What counts as a high score?

Highest-severity HPSA designations

All 6 active (designated) HPSAs in Franklin County, ranked by HRSA shortage score.

Name Type Score
The Richford Health Center, Inc dental 20.0
The Richford Health Center, Inc mental_health 19.0
Cold Hollow Family Practice mental_health 16.0
Cold Hollow Family Practice dental 15.0
The Richford Health Center, Inc primary_care 8.0
Cold Hollow Family Practice primary_care 5.0

Moderate-burden reading for Franklin County

Peak severity leads this reading: Franklin County's highest active HPSA score is 20.0, clearing HRSA's 17-point high-priority line. Dental care carries Franklin County's deepest shortage reading, 20.0 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 8.0 of 25; Mental health reads 19.0 of 25. No Medically Underserved Area designation covers Franklin County, so federal support here runs through the HPSA route alone.

Franklin County sits in the middle of the national designation-volume distribution (above 54% of counties) with 6 active records. That is enough for a formal shortage footprint without landing in the heaviest US tier. Compare the three discipline counts (2/2/2) before assuming every care category is equally short.

Franklin County sits among the top three county rank positions in VT, at rank 2 of 14. For moderate counties, the useful move is usually a state peer check plus the score cards above, not a national superlative claim.

Franklin County designations by care type

Active Health Professional Shortage Area designations in the county, by provider category (high-priority disciplines emphasized).

designations
Source HRSA Data Warehouse, designated HPSAs As of 2026

Source: HRSA Data Warehouse, Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSA) + Medically Underserved Areas/Populations (MUA/P) HPSA primary-care, mental-health, and dental designations for Franklin County, VT · 2026 HRSA designation data updated quarterly; HPSA scores 0-25 (primary/mental) and 0-26 (dental); higher = greater shortage severity. Coverage tiers from U.S. Census ACS PUMS + KFF state tracker.

Acting on Franklin County's designations

Franklin County's shortage designations unlock specific federal programs and comparisons, here is how to act on them.

  • Franklin County's 6 active designations make providers here eligible for National Health Service Corps loan repayment, estimate the award and service terms. NHSC estimator
  • See how the county's primary care burden compares with the rest of VT before you draw conclusions from a single score. VT overview
  • Check whether an area clears HRSA's 3,500:1 population-to-provider threshold with the provider-to-population ratio behind an HPSA score. 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.

Nearby dental score peers

Closest U.S. counties on active dental HPSA score to Franklin County's 20.0. Open Tehama County, CA or Darke County, OH next.

Showing 3 of 2744 counties nationally with an active designation this severe.

Tehama County, CA

20.0 score 65,829 pop.

Darke County, OH

20.0 score 51,881 pop.

Gadsden County, FL

20.0 score 43,826 pop.

Counties near Franklin County's dental score of 20.0

One peer set for this severity-led county: nearest active dental HPSA score to 20.0 (severity lead on this page is “THE RICHFORD HEALTH CENTER, INC”).

Tehama County, CA

20.0 dental score · 65,829 pop.

Darke County, OH

20.0 dental score · 51,881 pop.

Gadsden County, FL

20.0 dental score · 43,826 pop.

Plymouth County, MA

20.0 dental score · 530,819 pop.

Deschutes County, OR

20.0 dental score · 198,253 pop.

Tuscarawas County, OH

20.0 dental score · 93,263 pop.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which record sets Franklin County's peak score of 20.0?
"THE RICHFORD HEALTH CENTER, INC" leads the active set (score 20.0; dental; 11,282 people in the service area; designated 05/30/2003). Clearing 17 opens NHSC high-priority placement for the matching provider type on the designated geography. Discipline mix across 6 active rows: 2 primary care, 2 mental health, 2 dental.
Why is Franklin County not listed as a Medically Underserved Area?
Franklin County has no MUA designation on this release. Federal shortage support here runs through the active HPSA record set alone.
Which other active designations sit under Franklin County's severity reading?
After "THE RICHFORD HEALTH CENTER, INC", the next active names on this release are "THE RICHFORD HEALTH CENTER, INC", "THE RICHFORD HEALTH CENTER, INC", "COLD HOLLOW FAMILY PRACTICE" and "COLD HOLLOW FAMILY PRACTICE". Provider need (id-de-duped) totals ~0 FTE across disciplines that still carry a gap.
Which federal pathways follow Franklin County's high-severity geography?
Franklin County's 6 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 "THE RICHFORD HEALTH CENTER, INC".

Source: HRSA Data Warehouse. FIPS: 50011. 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 50011 (Franklin County, VT), vintage 2026-08-15. Active designation count 6; peak score 20.0; signature peak score 20.0. This profile is reference material, not professional advice; see methodology.