NJ · Healthcare shortage profile
Hudson County, NJ
Peak severity leads this reading: Hudson County's highest active HPSA score is 24.0, clearing HRSA's 17-point high-priority line. Population 724,854.
- Active HPSAs
- 9
- Population
- 724,854
- Peak shortage score
- 24.0
- MUA Index
- 53.5
Heavy-burden verdict
According to current HRSA Data Warehouse records, Hudson County carries a heavier shortage burden than most US counties - 9 active HPSA designations, more than 75% of the 3,289 real US counties, with primary care the deepest gap.
- 9
- Active HPSA designations
- 3
- Mental-health shortages
- 24
- Peak severity score (of 26)
- Top 25%
- US counties by volume
Dense ZCTA lattice over Hudson County
Hudson County intersects 16 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
4 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 Hudson County, NJ 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.
-
Peak HPSA score 24.0 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.
-
33.3% of Hudson County's 9 active designations are primary care.
Discipline mix from designated HPSA records only: 3 primary care, 3 mental health, 3 dental (denominator 9).
Hudson County vs. every real US county
Total active HPSA designations, including counties with none
9 Top 25% higher than 75% 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. Hudson County falls in the upper half of NJ counties by active-designation volume, at rank 6 of 20. Ties share a rank; the comparison uses the same current designated records as the national chart.
Healthcare shortage designations from HRSA. FIPS: 34017. Population: 724,854.
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 9 active (designated) HPSAs in Hudson County, ranked by HRSA shortage score.
| Name | Type | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Metropolitan Family Health Network Inc | mental_health | 24.0 |
| North Hudson Community Action Corporation | mental_health | 19.0 |
| Alliance Community Healthcare, Inc. | mental_health | 19.0 |
| Alliance Community Healthcare, Inc. | dental | 17.0 |
| Metropolitan Family Health Network Inc | dental | 15.0 |
| North Hudson Community Action Corporation | dental | 15.0 |
| Metropolitan Family Health Network Inc | primary_care | 7.0 |
| Alliance Community Healthcare, Inc. | primary_care | 7.0 |
| North Hudson Community Action Corporation | primary_care | 7.0 |
Heavy-burden reading for Hudson County
Peak severity leads this reading: Hudson County's highest active HPSA score is 24.0, clearing HRSA's 17-point high-priority line. Hudson County's severest measured gap is in mental health, scored 24.0 of 25, past the 17-point line HRSA uses to open National Health Service Corps placement and enhanced Medicare reimbursement. Primary care reads 7.0 of 25; Dental care reads 17.0 of 26. The county also sits inside a Medically Underserved Area, indexed at 53.5, and the lower the index, the greater the measured need.
Volume places Hudson County above 75% of real US counties (9 active designations: 3 primary care, 3 mental health, 3 dental). Peak severity on the current designated set is 24.0. 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.
Hudson County falls in the upper half of NJ counties by active-designation volume, at rank 6 of 20. 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.
Hudson County designations by care type
Active Health Professional Shortage Area designations in the county, by provider category (high-priority disciplines emphasized).
- Mental health
Mental health
3 designations
- Dental
Dental
3 designations
Source: HRSA Data Warehouse, Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSA) + Medically Underserved Areas/Populations (MUA/P) HPSA primary-care, mental-health, and dental designations for Hudson County, NJ · 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 a heavy-burden county
Hudson County's shortage designations unlock specific federal programs and comparisons, here is how to act on them.
- Hudson County's 9 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 NJ before you draw conclusions from a single score. NJ 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.
Counties With a Similar Mental Health Shortage Score
Other U.S. counties whose active HRSA mental-health HPSA score is closest to Hudson County's 24.0. This compares the designation score only, not local appointment availability or care quality. Start with Providence County, RI and Fresno County, CA.
Showing 6 of 3081 counties nationally with an active designation this severe.
Counties near Hudson County's mental score of 24.0
One peer set for this severity-led county: nearest active mental HPSA score to 24.0 (severity lead on this page is “METROPOLITAN FAMILY HEALTH NETWORK INC”).
Providence County, RI
23.0 mental score · 660,741 pop.
Fresno County, CA
24.0 mental score · 1,008,654 pop.
Weld County, CO
24.0 mental score · 328,981 pop.
St. Landry County, LA
24.0 mental score · 82,540 pop.
Logan County, AR
24.0 mental score · 21,131 pop.
Coal County, OK
24.0 mental score · 5,266 pop.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Does Hudson County's MUA standing sit beside its HPSA records?
- Yes - Hudson County carries an MUA designation (index 53.5; 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 Hudson County's peak score of 24.0?
- "METROPOLITAN FAMILY HEALTH NETWORK INC" leads the active set (score 24.0; mental health; 110,267 people in the service area; designated 09/01/2006). Clearing 17 opens NHSC high-priority placement for the matching provider type on the designated geography. Discipline mix across 9 active rows: 3 primary care, 3 mental health, 3 dental.
- Which other active designations sit under Hudson County's severity reading?
- After "METROPOLITAN FAMILY HEALTH NETWORK INC", the next active names on this release are "METROPOLITAN FAMILY HEALTH NETWORK INC", "North Hudson Community Action Corporation", "Alliance Community Healthcare, Inc." and "Alliance Community Healthcare, Inc.". Provider need (id-de-duped) totals ~0 FTE across disciplines that still carry a gap.
- Which federal pathways follow Hudson County's high-severity geography?
- Hudson County's 9 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 "METROPOLITAN FAMILY HEALTH NETWORK INC".
- How does Hudson County's peak severity sit inside NJ?
- Hudson County holds 9 active HPSA rows with peak 24.0. Hudson County falls in the upper half of NJ counties by active-designation volume, at rank 6 of 20. Score-nearest national peers appear below when the peer module renders. Score-nearest counties on this release include Providence County, RI and Fresno County, CA.
Source: HRSA Data Warehouse. FIPS: 34017. 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 34017 (Hudson County, NJ), vintage 2026-08-15. Active designation count 9; peak score 24.0; signature peak score 24.0. This profile is reference material, not professional advice; see methodology.