NY · Healthcare shortage profile
Albany County, NY
Peak severity leads this reading: Albany County's highest active HPSA score is 26.0, clearing HRSA's 17-point high-priority line. Population 314,848.
- Active HPSAs
- 3
- Population
- 314,848
- Peak shortage score
- 26.0
- MUA Index
- 42.5
Light-burden verdict
According to current HRSA Data Warehouse records, Albany County carries a comparatively light shortage burden - 3 active HPSA designations, more than 20% of the 3,289 real US counties, with primary care the deepest gap.
- 3
- Active HPSA designations
- 1
- Dental shortages
- 26
- Peak severity score (of 26)
- Top 80%
- US counties by volume
Dense ZCTA lattice over Albany County
Albany County intersects 47 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
35 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 Albany County, NY 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 26.0 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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33.3% of Albany County's 3 active designations are primary care.
Discipline mix from designated HPSA records only: 1 primary care, 1 mental health, 1 dental (denominator 3).
Corpus placement
Active-designation volume placement
According to current HRSA Data Warehouse records, Albany County carries 3 active designations, above 20% of real US counties. Use the state peer line below before treating the national percentile as a local access verdict.
State peer position. Albany County falls in the lower half of NY counties by active-designation volume, at rank 38 of 62. Ties share a rank.
Computed from current designated HPSA rows for every five-digit county FIPS. See the placement methodology.
Healthcare shortage designations from HRSA. FIPS: 36001. Population: 314,848.
Medically Underserved Area
Active HPSA 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 3 active (designated) HPSAs in Albany County, ranked by HRSA shortage score.
| Name | Type | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Whitney M Young JR Health Center Inc | dental | 26.0 |
| Whitney M Young JR Health Center Inc | mental_health | 23.0 |
| Whitney M Young JR Health Center Inc | primary_care | 21.0 |
Light-burden reading for Albany County
Peak severity leads this reading: Albany County's highest active HPSA score is 26.0, clearing HRSA's 17-point high-priority line. Dental care carries Albany County's deepest shortage reading, 26.0 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 21.0 of 25; Mental health reads 23.0 of 25. The county also sits inside a Medically Underserved Area, indexed at 42.5, and the lower the index, the greater the measured need.
Albany County carries 3 active designations and sits below the national mid-pack (above 20% of counties). A light footprint still matters: a single high-score dental or mental-health record can open program geography even when the county total looks small next to heavy peers.
Albany County falls in the lower half of NY counties by active-designation volume, at rank 38 of 62. Read the active scores and the deepest-care guide link below before collapsing this county into a "no shortage" story.
Source: HRSA Data Warehouse, Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSA) + Medically Underserved Areas/Populations (MUA/P) HPSA primary-care, mental-health, and dental designations for Albany County, NY · 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 Albany County's designations
Albany County's shortage designations unlock specific federal programs and comparisons, here is how to act on them.
- Albany County's 3 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 NY before you draw conclusions from a single score. NY 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 near Albany County's dental score of 26.0
One peer set for this severity-led county: nearest active dental HPSA score to 26.0 (severity lead on this page is “WHITNEY M YOUNG JR HEALTH CENTER INC”).
Guam County, GU
26.0 dental score · 153,836 pop.
Van Buren County, MI
26.0 dental score · 75,587 pop.
Hancock County, ME
26.0 dental score · 55,478 pop.
Pinellas County, FL
26.0 dental score · 959,107 pop.
Volusia County, FL
26.0 dental score · 553,543 pop.
Orange County, NY
26.0 dental score · 401,310 pop.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Does Albany County's MUA standing sit beside its HPSA records?
- Yes - Albany County carries an MUA designation (index 42.5; 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 Albany County's peak score of 26.0?
- "WHITNEY M YOUNG JR HEALTH CENTER INC" leads the active set (score 26.0; dental; 62,923 people in the service area; designated 10/26/2002). Clearing 17 opens NHSC high-priority placement for the matching provider type on the designated geography. Discipline mix across 3 active rows: 1 primary care, 1 mental health, 1 dental.
- Which other active designations sit under Albany County's severity reading?
- After "WHITNEY M YOUNG JR HEALTH CENTER INC", the next active names on this release are "WHITNEY M YOUNG JR HEALTH CENTER INC", "WHITNEY M YOUNG JR HEALTH CENTER INC" and "WHITNEY M YOUNG JR HEALTH CENTER INC". Provider need (id-de-duped) totals ~0 FTE across disciplines that still carry a gap.
Source: HRSA Data Warehouse. FIPS: 36001. 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 36001 (Albany County, NY), vintage 2026-08-15. Active designation count 3; peak score 26.0; signature peak score 26.0. This profile is reference material, not professional advice; see methodology.