PA · Healthcare shortage profile
Mercer County, PA
Peak severity leads this reading: Mercer County's highest active HPSA score is 21.0, clearing HRSA's 17-point high-priority line. Population 110,652.
- Active HPSAs
- 6
- Population
- 110,652
- Peak shortage score
- 21.0
- MUA Index
- 57.2
Mid-burden verdict
According to current HRSA Data Warehouse records, Mercer 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
- 21
- Peak severity score (of 26)
- Top 46%
- US counties by volume
Dense ZCTA lattice over Mercer County
Mercer County intersects 28 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
16 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 Mercer County, PA 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 21.0 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 Mercer 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).
Mercer 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
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. Mercer County falls in the upper half of PA counties by active-designation volume, at rank 25 of 67. Ties share a rank; the comparison uses the same current designated records as the national chart.
Healthcare shortage designations from HRSA. FIPS: 42085. Population: 110,652.
Single high-priority discipline
Mercer County's only high-priority (≥17) footprint is dental care
Current HRSA Data Warehouse rows attribute 2 active dental care designations to Mercer County , with a peak score of 21.0. 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
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 6 active (designated) HPSAs in Mercer County, ranked by HRSA shortage score.
| Name | Type | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Health Network | dental | 21.0 |
| Sharon Community Health Center | dental | 17.0 |
| Primary Health Network | mental_health | 15.0 |
| Sharon Community Health Center | primary_care | 10.0 |
| Primary Health Network | primary_care | 10.0 |
| Sharon Community Health Center | mental_health | 10.0 |
Moderate-burden reading for Mercer County
Peak severity leads this reading: Mercer County's highest active HPSA score is 21.0, clearing HRSA's 17-point high-priority line. Dental care carries Mercer County's deepest shortage reading, 21.0 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 10.0 of 25; Mental health reads 15.0 of 25. The county also sits inside a Medically Underserved Area, indexed at 57.2, and the lower the index, the greater the measured need.
Mercer 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.
Mercer County falls in the upper half of PA counties by active-designation volume, at rank 25 of 67. For moderate counties, the useful move is usually a state peer check plus the score cards above, not a national superlative claim.
Acting on Mercer County's high-priority dental care
Mercer County's shortage designations unlock specific federal programs and comparisons, here is how to act on them.
- Mercer 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 PA before drawing conclusions from a single score. PA 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.
Nearby dental score peers
Closest U.S. counties on active dental HPSA score to Mercer County's 21.0. Open Ventura County, CA or Monterey County, CA next.
Showing 3 of 2744 counties nationally with an active designation this severe.
Counties near Mercer County's dental score of 21.0
One peer set for this severity-led county: nearest active dental HPSA score to 21.0 (severity lead on this page is “PRIMARY HEALTH NETWORK”).
Ventura County, CA
21.0 dental score · 843,843 pop.
Monterey County, CA
21.0 dental score · 439,035 pop.
Lorain County, OH
21.0 dental score · 312,964 pop.
Jefferson County, NY
21.0 dental score · 116,721 pop.
Craven County, NC
21.0 dental score · 100,720 pop.
La Plata County, CO
21.0 dental score · 55,638 pop.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Does Mercer County's MUA standing sit beside its HPSA records?
- Yes - Mercer County carries an MUA designation (index 57.2; 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 Mercer County's peak score of 21.0?
- "PRIMARY HEALTH NETWORK" leads the active set (score 21.0; dental; 212,943 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 6 active rows: 2 primary care, 2 mental health, 2 dental.
- Which other active designations sit under Mercer County's severity reading?
- After "PRIMARY HEALTH NETWORK", the next active names on this release are "PRIMARY HEALTH NETWORK", "Sharon Community Health Center", "PRIMARY HEALTH NETWORK" and "Sharon Community Health Center". Provider need (id-de-duped) totals ~0 FTE across disciplines that still carry a gap.
- Which federal pathways follow Mercer County's high-severity geography?
- Mercer 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 "PRIMARY HEALTH NETWORK".
Source: HRSA Data Warehouse. FIPS: 42085. 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 42085 (Mercer County, PA), vintage 2026-08-15. Active designation count 6; peak score 21.0; signature peak score 21.0. This profile is reference material, not professional advice; see methodology.