PA · Healthcare shortage profile
Centre County, PA
Designation volume is the standout signal for Centre County: 9 active HPSA records, above 75% of real US counties. Population 158,172.
- Active HPSAs
- 9
- Population
- 158,172
- Peak shortage score
- 17.0
- MUA Index
- 55.9
Heavy-burden verdict
According to current HRSA Data Warehouse records, Centre 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
- Dental shortages
- 17
- Peak severity score (of 26)
- Top 25%
- US counties by volume
Dense ZCTA lattice over Centre County
Centre County intersects 35 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
23 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 Centre 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.
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Peak HPSA score 17.0 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 Centre County's active designations would take about 10 additional clinician FTEs, with dental the largest gap.
HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id (no double-count across status rows): 1.8 primary care, 0.4 mental health, 8 dental. This is the federal gap estimate, not a headcount of practising clinicians.
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44.4% of Centre County's 9 active designations are primary care.
Discipline mix from designated HPSA records only: 4 primary care, 2 mental health, 3 dental (denominator 9).
Centre 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. Centre County falls in the upper quarter of PA counties by active-designation volume, at rank 15 of 67. Ties share a rank; the comparison uses the same current designated records as the national chart.
Healthcare shortage designations from HRSA. FIPS: 42027. Population: 158,172.
Single high-priority discipline
Centre County's only high-priority (≥17) footprint is dental care
Current HRSA Data Warehouse rows attribute 3 active dental care designations to Centre County , with a peak score of 17.0. 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 9 active (designated) HPSAs in Centre County, ranked by HRSA shortage score.
| Name | Type | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Caring Healthcare Network | dental | 17.0 |
| LI-Centre County | dental | 17.0 |
| Caring Healthcare Network | mental_health | 13.0 |
| Caring Healthcare Network | primary_care | 12.0 |
| CF-State Correctional Institution - Benner Township | dental | 12.0 |
| LI Philipsburg | primary_care | 8.0 |
| State Correctional Institution - Rockview | primary_care | 6.0 |
| CF-State Correctional Institution - Benner Township | mental_health | 6.0 |
| CF-State Correctional Institution - Benner Township | primary_care | 3.0 |
Heavy-burden reading for Centre County
Designation volume is the standout signal for Centre County: 9 active HPSA records, above 75% of real US counties. Dental care carries Centre County's deepest shortage reading, 17.0 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 12.0 of 25; Mental health reads 13.0 of 25. The county also sits inside a Medically Underserved Area, indexed at 55.9, and the lower the index, the greater the measured need.
Volume places Centre County above 75% of real US counties (9 active designations: 4 primary care, 2 mental health, 3 dental). Peak severity on the current designated set is 17.0. 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.
Centre County falls in the upper quarter of PA counties by active-designation volume, at rank 15 of 67. 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 Centre County
HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id for Centre County's active designations: about 10 FTE, a federal gap estimate, not a headcount of practising clinicians.
Acting on Centre County's high-priority dental care
Centre County's shortage designations unlock specific federal programs and comparisons, here is how to act on them.
- Centre 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.
Counties With a Similar Dental Shortage Score
Other U.S. counties whose active HRSA dental HPSA score is closest to Centre County's 17.0. This compares the designation score only, not local appointment availability or care quality. Start with Rockingham County, NC and Putnam County, TN.
Showing 6 of 2744 counties nationally with an active designation this severe.
High-volume peers of Centre County (9 active)
One peer set for this volume-led county: nearest active designation count to 9 across the national corpus.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Does Centre County's MUA standing sit beside its HPSA records?
- Yes - Centre County carries an MUA designation (index 55.9; lower = greater measured need) in addition to its HPSA rows. MUA and HPSA are separate HRSA tracks; both can open different federal pathways.
- What makes up Centre County's 9 active HPSA designations?
- 9 Designated rows (4 primary care, 2 mental health, 3 dental). Highest-scored name on this release: "CARING HEALTHCARE NETWORK" (score 17.0; dental; 104,730 people in the service area; designated 12/16/2022). Also active: "LI-Centre County", "CARING HEALTHCARE NETWORK", "CARING HEALTHCARE NETWORK". Above 75% of real US counties by volume.
- What does volume-plus-score look like for Centre County?
- Peak active score 17.0 in dental care clears the 17-point line while volume sits at 9 rows.
- What clinician need sits behind Centre County's designation volume?
- Closing published gaps would take about 10 additional clinician FTEs (id-de-duped providers_needed). "CARING HEALTHCARE NETWORK" is the severity lead inside that inventory.
- Which federal programs follow Centre County's designation volume?
- 9 active designations can open NHSC placement, CHC grants, Medicare bonus and J-1 waivers, by designated area and provider type, not by county line alone.
- How does Centre County's volume compare inside PA?
- 9 active HPSA rows · peak 17.0. Centre County falls in the upper quarter of PA counties by active-designation volume, at rank 15 of 67. Score-nearest counties on this release include Rockingham County, NC and Putnam County, TN.
Source: HRSA Data Warehouse. FIPS: 42027. 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 42027 (Centre County, PA), vintage 2026-08-15. Active designation count 9; peak score 17.0; signature 9 active designations. This profile is reference material, not professional advice; see methodology.