PA · Healthcare shortage profile
Northampton County, PA
Peak severity leads this reading: Northampton County's highest active HPSA score is 19.0, clearing HRSA's 17-point high-priority line. Population 312,951.
- Active HPSAs
- 2
- Population
- 312,951
- Peak shortage score
- 19.0
- MUA Index
- 53.0
Light-burden verdict
According to current HRSA Data Warehouse records, Northampton County carries a comparatively light shortage burden - 2 active HPSA designations, more than 10% of the 3,289 real US counties, with dental the deepest gap.
- 2
- Active HPSA designations
- 2
- Dental shortages
- 19
- Peak severity score (of 26)
- Top 90%
- US counties by volume
Dense ZCTA lattice over Northampton County
Northampton County intersects 26 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
14 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 Northampton 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 19.0 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 Northampton County's active designations would take about 4.5 additional clinician FTEs, with dental the largest gap.
HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id (no double-count across status rows): 4.5 dental. This is the federal gap estimate, not a headcount of practising clinicians.
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100% of Northampton County's 2 active designations are dental.
Discipline mix from designated HPSA records only: 0 primary care, 0 mental health, 2 dental (denominator 2).
Northampton County vs. every real US county
Total active HPSA designations, including counties with none
2 Top 90% higher than 10% 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. Northampton County falls in the lower half of PA counties by active-designation volume, at rank 46 of 67. Ties share a rank; the comparison uses the same current designated records as the national chart.
Healthcare shortage designations from HRSA. FIPS: 42095. Population: 312,951.
Medically Underserved Area
Active HPSA scores
Current designated records only · dental care only on this FIPS. Scores range 0–25 (primary/mental health), 0–26 (dental). Higher = greater need. What counts as a high score?
Highest-severity HPSA designations
All 2 active (designated) HPSAs in Northampton County, ranked by HRSA shortage score.
| Name | Type | Score |
|---|---|---|
| LI-Bethlehem | dental | 19.0 |
| LI-Easton | dental | 17.0 |
Light-burden reading for Northampton County
Peak severity leads this reading: Northampton County's highest active HPSA score is 19.0, clearing HRSA's 17-point high-priority line. Dental care carries Northampton County's deepest shortage reading, 19.0 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. The county also sits inside a Medically Underserved Area, indexed at 53.0, and the lower the index, the greater the measured need.
Northampton County carries 2 active designations and sits below the national mid-pack (above 10% 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.
Northampton County falls in the lower half of PA counties by active-designation volume, at rank 46 of 67. Read the active scores and the deepest-care guide link below before collapsing this county into a "no shortage" story.
Acting on Northampton County's high-priority dental care
Northampton County's shortage designations unlock specific federal programs and comparisons, here is how to act on them.
- Northampton 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 near Northampton County's dental score of 19.0
One peer set for this severity-led county: nearest active dental HPSA score to 19.0 (severity lead on this page is “LI-Bethlehem”).
Athens County, OH
19.0 dental score · 62,431 pop.
Le Flore County, OK
19.0 dental score · 48,129 pop.
Richmond County, NC
19.0 dental score · 42,946 pop.
Escambia County, FL
19.0 dental score · 321,905 pop.
Pueblo County, CO
19.0 dental score · 168,162 pop.
Terrebonne County, LA
19.0 dental score · 109,580 pop.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Does Northampton County's MUA standing sit beside its HPSA records?
- Yes - Northampton County carries an MUA designation (index 53.0; 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 Northampton County's peak score of 19.0?
- "LI-Bethlehem" leads the active set (score 19.0; dental; 6,000 people in the service area; ~2.5 FTE still needed on the record; designated 03/04/2026). Clearing 17 opens NHSC high-priority placement for the matching provider type on the designated geography. Discipline mix across 2 active rows: 0 primary care, 0 mental health, 2 dental.
- Which other active designations sit under Northampton County's severity reading?
- After "LI-Bethlehem", the next active names on this release are "LI-Bethlehem" and "LI-Easton". Provider need (id-de-duped) totals ~4.5 FTE across disciplines that still carry a gap.
Source: HRSA Data Warehouse. FIPS: 42095. This county’s designations come from 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 42095 (Northampton County, PA), vintage 2026-08-15. Active designation count 2; peak score 19.0; signature peak score 19.0. This profile is reference material, not professional advice; see methodology.