VA · Healthcare shortage profile
Fairfax County, VA
Peak severity leads this reading: Fairfax County's highest active HPSA score is 21.0, clearing HRSA's 17-point high-priority line. Population 1,150,309.
- Active HPSAs
- 8
- Population
- 1,150,309
- Peak shortage score
- 21.0
- MUA Index
- MUA
Heavy-burden verdict
According to current HRSA Data Warehouse records, Fairfax County carries a heavier shortage burden than most US counties - 8 active HPSA designations, more than 73% of the 3,289 real US counties, with primary care the deepest gap.
- 8
- Active HPSA designations
- 2
- Dental shortages
- 21
- Peak severity score (of 26)
- Top 27%
- US counties by volume
Dense ZCTA lattice over Fairfax County
Fairfax County intersects 49 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
37 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 Fairfax County, VA 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 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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Closing Fairfax County's active designations would take about 15 additional clinician FTEs, with primary care the largest gap.
HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id (no double-count across status rows): 10 primary care, 2.5 mental health, 2.7 dental. This is the federal gap estimate, not a headcount of practising clinicians.
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37.5% of Fairfax County's 8 active designations are primary care.
Discipline mix from designated HPSA records only: 3 primary care, 3 mental health, 2 dental (denominator 8).
Fairfax County vs. every real US county
Total active HPSA designations, including counties with none
8 Top 27% higher than 73% 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. Fairfax County falls in the upper quarter of VA counties by active-designation volume, at rank 18 of 133. Ties share a rank; the comparison uses the same current designated records as the national chart.
Healthcare shortage designations from HRSA. FIPS: 51059. Population: 1,150,309.
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 8 active (designated) HPSAs in Fairfax County, ranked by HRSA shortage score.
| Name | Type | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Neighborhood Health | dental | 21.0 |
| Neighborhood Health | mental_health | 17.0 |
| Neighborhood Health | primary_care | 16.0 |
| LI - Lorton/Mt. Vernon | primary_care | 16.0 |
| LI - Fairfax/Alexandria/Arlington Junction | primary_care | 13.0 |
| LI - Fairfax/Alexandria/Arlington Junction | dental | 9.0 |
| SMH-Northern Virginia Mental Health Institute | mental_health | 8.0 |
| ME - Fairfax/Falls Church Mhca | mental_health | 7.0 |
Heavy-burden reading for Fairfax County
Peak severity leads this reading: Fairfax County's highest active HPSA score is 21.0, clearing HRSA's 17-point high-priority line. Dental care carries Fairfax 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 16.0 of 25; Mental health reads 17.0 of 25. The county also sits inside a Medically Underserved Area, a separate HRSA designation from the HPSA records above.
Volume places Fairfax County above 73% of real US counties (8 active designations: 3 primary care, 3 mental health, 2 dental). Peak severity on the current designated set is 21.0. 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.
Fairfax County falls in the upper quarter of VA counties by active-designation volume, at rank 18 of 133. 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.
Fairfax 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
2 designations
Heavy-volume FTE gap in Fairfax County
HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id for Fairfax County's active designations: about 15 FTE, a federal gap estimate, not a headcount of practising clinicians.
Source: HRSA Data Warehouse, Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSA) + Medically Underserved Areas/Populations (MUA/P) HPSA primary-care, mental-health, and dental designations for Fairfax County, VA · 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
Fairfax County's shortage designations unlock specific federal programs and comparisons, here is how to act on them.
- Fairfax County's 8 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 VA before you draw conclusions from a single score. VA 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 Dental Shortage Score
Other U.S. counties whose active HRSA dental HPSA score is closest to Fairfax County's 21.0. This compares the designation score only, not local appointment availability or care quality. Start with Essex County, MA and Placer County, CA.
Showing 6 of 2744 counties nationally with an active designation this severe.
Counties near Fairfax 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 “NEIGHBORHOOD HEALTH”).
Essex County, MA
21.0 dental score · 809,829 pop.
Placer County, CA
21.0 dental score · 404,739 pop.
York County, SC
21.0 dental score · 282,090 pop.
Delaware County, IN
21.0 dental score · 111,903 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 Fairfax County's MUA standing sit beside its HPSA records?
- Yes - Fairfax County carries an MUA designation in addition to its HPSA rows. MUA and HPSA are separate HRSA tracks; both can open different federal pathways.
- Which record sets Fairfax County's peak score of 21.0?
- "NEIGHBORHOOD HEALTH" leads the active set (score 21.0; dental; 104,472 people in the service area; designated 09/30/2004). Clearing 17 opens NHSC high-priority placement for the matching provider type on the designated geography. Discipline mix across 8 active rows: 3 primary care, 3 mental health, 2 dental.
- Which other active designations sit under Fairfax County's severity reading?
- After "NEIGHBORHOOD HEALTH", the next active names on this release are "NEIGHBORHOOD HEALTH", "NEIGHBORHOOD HEALTH", "NEIGHBORHOOD HEALTH" and "LI - Lorton/Mt. Vernon". Provider need (id-de-duped) totals ~15 FTE across disciplines that still carry a gap.
- Which federal pathways follow Fairfax County's high-severity geography?
- Fairfax County's 8 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 "NEIGHBORHOOD HEALTH".
- How does Fairfax County's peak severity sit inside VA?
- Fairfax County holds 8 active HPSA rows with peak 21.0. Fairfax County falls in the upper quarter of VA counties by active-designation volume, at rank 18 of 133. Score-nearest national peers appear below when the peer module renders. Score-nearest counties on this release include Essex County, MA and Placer County, CA.
Source: HRSA Data Warehouse. FIPS: 51059. 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 51059 (Fairfax County, VA), vintage 2026-08-15. Active designation count 8; peak score 21.0; signature peak score 21.0. This profile is reference material, not professional advice; see methodology.