MI · Healthcare shortage profile
Washtenaw County, MI
Peak severity leads this reading: Washtenaw County's highest active HPSA score is 21.0, clearing HRSA's 17-point high-priority line. Population 372,258.
- Active HPSAs
- 7
- Population
- 372,258
- Peak shortage score
- 21.0
- MUA Index
- 53.2
Heavy-burden verdict
According to current HRSA Data Warehouse records, Washtenaw County carries a heavier shortage burden than most US counties - 7 active HPSA designations, more than 70% of the 3,289 real US counties, with dental the deepest gap.
- 7
- Active HPSA designations
- 3
- Dental shortages
- 21
- Peak severity score (of 26)
- Top 30%
- US counties by volume
Dense ZCTA lattice over Washtenaw County
Washtenaw County intersects 27 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
15 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 Washtenaw County, MI 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 Washtenaw County's active designations would take about 3.4 additional clinician FTEs, with primary care the largest gap.
HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id (no double-count across status rows): 1.4 primary care, 1.2 mental health, 0.8 dental. This is the federal gap estimate, not a headcount of practising clinicians.
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42.9% of Washtenaw County's 7 active designations are dental.
Discipline mix from designated HPSA records only: 2 primary care, 2 mental health, 3 dental (denominator 7).
Washtenaw County vs. every real US county
Total active HPSA designations, including counties with none
7 Top 30% higher than 70% 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. Washtenaw County falls in the upper half of MI counties by active-designation volume, at rank 41 of 83. Ties share a rank; the comparison uses the same current designated records as the national chart.
Healthcare shortage designations from HRSA. FIPS: 26161. Population: 372,258.
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 7 active (designated) HPSAs in Washtenaw County, ranked by HRSA shortage score.
| Name | Type | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Packard Health | dental | 21.0 |
| Packard Health | primary_care | 17.0 |
| Packard Health | mental_health | 14.0 |
| FCI-Milan | primary_care | 12.0 |
| Fci Milan | mental_health | 12.0 |
| Women's Huron Valley Correctional Facility | dental | 6.0 |
| FCI-Milan | dental | 3.0 |
Heavy-burden reading for Washtenaw County
Peak severity leads this reading: Washtenaw County's highest active HPSA score is 21.0, clearing HRSA's 17-point high-priority line. Dental care carries Washtenaw 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 17.0 of 25; Mental health reads 14.0 of 25. The county also sits inside a Medically Underserved Area, indexed at 53.2, and the lower the index, the greater the measured need.
Volume places Washtenaw County above 70% of real US counties (7 active designations: 2 primary care, 2 mental health, 3 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.
Washtenaw County falls in the upper half of MI counties by active-designation volume, at rank 41 of 83. 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.
Washtenaw County designations by care type
Active Health Professional Shortage Area designations in the county, by provider category (high-priority disciplines emphasized).
- Dental
Dental
3 designations
- Primary care
Primary care
2 designations
Heavy-volume FTE gap in Washtenaw County
HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id for Washtenaw County's active designations: about 3.4 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 Washtenaw County, MI · 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
Washtenaw County's shortage designations unlock specific federal programs and comparisons, here is how to act on them.
- Washtenaw County's 7 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 dental burden compares with the rest of MI before you draw conclusions from a single score. MI 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 Washtenaw County's 21.0. This compares the designation score only, not local appointment availability or care quality. Start with Ventura County, CA and Monterey County, CA.
Showing 6 of 2744 counties nationally with an active designation this severe.
Counties near Washtenaw 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 “PACKARD HEALTH”).
Ventura County, CA
21.0 dental score · 843,843 pop.
Monterey County, CA
21.0 dental score · 439,035 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 Washtenaw County's MUA standing sit beside its HPSA records?
- Yes - Washtenaw County carries an MUA designation (index 53.2; 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 Washtenaw County's peak score of 21.0?
- "PACKARD HEALTH" leads the active set (score 21.0; dental; 67,799 people in the service area; designated 08/18/2019). Clearing 17 opens NHSC high-priority placement for the matching provider type on the designated geography. Discipline mix across 7 active rows: 2 primary care, 2 mental health, 3 dental.
- Which other active designations sit under Washtenaw County's severity reading?
- After "PACKARD HEALTH", the next active names on this release are "PACKARD HEALTH", "PACKARD HEALTH", "PACKARD HEALTH" and "FCI-Milan". Provider need (id-de-duped) totals ~3.4 FTE across disciplines that still carry a gap.
- Which federal pathways follow Washtenaw County's high-severity geography?
- Washtenaw County's 7 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 "PACKARD HEALTH".
- How does Washtenaw County's peak severity sit inside MI?
- Washtenaw County holds 7 active HPSA rows with peak 21.0. Washtenaw County falls in the upper half of MI counties by active-designation volume, at rank 41 of 83. Score-nearest national peers appear below when the peer module renders. Score-nearest counties on this release include Ventura County, CA and Monterey County, CA.
Source: HRSA Data Warehouse. FIPS: 26161. 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 26161 (Washtenaw County, MI), vintage 2026-08-15. Active designation count 7; peak score 21.0; signature peak score 21.0. This profile is reference material, not professional advice; see methodology.