0 High-priority · dental care only

MI · Healthcare shortage profile

Tuscola County, MI

Designation volume is the standout signal for Tuscola County: 27 active HPSA records, above 97% of real US counties. Population 53,323.

Active HPSAs
27
Population
53,323
Peak shortage score
17.0
MUA Index
-

Heavy-burden verdict

According to current HRSA Data Warehouse records, Tuscola County ranks among the most underserved counties in the country - 27 active HPSA designations, more than 97% of the 3,289 real US counties, with primary care the deepest gap.

27
Active HPSA designations
9
Dental shortages
17
Peak severity score (of 26)
Top 3%
US counties by volume

Key findings

What the HRSA Data Warehouse does not surface for Tuscola 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.

  1. 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.

  2. Closing Tuscola County's active designations would take about 7.9 additional clinician FTEs, with dental the largest gap.

    HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id (no double-count across status rows): 2.4 primary care, 1.5 mental health, 4.1 dental. This is the federal gap estimate, not a headcount of practising clinicians.

  3. 33.3% of Tuscola County's 27 active designations are primary care.

    Discipline mix from designated HPSA records only: 9 primary care, 9 mental health, 9 dental (denominator 27).

Dense ZCTA lattice over Tuscola County

Tuscola County intersects 21 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

9 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.

Tuscola County vs. every real US county

Total active HPSA designations, including counties with none

27 Top 3% higher than 97% of 3,289 real US counties

0–20: 3,115 real US counties (95%). Below this entry. 20–40: 128 real US counties (4%). This entry sits in this band. 40–60: 32 real US counties (1%). Above this entry. 60–80: 7 real US counties (0%). Above this entry. 80–100: 2 real US counties (0%). Above this entry. 100–120: 1 real US counties (0%). Above this entry. 120–140: 2 real US counties (0%). Above this entry. 140–160: 1 real US counties (0%). Above this entry. 160–180: 0 real US counties (0%). Above this entry. 180–200: 0 real US counties (0%). Above this entry. 200–220: 0 real US counties (0%). Above this entry. 220–240: 0 real US counties (0%). Above this entry. 240–260: 0 real US counties (0%). Above this entry. 260–280: 1 real US counties (0%). Above this entry. This county 0 280 every real US county, bucketed by value

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. Tuscola County falls in the upper quarter of MI counties by active-designation volume, at rank 4 of 83. Ties share a rank; the comparison uses the same current designated records as the national chart.

Healthcare shortage designations from HRSA. FIPS: 26157. Population: 53,323.

Single high-priority discipline

Tuscola County's only high-priority (≥17) footprint is dental care

Current HRSA Data Warehouse rows attribute 9 active dental care designations to Tuscola 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.

Peak severity scores

Primary Care 14.0
Mental Health 16.0
Dental 17.0

Current designated records only. No Medically Underserved Area designation covers Tuscola County in the current HRSA release, federal support here runs through the HPSA route alone. Scores range 0–25 (primary/mental health), 0–26 (dental). Higher = greater need. What counts as a high score?

Highest-severity HPSA designations

All 27 active (designated) HPSAs in Tuscola County, ranked by HRSA shortage score.

Name Type Score
Millwood Street Primary Care dental 17.0
Mayville Family Healthcare mental_health 16.0
Family Healthcare OF Cass City dental 15.0
Cass City Family Practice dental 15.0
Thumb Pediatrics dental 15.0
Cass City Medical Practice dental 15.0
Kingston Family Practice dental 15.0
Mayville Family Healthcare dental 15.0
LI-Tuscola County dental 15.0
Kingston Family Healthcare dental 15.0
Cass City Medical Practice primary_care 14.0
Thumb Pediatrics primary_care 14.0
Family Healthcare OF Cass City primary_care 14.0
Cass City Family Practice primary_care 14.0
Millwood Street Primary Care primary_care 14.0
Kingston Family Practice primary_care 14.0
Kingston Family Healthcare primary_care 14.0
Mayville Family Healthcare primary_care 14.0
Kingston Family Practice mental_health 14.0
Millwood Street Primary Care mental_health 14.0
Kingston Family Healthcare mental_health 14.0
Thumb Pediatrics mental_health 12.0
Cass City Medical Practice mental_health 12.0
Family Healthcare OF Cass City mental_health 12.0
Cass City Family Practice mental_health 12.0
Tuscola County mental_health 12.0
LI - Tuscola County primary_care 11.0

Heavy-burden reading for Tuscola County

Designation volume is the standout signal for Tuscola County: 27 active HPSA records, above 97% of real US counties. Dental care carries Tuscola 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 14.0 of 25; Mental health reads 16.0 of 25. No Medically Underserved Area designation covers Tuscola County, so federal support here runs through the HPSA route alone.

Volume places Tuscola County above 97% of real US counties (27 active designations: 9 primary care, 9 mental health, 9 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.

Tuscola County falls in the upper quarter of MI counties by active-designation volume, at rank 4 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.

Heavy-volume FTE gap in Tuscola County

HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id for Tuscola County's active designations: about 7.9 FTE, a federal gap estimate, not a headcount of practising clinicians.

Acting on Tuscola County's high-priority dental care

Tuscola County's shortage designations unlock specific federal programs and comparisons, here is how to act on them.

  • Tuscola 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 MI before drawing conclusions from a single score. MI 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 Tuscola County's 17.0. This compares the designation score only, not local appointment availability or care quality. Start with Wayne County, NY and Talladega County, AL.

Showing 6 of 2744 counties nationally with an active designation this severe.

High-volume peers of Tuscola County (27 active)

One peer set for this volume-led county: nearest active designation count to 27 across the national corpus.

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes up Tuscola County's 27 active HPSA designations?
27 Designated rows (9 primary care, 9 mental health, 9 dental). Highest-scored name on this release: "MILLWOOD STREET PRIMARY CARE" (score 17.0; dental; 125,372 people in the service area; designated 09/18/2020). Also active: "MAYVILLE FAMILY HEALTHCARE", "FAMILY HEALTHCARE OF CASS CITY", "CASS CITY FAMILY PRACTICE". Above 97% of real US counties by volume.
Why is Tuscola County not listed as a Medically Underserved Area?
Tuscola County has no MUA designation on this release. Federal shortage support here runs through the active HPSA record set alone.
What does volume-plus-score look like for Tuscola County?
Peak active score 17.0 in dental care clears the 17-point line while volume sits at 27 rows.
What clinician need sits behind Tuscola County's designation volume?
Closing published gaps would take about 7.9 additional clinician FTEs (id-de-duped providers_needed). "MILLWOOD STREET PRIMARY CARE" is the severity lead inside that inventory.
Which federal programs follow Tuscola County's designation volume?
27 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 Tuscola County's volume compare inside MI?
27 active HPSA rows · peak 17.0. Tuscola County falls in the upper quarter of MI counties by active-designation volume, at rank 4 of 83. Score-nearest counties on this release include Wayne County, NY and Talladega County, AL.

Source: HRSA Data Warehouse. FIPS: 26157. 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 26157 (Tuscola County, MI), vintage 2026-08-15. Active designation count 27; peak score 17.0; signature 27 active designations. This profile is reference material, not professional advice; see methodology.