WI · Healthcare shortage profile
Sauk County, WI
Peak severity leads this reading: Sauk County's highest active HPSA score is 22.0, clearing HRSA's 17-point high-priority line. Population 65,763.
- Active HPSAs
- 7
- Population
- 65,763
- Peak shortage score
- 22.0
- MUA Index
- -
Heavy-burden verdict
According to current HRSA Data Warehouse records, Sauk 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
- 22
- Peak severity score (of 26)
- Top 30%
- US counties by volume
Dense ZCTA lattice over Sauk County
Sauk County intersects 19 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
7 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 Sauk County, WI 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 22.0 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 Sauk County's active designations would take about 0.6 additional clinician FTEs, with dental the largest gap.
HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id (no double-count across status rows): 0.6 dental. This is the federal gap estimate, not a headcount of practising clinicians.
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42.9% of Sauk County's 7 active designations are dental.
Discipline mix from designated HPSA records only: 2 primary care, 2 mental health, 3 dental (denominator 7).
Sauk 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. Sauk County falls in the upper half of WI counties by active-designation volume, at rank 28 of 71. Ties share a rank; the comparison uses the same current designated records as the national chart.
Healthcare shortage designations from HRSA. FIPS: 55111. Population: 65,763.
Single high-priority discipline
Sauk County's only high-priority (≥17) footprint is dental care
Current HRSA Data Warehouse rows attribute 3 active dental care designations to Sauk County , with a peak score of 22.0. 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
Current designated records only. No Medically Underserved Area designation covers Sauk 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 7 active (designated) HPSAs in Sauk County, ranked by HRSA shortage score.
| Name | Type | Score |
|---|---|---|
| HO-Chunk Wellness Center | dental | 22.0 |
| HO-Chunk Wellness Center | primary_care | 16.0 |
| Upland Hills Health Clinic Spring Green | mental_health | 16.0 |
| HO-Chunk Wellness Center | mental_health | 15.0 |
| LI-Reedsburg Area | dental | 15.0 |
| Upland Hills Health Clinic Spring Green | dental | 15.0 |
| Upland Hills Health Clinic Spring Green | primary_care | 11.0 |
Heavy-burden reading for Sauk County
Peak severity leads this reading: Sauk County's highest active HPSA score is 22.0, clearing HRSA's 17-point high-priority line. Dental care carries Sauk County's deepest shortage reading, 22.0 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 16.0 of 25. No Medically Underserved Area designation covers Sauk County, so federal support here runs through the HPSA route alone.
Volume places Sauk 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 22.0. 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.
Sauk County falls in the upper half of WI counties by active-designation volume, at rank 28 of 71. 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.
Acting on Sauk County's high-priority dental care
Sauk County's shortage designations unlock specific federal programs and comparisons, here is how to act on them.
- Sauk 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 WI before drawing conclusions from a single score. WI 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 Sauk County's 22.0. This compares the designation score only, not local appointment availability or care quality. Start with Rio Grande County, PR and Carlton County, MN.
Showing 6 of 2744 counties nationally with an active designation this severe.
Counties near Sauk County's dental score of 22.0
One peer set for this severity-led county: nearest active dental HPSA score to 22.0 (severity lead on this page is “HO-CHUNK WELLNESS CENTER”).
Rio Grande County, PR
22.0 dental score · 47,060 pop.
Carlton County, MN
22.0 dental score · 36,207 pop.
Barranquitas County, PR
22.0 dental score · 28,983 pop.
Manatee County, FL
22.0 dental score · 399,710 pop.
Madera County, CA
22.0 dental score · 156,255 pop.
Grafton County, NH
22.0 dental score · 91,118 pop.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Which record sets Sauk County's peak score of 22.0?
- "HO-CHUNK WELLNESS CENTER" leads the active set (score 22.0; dental; 3,446 people in the service area; designated 10/20/2005). 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.
- Why is Sauk County not listed as a Medically Underserved Area?
- Sauk County has no MUA designation on this release. Federal shortage support here runs through the active HPSA record set alone.
- Which other active designations sit under Sauk County's severity reading?
- After "HO-CHUNK WELLNESS CENTER", the next active names on this release are "HO-CHUNK WELLNESS CENTER", "HO-CHUNK WELLNESS CENTER", "UPLAND HILLS HEALTH CLINIC SPRING GREEN" and "HO-CHUNK WELLNESS CENTER". Provider need (id-de-duped) totals ~0.6 FTE across disciplines that still carry a gap.
- Which federal pathways follow Sauk County's high-severity geography?
- Sauk 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 "HO-CHUNK WELLNESS CENTER".
- How does Sauk County's peak severity sit inside WI?
- Sauk County holds 7 active HPSA rows with peak 22.0. Sauk County falls in the upper half of WI counties by active-designation volume, at rank 28 of 71. Score-nearest national peers appear below when the peer module renders. Score-nearest counties on this release include Rio Grande County, PR and Carlton County, MN.
Source: HRSA Data Warehouse. FIPS: 55111. 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 55111 (Sauk County, WI), vintage 2026-08-15. Active designation count 7; peak score 22.0; signature peak score 22.0. This profile is reference material, not professional advice; see methodology.