WI · Healthcare shortage profile
Columbia County, WI
Peak severity leads this reading: Columbia County's highest active HPSA score is 12.0, still below HRSA's 17-point high-priority line. Population 58,490.
- Active HPSAs
- 4
- Population
- 58,490
- Peak shortage score
- 12.0
- MUA Index
- -
Mid-burden verdict
According to current HRSA Data Warehouse records, Columbia County holds a moderate federal shortage burden - 4 active HPSA designations, more than 44% of the 3,289 real US counties, with mental health the deepest gap.
- 4
- Active HPSA designations
- 2
- Mental-health shortages
- 12
- Peak severity score (of 26)
- Top 56%
- US counties by volume
Dense ZCTA lattice over Columbia County
Columbia County intersects 20 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
8 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 Columbia 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.
-
Closing Columbia County's active designations would take about 2 additional clinician FTEs, with mental health the largest gap.
HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id (no double-count across status rows): 0.7 primary care, 0.7 mental health, 0.6 dental. This is the federal gap estimate, not a headcount of practising clinicians.
-
50% of Columbia County's 4 active designations are mental health.
Discipline mix from designated HPSA records only: 1 primary care, 2 mental health, 1 dental (denominator 4).
-
Peak HPSA score 12.0 sits below HRSA's 17-point high-priority line.
Below-17 designations still count as shortages for program geography, but they do not clear the high-priority NHSC placement threshold on this release.
Corpus placement
Designated volume without a high-priority score
According to current HRSA Data Warehouse records, Columbia County carries 4 active designations, above 44% of real US counties. None of those scores clear HRSA's high-priority line of 17 on this release, so the page leads with severity reading rather than a national distribution chart.
State peer position. Columbia County falls in the lower half of WI counties by active-designation volume, at rank 41 of 71. Ties share a rank.
Computed from current designated HPSA rows for every five-digit county FIPS. See the placement methodology.
Healthcare shortage designations from HRSA. FIPS: 55021. Population: 58,490.
Below high-priority line
Columbia County is designated, but no active score clears 17
4 active designations sit on this FIPS (1 primary care, 2 mental health, 1 dental), and the peak severity is 12.0. That is a formal shortage footprint without HRSA's high-priority (≥17) tier, so NHSC placement geography is usually weaker here than on counties whose lead score clears the line.
Active HPSA scores
Current designated records only. No Medically Underserved Area designation covers Columbia 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 4 active (designated) HPSAs in Columbia County, ranked by HRSA shortage score.
| Name | Type | Score |
|---|---|---|
| CF-Columbia Correctional Institution | primary_care | 12.0 |
| LI-Portage City | mental_health | 12.0 |
| CF-Columbia Correctional Institution | mental_health | 12.0 |
| Columbia Correctional Institution | dental | 6.0 |
Moderate-burden reading for Columbia County
Peak severity leads this reading: Columbia County's highest active HPSA score is 12.0, still below HRSA's 17-point high-priority line. Columbia County's shortage runs equally deep in primary care and mental health: both scored 12.0 by HRSA, still short of the 17-point priority line, though the designation itself is formal. Dental care reads 6.0 of 26. No Medically Underserved Area designation covers Columbia County, so federal support here runs through the HPSA route alone.
Columbia County sits in the middle of the national designation-volume distribution (above 44% of counties) with 4 active records. That is enough for a formal shortage footprint without landing in the heaviest US tier. Compare the three discipline counts (1/2/1) before assuming every care category is equally short.
Columbia County falls in the lower half of WI counties by active-designation volume, at rank 41 of 71. For moderate counties, the useful move is usually a state peer check plus the score cards above, not a national superlative claim.
Mid-pack clinician FTE gap for Columbia County
HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id for Columbia County's active designations: about 2 FTE, a federal gap estimate, not a headcount of practising clinicians.
Counties near Columbia County's mental score of 12.0
One peer set for this severity-led county: nearest active mental HPSA score to 12.0 (severity lead on this page is “CF-Columbia Correctional Institution”).
Douglas County, CO
12.0 mental score · 357,978 pop.
Johnson County, IA
12.0 mental score · 152,854 pop.
Guaynabo County, PR
12.0 mental score · 89,780 pop.
Colbert County, AL
12.0 mental score · 57,227 pop.
Adams County, NE
12.0 mental score · 31,205 pop.
Pickens County, AL
12.0 mental score · 19,123 pop.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Which record sets Columbia County's peak score of 12.0?
- "CF-Columbia Correctional Institution" leads the active set (score 12.0; primary care; 684 people in the service area; ~0.7 FTE still needed on the record; designated 06/11/1996). Below 17 the shortage is formal but outside HRSA's high-priority NHSC tier. Discipline mix across 4 active rows: 1 primary care, 2 mental health, 1 dental.
- Why is Columbia County not listed as a Medically Underserved Area?
- Columbia 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 Columbia County's severity reading?
- After "CF-Columbia Correctional Institution", the next active names on this release are "CF-Columbia Correctional Institution", "LI-Portage City", "CF-Columbia Correctional Institution" and "Columbia Correctional Institution". Provider need (id-de-duped) totals ~2 FTE across disciplines that still carry a gap.
- Which federal pathways follow Columbia County's high-severity geography?
- Columbia County's 4 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 "CF-Columbia Correctional Institution".
Source: HRSA Data Warehouse. FIPS: 55021. 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 55021 (Columbia County, WI), vintage 2026-08-15. Active designation count 4; peak score 12.0; signature peak score 12.0. This profile is reference material, not professional advice; see methodology.