WI · Healthcare shortage profile
Polk County, WI
Designation volume is the standout signal for Polk County: 9 active HPSA records, above 75% of real US counties. Population 44,977.
- Active HPSAs
- 9
- Population
- 44,977
- Peak shortage score
- 16.0
- MUA Index
- 58.7
Heavy-burden verdict
According to current HRSA Data Warehouse records, Polk County carries a heavier shortage burden than most US counties - 9 active HPSA designations, more than 75% of the 3,289 real US counties, with primary care the deepest gap.
- 9
- Active HPSA designations
- 3
- Mental-health shortages
- 16
- Peak severity score (of 26)
- Top 25%
- US counties by volume
Dense ZCTA lattice over Polk County
Polk 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 Polk 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.
-
33.3% of Polk County's 9 active designations are primary care.
Discipline mix from designated HPSA records only: 3 primary care, 3 mental health, 3 dental (denominator 9).
-
Peak HPSA score 16.0 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, Polk County carries 9 active designations, above 75% 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. Polk County falls in the upper quarter of WI counties by active-designation volume, at rank 14 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: 55095. Population: 44,977.
Below high-priority line
Polk County is designated, but no active score clears 17
9 active designations sit on this FIPS (3 primary care, 3 mental health, 3 dental), and the peak severity is 16.0. 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.
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 9 active (designated) HPSAs in Polk County, ranked by HRSA shortage score.
| Name | Type | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Amery Hospital And Clinic | mental_health | 16.0 |
| Clear Lake Clinic | mental_health | 16.0 |
| Luck Clinic | mental_health | 16.0 |
| Luck Clinic | primary_care | 15.0 |
| Amery Hospital And Clinic | dental | 15.0 |
| Clear Lake Clinic | dental | 15.0 |
| Amery Hospital And Clinic | primary_care | 13.0 |
| Clear Lake Clinic | primary_care | 13.0 |
| Luck Clinic | dental | 11.0 |
Heavy-burden reading for Polk County
Designation volume is the standout signal for Polk County: 9 active HPSA records, above 75% of real US counties. Polk County's severest measured gap is in mental health, scored 16.0 of 25, still short of the 17-point priority line, though the designation itself is formal. Primary care reads 15.0 of 25; Dental care reads 15.0 of 26. The county also sits inside a Medically Underserved Area, indexed at 58.7, and the lower the index, the greater the measured need.
Volume places Polk County above 75% of real US counties (9 active designations: 3 primary care, 3 mental health, 3 dental). Peak severity on the current designated set is 16.0. 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.
Polk County falls in the upper quarter of WI counties by active-designation volume, at rank 14 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.
High-volume peers of Polk County (9 active)
One peer set for this volume-led county: nearest active designation count to 9 across the national corpus.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Does Polk County's MUA standing sit beside its HPSA records?
- Yes - Polk County carries an MUA designation (index 58.7; lower = greater measured need) in addition to its HPSA rows. MUA and HPSA are separate HRSA tracks; both can open different federal pathways.
- What makes up Polk County's 9 active HPSA designations?
- 9 Designated rows (3 primary care, 3 mental health, 3 dental). Highest-scored name on this release: "AMERY HOSPITAL AND CLINIC" (score 16.0; mental health; 40,851 people in the service area; designated 10/05/2023). Also active: "CLEAR LAKE CLINIC", "LUCK CLINIC", "LUCK CLINIC". Above 75% of real US counties by volume.
- What does volume-plus-score look like for Polk County?
- Peak active score 16.0 in mental health stays under the 17-point line while volume sits at 9 rows.
- What clinician need sits behind Polk County's designation volume?
- Volume is present (9 rows) but this release publishes no positive providers_needed total after id de-dupe.
- Which federal programs follow Polk County's designation volume?
- 9 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 Polk County's volume compare inside WI?
- 9 active HPSA rows · peak 16.0. Polk County falls in the upper quarter of WI counties by active-designation volume, at rank 14 of 71. Score-nearest counties on this release include Jefferson County, MO and Carroll County, MD.
Source: HRSA Data Warehouse. FIPS: 55095. 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 55095 (Polk County, WI), vintage 2026-08-15. Active designation count 9; peak score 16.0; signature 9 active designations. This profile is reference material, not professional advice; see methodology.