MN · Healthcare shortage profile
Washington County, MN
Peak severity leads this reading: Washington County's highest active HPSA score is 19.0, clearing HRSA's 17-point high-priority line. Population 267,568.
- Active HPSAs
- 6
- Population
- 267,568
- Peak shortage score
- 19.0
- MUA Index
- -
Mid-burden verdict
According to current HRSA Data Warehouse records, Washington County holds a moderate federal shortage burden - 6 active HPSA designations, more than 54% of the 3,289 real US counties, with primary care the deepest gap.
- 6
- Active HPSA designations
- 2
- Mental-health shortages
- 19
- Peak severity score (of 26)
- Top 46%
- US counties by volume
Dense ZCTA lattice over Washington County
Washington 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 Washington County, MN 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 19.0 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 Washington County's active designations would take about 3 additional clinician FTEs, with dental the largest gap.
HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id (no double-count across status rows): 1 primary care, 0.2 mental health, 1.8 dental. This is the federal gap estimate, not a headcount of practising clinicians.
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33.3% of Washington County's 6 active designations are primary care.
Discipline mix from designated HPSA records only: 2 primary care, 2 mental health, 2 dental (denominator 6).
Washington County vs. every real US county
Total active HPSA designations, including counties with none
6 Top 46% higher than 54% 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. Washington County falls in the upper half of MN counties by active-designation volume, at rank 33 of 85. Ties share a rank; the comparison uses the same current designated records as the national chart.
Healthcare shortage designations from HRSA. FIPS: 27163. Population: 267,568.
Single high-priority discipline
Washington County's only high-priority (≥17) footprint is mental health
Current HRSA Data Warehouse rows attribute 2 active mental health designations to Washington County , with a peak score of 19.0. 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 mental health records.
Active HPSA scores
Current designated records only. No Medically Underserved Area designation covers Washington 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 6 active (designated) HPSAs in Washington County, ranked by HRSA shortage score.
| Name | Type | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Ofac - Canvas Health Oakdale | mental_health | 19.0 |
| Minnesota Correctional Facility - Stillwater | dental | 12.0 |
| Minnesota Correctional Facility-Stillwater | primary_care | 6.0 |
| CF-Oak Park Heights | primary_care | 6.0 |
| Minnesota Correctional Facility-Stillwater | mental_health | 6.0 |
| CF-Oak Park Heights | dental | 3.0 |
Moderate-burden reading for Washington County
Peak severity leads this reading: Washington County's highest active HPSA score is 19.0, clearing HRSA's 17-point high-priority line. Washington County's severest measured gap is in mental health, scored 19.0 of 25, past the 17-point line HRSA uses to open National Health Service Corps placement and enhanced Medicare reimbursement. Primary care reads 6.0 of 25; Dental care reads 12.0 of 26. No Medically Underserved Area designation covers Washington County, so federal support here runs through the HPSA route alone.
Washington County sits in the middle of the national designation-volume distribution (above 54% of counties) with 6 active records. That is enough for a formal shortage footprint without landing in the heaviest US tier. Compare the three discipline counts (2/2/2) before assuming every care category is equally short.
Washington County falls in the upper half of MN counties by active-designation volume, at rank 33 of 85. 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 Washington County
HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id for Washington County's active designations: about 3 FTE, a federal gap estimate, not a headcount of practising clinicians.
Acting on Washington County's high-priority mental health
Washington County's shortage designations unlock specific federal programs and comparisons, here is how to act on them.
- Washington County's high-priority mental health designations are where NHSC placement geography concentrates, estimate the award and service terms. NHSC estimator
- See how the county's mental health burden compares with the rest of MN before drawing conclusions from a single score. MN 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.
Nearby mental-health score peers
Closest U.S. counties on active mental-health HPSA score to Washington County's 19.0. Open Elkhart County, IN or Rankin County, MS next.
Showing 3 of 3081 counties nationally with an active designation this severe.
Counties near Washington County's mental score of 19.0
One peer set for this severity-led county: nearest active mental HPSA score to 19.0 (severity lead on this page is “OFAC - Canvas Health Oakdale”).
Elkhart County, IN
19.0 mental score · 207,047 pop.
Rankin County, MS
19.0 mental score · 157,031 pop.
Flathead County, MT
19.0 mental score · 104,357 pop.
Polk County, OR
19.0 mental score · 87,433 pop.
Davidson County, TN
19.0 mental score · 715,884 pop.
Mercer County, NJ
19.0 mental score · 387,340 pop.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Which record sets Washington County's peak score of 19.0?
- "OFAC - Canvas Health Oakdale" leads the active set (score 19.0; mental health; designated 07/17/2025). Clearing 17 opens NHSC high-priority placement for the matching provider type on the designated geography. Discipline mix across 6 active rows: 2 primary care, 2 mental health, 2 dental.
- Why is Washington County not listed as a Medically Underserved Area?
- Washington 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 Washington County's severity reading?
- After "OFAC - Canvas Health Oakdale", the next active names on this release are "OFAC - Canvas Health Oakdale", "Minnesota Correctional Facility - Stillwater", "Minnesota Correctional Facility-Stillwater" and "CF-Oak Park Heights". Provider need (id-de-duped) totals ~3 FTE across disciplines that still carry a gap.
- Which federal pathways follow Washington County's high-severity geography?
- Washington County's 6 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 "OFAC - Canvas Health Oakdale".
Source: HRSA Data Warehouse. FIPS: 27163. 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 27163 (Washington County, MN), vintage 2026-08-15. Active designation count 6; peak score 19.0; signature peak score 19.0. This profile is reference material, not professional advice; see methodology.