MN · Healthcare shortage profile
Clay County, MN
Peak severity leads this reading: Clay County's highest active HPSA score is 23.0, clearing HRSA's 17-point high-priority line. Population 65,318.
- Active HPSAs
- 11
- Population
- 65,318
- Peak shortage score
- 23.0
- MUA Index
- 54.1
Heavy-burden verdict
According to current HRSA Data Warehouse records, Clay County ranks among the most underserved counties in the country - 11 active HPSA designations, more than 84% of the 3,289 real US counties, with primary care the deepest gap.
- 11
- Active HPSA designations
- 4
- Dental shortages
- 23
- Peak severity score (of 26)
- Top 16%
- US counties by volume
Dense ZCTA lattice over Clay County
Clay County intersects 17 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
5 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 Clay 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.
-
Peak HPSA score 23.0 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.
-
Closing Clay County's active designations would take about 14 additional clinician FTEs, with mental health the largest gap.
HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id (no double-count across status rows): 3.5 primary care, 9.7 mental health, 1.3 dental. This is the federal gap estimate, not a headcount of practising clinicians.
-
36.4% of Clay County's 11 active designations are primary care.
Discipline mix from designated HPSA records only: 4 primary care, 3 mental health, 4 dental (denominator 11).
Clay County vs. every real US county
Total active HPSA designations, including counties with none
11 Top 16% higher than 84% 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. Clay County falls in the upper quarter of MN counties by active-designation volume, at rank 14 of 85. Ties share a rank; the comparison uses the same current designated records as the national chart.
Healthcare shortage designations from HRSA. FIPS: 27027. Population: 65,318.
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 11 active (designated) HPSAs in Clay County, ranked by HRSA shortage score.
| Name | Type | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Community Health Service Inc. | dental | 23.0 |
| LI - South Moorhead | primary_care | 18.0 |
| OFAC-Apple Tree Dental Hawley Center | dental | 18.0 |
| LI - Moorhead | dental | 17.0 |
| Sanford Health Ulen Clinic | primary_care | 16.0 |
| Sanford Health Ulen Clinic | mental_health | 16.0 |
| Region 4 SA | mental_health | 15.0 |
| Community Health Service Inc. | primary_care | 14.0 |
| NE Clay County | primary_care | 14.0 |
| Community Health Service Inc. | mental_health | 14.0 |
| Sanford Health Ulen Clinic | dental | 13.0 |
Heavy-burden reading for Clay County
Peak severity leads this reading: Clay County's highest active HPSA score is 23.0, clearing HRSA's 17-point high-priority line. Dental care carries Clay County's deepest shortage reading, 23.0 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 18.0 of 25; Mental health reads 16.0 of 25. The county also sits inside a Medically Underserved Area, indexed at 54.1, and the lower the index, the greater the measured need.
Volume places Clay County above 84% of real US counties (11 active designations: 4 primary care, 3 mental health, 4 dental). Peak severity on the current designated set is 23.0. 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.
Clay County falls in the upper quarter of MN counties by active-designation volume, at rank 14 of 85. 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.
Clay County designations by care type
Active Health Professional Shortage Area designations in the county, by provider category (high-priority disciplines emphasized).
- Primary care
Primary care
4 designations
- Dental
Dental
4 designations
Heavy-volume FTE gap in Clay County
HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id for Clay County's active designations: about 14 FTE, a federal gap estimate, not a headcount of practising clinicians.
Source: HRSA Data Warehouse, Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSA) + Medically Underserved Areas/Populations (MUA/P) HPSA primary-care, mental-health, and dental designations for Clay County, MN · 2026 HRSA designation data updated quarterly; HPSA scores 0-25 (primary/mental) and 0-26 (dental); higher = greater shortage severity. Coverage tiers from U.S. Census ACS PUMS + KFF state tracker.
Acting on a heavy-burden county
Clay County's shortage designations unlock specific federal programs and comparisons, here is how to act on them.
- Clay County's 11 active designations make providers here eligible for National Health Service Corps loan repayment, estimate the award and service terms. NHSC estimator
- See how the county's primary care burden compares with the rest of MN before you draw conclusions from a single score. MN overview
- Check whether an area clears HRSA's 3,500:1 population-to-provider threshold with the provider-to-population ratio behind an HPSA score. 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 Clay County's 23.0. This compares the designation score only, not local appointment availability or care quality. Start with Medina County, OH and Fairfield County, OH.
Showing 6 of 2744 counties nationally with an active designation this severe.
Counties near Clay County's dental score of 23.0
One peer set for this severity-led county: nearest active dental HPSA score to 23.0 (severity lead on this page is “Community Health Service Inc.”).
Medina County, OH
23.0 dental score · 182,470 pop.
Fairfield County, OH
23.0 dental score · 158,921 pop.
Douglas County, KS
23.0 dental score · 118,785 pop.
Adams County, CO
23.0 dental score · 519,572 pop.
Horry County, SC
23.0 dental score · 351,029 pop.
Lexington County, SC
23.0 dental score · 293,991 pop.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Does Clay County's MUA standing sit beside its HPSA records?
- Yes - Clay County carries an MUA designation (index 54.1; lower = greater measured need) in addition to its HPSA rows. MUA and HPSA are separate HRSA tracks; both can open different federal pathways.
- Which record sets Clay County's peak score of 23.0?
- "Community Health Service Inc." leads the active set (score 23.0; dental; 55,259 people in the service area; designated 10/26/2002). Clearing 17 opens NHSC high-priority placement for the matching provider type on the designated geography. Discipline mix across 11 active rows: 4 primary care, 3 mental health, 4 dental.
- Which other active designations sit under Clay County's severity reading?
- After "Community Health Service Inc.", the next active names on this release are "Community Health Service Inc.", "LI - South Moorhead", "OFAC-Apple Tree Dental Hawley Center" and "LI - Moorhead". Provider need (id-de-duped) totals ~14 FTE across disciplines that still carry a gap.
- Which federal pathways follow Clay County's high-severity geography?
- Clay County's 11 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 "Community Health Service Inc.".
- How does Clay County's peak severity sit inside MN?
- Clay County holds 11 active HPSA rows with peak 23.0. Clay County falls in the upper quarter of MN counties by active-designation volume, at rank 14 of 85. Score-nearest national peers appear below when the peer module renders. Score-nearest counties on this release include Medina County, OH and Fairfield County, OH.
Source: HRSA Data Warehouse. FIPS: 27027. 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 27027 (Clay County, MN), vintage 2026-08-15. Active designation count 11; peak score 23.0; signature peak score 23.0. This profile is reference material, not professional advice; see methodology.