ND · Healthcare shortage profile
Ramsey County, ND
Peak severity leads this reading: Ramsey County's highest active HPSA score is 17.0, clearing HRSA's 17-point high-priority line. Population 11,605.
- Active HPSAs
- 3
- Population
- 11,605
- Peak shortage score
- 17.0
- MUA Index
- -
Light-burden verdict
According to current HRSA Data Warehouse records, Ramsey County carries a comparatively light shortage burden - 3 active HPSA designations, more than 20% of the 3,289 real US counties, with primary care the deepest gap.
- 3
- Active HPSA designations
- 1
- Primary-care shortages
- 17
- Peak severity score (of 26)
- Top 80%
- US counties by volume
Based on HRSA primary/mental/dental shortage severity, Medically Underserved Area status, and estimated unmet provider need -- not patient outcomes, insurance access, facility quality, or wait times.
Key findings
What the HRSA Data Warehouse does not surface for Ramsey County, ND 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 17.0 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 Ramsey County's active designations would take about 4.7 additional clinician FTEs, with primary care the largest gap.
HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id (no double-count across status rows): 1.9 primary care, 1.4 mental health, 1.3 dental. This is the federal gap estimate, not a headcount of practising clinicians.
-
33.3% of Ramsey County's 3 active designations are primary care.
Discipline mix from designated HPSA records only: 1 primary care, 1 mental health, 1 dental (denominator 3).
Ramsey County's mid-pack ZIP footprint
12 Census ZCTAs intersect Ramsey County, between the 9 and 15 ZIP cuts across published counties: neither a postage-stamp footprint nor a metro-scale lattice.
Largest land-share ZCTAs
4 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.
Ramsey County vs. every real US county
Total active HPSA designations, including counties with none
3 Top 80% higher than 20% 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. Ramsey County falls in the lower half of ND counties by active-designation volume, at rank 31 of 53. Ties share a rank; the comparison uses the same current designated records as the national chart.
Healthcare shortage designations from HRSA. FIPS: 38071. Population: 11,605.
Active HPSA scores
Current designated records only. No Medically Underserved Area designation covers Ramsey 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 3 active (designated) HPSAs in Ramsey County, ranked by HRSA shortage score.
| Name | Type | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Spirit Lake Nation | primary_care | 17.0 |
| Region III Devils Lake Catchment | mental_health | 16.0 |
| Spirit Lake Nation | dental | 16.0 |
Light-burden reading for Ramsey County
Peak severity leads this reading: Ramsey County's highest active HPSA score is 17.0, clearing HRSA's 17-point high-priority line. Primary care is where Ramsey County is stretched thinnest: HRSA scores it 17.0 of 25, the county's highest severity reading and past the 17-point line HRSA uses to open National Health Service Corps placement and enhanced Medicare reimbursement. Mental health reads 16.0 of 25; Dental care reads 16.0 of 26. No Medically Underserved Area designation covers Ramsey County, so federal support here runs through the HPSA route alone.
Ramsey County carries 3 active designations and sits below the national mid-pack (above 20% of counties). A light footprint still matters: a single high-score dental or mental-health record can open program geography even when the county total looks small next to heavy peers.
Ramsey County falls in the lower half of ND counties by active-designation volume, at rank 31 of 53. Read the active scores and the deepest-care guide link below before collapsing this county into a "no shortage" story.
Light-volume FTE gap for Ramsey County
HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id for Ramsey County's active designations: about 4.7 FTE, a federal gap estimate, not a headcount of practising clinicians.
Acting on Ramsey County's high-priority primary care
Ramsey County's shortage designations unlock specific federal programs and comparisons, here is how to act on them.
- Ramsey County's high-priority primary care designations are where NHSC placement geography concentrates, estimate the award and service terms. NHSC estimator
- See how the county's primary care burden compares with the rest of ND before drawing conclusions from a single score. ND 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 near Ramsey County's primary score of 17.0
One peer set for this severity-led county: nearest active primary HPSA score to 17.0 (severity lead on this page is “Spirit Lake Nation”).
Hawaii County, HI
17.0 primary score · 200,629 pop.
Kent County, RI
17.0 primary score · 170,363 pop.
Brunswick County, NC
17.0 primary score · 136,693 pop.
Norfolk County, MA
17.0 primary score · 725,981 pop.
Genesee County, MI
17.0 primary score · 406,211 pop.
San Juan County, PR
17.0 primary score · 342,259 pop.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Which record sets Ramsey County's peak score of 17.0?
- "Spirit Lake Nation" leads the active set (score 17.0; primary care; 6,709 people in the service area; ~1.9 FTE still needed on the record; designated 10/15/2025). Clearing 17 opens NHSC high-priority placement for the matching provider type on the designated geography. Discipline mix across 3 active rows: 1 primary care, 1 mental health, 1 dental.
- Why is Ramsey County not listed as a Medically Underserved Area?
- Ramsey 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 Ramsey County's severity reading?
- After "Spirit Lake Nation", the next active names on this release are "Spirit Lake Nation" and "Region III Devils Lake Catchment". Provider need (id-de-duped) totals ~4.7 FTE across disciplines that still carry a gap.
Source: HRSA Data Warehouse. FIPS: 38071. 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 38071 (Ramsey County, ND), vintage 2026-08-15. Active designation count 3; peak score 17.0; signature peak score 17.0. This profile is reference material, not professional advice; see methodology.