TX · Healthcare shortage profile
Smith County, TX
The clinician FTE gap is the sharpest number here: closing Smith County's active designations would take about 25 additional FTEs on HRSA's providers_needed estimate. Population 233,479.
- Active HPSAs
- 6
- Population
- 233,479
- Peak shortage score
- 23.0
- MUA Index
- 51.5
Mid-burden verdict
According to current HRSA Data Warehouse records, Smith 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
- Dental shortages
- 23
- Peak severity score (of 26)
- Top 46%
- 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.
Dense ZCTA lattice over Smith County
Smith County intersects 23 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
11 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 Smith County, TX 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 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.
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Closing Smith County's active designations would take about 25 additional clinician FTEs, with dental the largest gap.
HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id (no double-count across status rows): 8.4 primary care, 2.6 mental health, 14 dental. This is the federal gap estimate, not a headcount of practising clinicians.
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33.3% of Smith 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).
Smith 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. Smith County falls in the upper quarter of TX counties by active-designation volume, at rank 26 of 254. Ties share a rank; the comparison uses the same current designated records as the national chart.
Healthcare shortage designations from HRSA. FIPS: 48423. Population: 233,479.
Single high-priority discipline
Smith County's only high-priority (≥17) footprint is dental care
Current HRSA Data Warehouse rows attribute 2 active dental care designations to Smith County , with a peak score of 23.0. 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 dental care records.
Medically Underserved Area
Active HPSA 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 6 active (designated) HPSAs in Smith County, ranked by HRSA shortage score.
| Name | Type | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Tyler Family Circle OF Care | dental | 23.0 |
| Tyler Family Circle OF Care | mental_health | 16.0 |
| LI - Smith County | dental | 16.0 |
| Tyler Family Circle OF Care | primary_care | 14.0 |
| LI - Smith County | mental_health | 13.0 |
| LI - Smith County | primary_care | 12.0 |
Moderate-burden reading for Smith County
The clinician FTE gap is the sharpest number here: closing Smith County's active designations would take about 25 additional FTEs on HRSA's providers_needed estimate. Dental care carries Smith 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 14.0 of 25; Mental health reads 16.0 of 25. The county also sits inside a Medically Underserved Area, indexed at 51.5, and the lower the index, the greater the measured need.
Smith 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.
Smith County falls in the upper quarter of TX counties by active-designation volume, at rank 26 of 254. 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 Smith County
Signature reading: HRSA providers_needed sums to about 25 FTE across Smith County's active designations (once per HPSA id), a federal gap estimate, not practising headcount.
Acting on Smith County's high-priority dental care
Smith County's shortage designations unlock specific federal programs and comparisons, here is how to act on them.
- Smith County's high-priority dental care designations are where NHSC placement geography concentrates, estimate the award and service terms. NHSC estimator
- See how the county's dental care burden compares with the rest of TX before drawing conclusions from a single score. TX 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 dental score peers
Closest U.S. counties on active dental HPSA score to Smith County's 23.0. Open Kern County, CA or Prince William County, VA next.
Showing 3 of 2744 counties nationally with an active designation this severe.
Counties with a matching designation count to Smith County's 6
One peer set for this FTE-led county: nearest active designation count to 6 - the inventory behind the ~25 FTE published need.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Does Smith County's MUA standing sit beside its HPSA records?
- Yes - Smith County carries an MUA designation (index 51.5; lower = greater measured need) in addition to its HPSA rows. MUA and HPSA are separate HRSA tracks; both can open different federal pathways.
- Where is the largest clinician FTE gap inside Smith County?
- Id-de-duped providers_needed across active HPSAs totals ~25 FTE, with dental the largest slice (14). "TYLER FAMILY CIRCLE OF CARE" is the highest-scored active row (score 23.0; dental; 82,564 people in the service area; designated 09/01/2013). This is HRSA's published gap, not a headcount of practising clinicians.
- Which named designations drive Smith County's FTE reading?
- Active names on this release include "TYLER FAMILY CIRCLE OF CARE" and "LI - Smith County". Discipline counts: 2 primary care, 2 mental health, 2 dental across 6 designated rows.
- Do Smith County's FTE gaps unlock federal programs?
- Yes where an ACTIVE designation exists, NHSC, CHC grants, Medicare bonus and J-1 waivers follow the designated geography and provider type. A published FTE gap without an active row does not, by itself, open those pathways.
Source: HRSA Data Warehouse. FIPS: 48423. 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 48423 (Smith County, TX), vintage 2026-08-15. Active designation count 6; peak score 23.0; signature 25 FTE gap. This profile is reference material, not professional advice; see methodology.