CA · Healthcare shortage profile
San Mateo County, CA
Peak severity leads this reading: San Mateo County's highest active HPSA score is 25.0, clearing HRSA's 17-point high-priority line. Population 764,442.
- Active HPSAs
- 9
- Population
- 764,442
- Peak shortage score
- 25.0
- MUA Index
- 58.8
Heavy-burden verdict
According to current HRSA Data Warehouse records, San Mateo 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
- Dental shortages
- 25
- Peak severity score (of 26)
- Top 25%
- US counties by volume
Dense ZCTA lattice over San Mateo County
San Mateo County intersects 31 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
19 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 San Mateo County, CA 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 25.0 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.
-
33.3% of San Mateo 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).
San Mateo County vs. every real US county
Total active HPSA designations, including counties with none
9 Top 25% higher than 75% 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. San Mateo County falls in the lower half of CA counties by active-designation volume, at rank 43 of 58. Ties share a rank; the comparison uses the same current designated records as the national chart.
Healthcare shortage designations from HRSA. FIPS: 06081. Population: 764,442.
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 San Mateo County, ranked by HRSA shortage score.
| Name | Type | Score |
|---|---|---|
| South County Community Health Center, Inc. | dental | 25.0 |
| San Mateo County Health | dental | 25.0 |
| South County Community Health Center, Inc. | mental_health | 19.0 |
| North East Medical Services | dental | 19.0 |
| San Mateo County Health | mental_health | 18.0 |
| North East Medical Services | mental_health | 16.0 |
| North East Medical Services | primary_care | 9.0 |
| South County Community Health Center, Inc. | primary_care | 8.0 |
| San Mateo County Health | primary_care | 6.0 |
Heavy-burden reading for San Mateo County
Peak severity leads this reading: San Mateo County's highest active HPSA score is 25.0, clearing HRSA's 17-point high-priority line. Dental care carries San Mateo County's deepest shortage reading, 25.0 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 9.0 of 25; Mental health reads 19.0 of 25. The county also sits inside a Medically Underserved Area, indexed at 58.8, and the lower the index, the greater the measured need.
Volume places San Mateo 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 25.0. 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.
San Mateo County falls in the lower half of CA counties by active-designation volume, at rank 43 of 58. 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.
San Mateo County designations by care type
Active Health Professional Shortage Area designations in the county, by provider category (high-priority disciplines emphasized).
- Mental health
Mental health
3 designations
- Dental
Dental
3 designations
Source: HRSA Data Warehouse, Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSA) + Medically Underserved Areas/Populations (MUA/P) HPSA primary-care, mental-health, and dental designations for San Mateo County, CA · 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
San Mateo County's shortage designations unlock specific federal programs and comparisons, here is how to act on them.
- San Mateo County's 9 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 CA before you draw conclusions from a single score. CA 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 San Mateo County's 25.0. This compares the designation score only, not local appointment availability or care quality. Start with Wayne County, MI and Travis County, TX.
Showing 6 of 2744 counties nationally with an active designation this severe.
Counties near San Mateo County's dental score of 25.0
One peer set for this severity-led county: nearest active dental HPSA score to 25.0 (severity lead on this page is “SOUTH COUNTY COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER, INC.”).
Wayne County, MI
25.0 dental score · 1,793,561 pop.
Travis County, TX
25.0 dental score · 1,290,188 pop.
Wake County, NC
25.0 dental score · 1,129,410 pop.
Capitol County, CT
25.0 dental score · 977,165 pop.
Macomb County, MI
25.0 dental score · 881,217 pop.
San Diego County, CA
25.0 dental score · 3,298,634 pop.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Does San Mateo County's MUA standing sit beside its HPSA records?
- Yes - San Mateo County carries an MUA designation (index 58.8; 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 San Mateo County's peak score of 25.0?
- "SOUTH COUNTY COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER, INC." leads the active set (score 25.0; dental; 39,313 people in the service area; designated 11/10/2003). Clearing 17 opens NHSC high-priority placement for the matching provider type on the designated geography. Discipline mix across 9 active rows: 3 primary care, 3 mental health, 3 dental.
- Which other active designations sit under San Mateo County's severity reading?
- After "SOUTH COUNTY COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER, INC.", the next active names on this release are "SOUTH COUNTY COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER, INC.", "San Mateo County Health", "SOUTH COUNTY COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER, INC." and "NORTH EAST MEDICAL SERVICES". Provider need (id-de-duped) totals ~0 FTE across disciplines that still carry a gap.
- Which federal pathways follow San Mateo County's high-severity geography?
- San Mateo County's 9 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 "SOUTH COUNTY COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER, INC.".
- How does San Mateo County's peak severity sit inside CA?
- San Mateo County holds 9 active HPSA rows with peak 25.0. San Mateo County falls in the lower half of CA counties by active-designation volume, at rank 43 of 58. Score-nearest national peers appear below when the peer module renders. Score-nearest counties on this release include Wayne County, MI and Travis County, TX.
Source: HRSA Data Warehouse. FIPS: 06081. 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 06081 (San Mateo County, CA), vintage 2026-08-15. Active designation count 9; peak score 25.0; signature peak score 25.0. This profile is reference material, not professional advice; see methodology.