CA · Healthcare shortage profile
San Francisco County, CA
Designation volume is the standout signal for San Francisco County: 24 active HPSA records, above 96% of real US counties. Population 873,965.
- Active HPSAs
- 24
- Population
- 873,965
- Peak shortage score
- 23.0
- MUA Index
- 54.8
Heavy-burden verdict
According to current HRSA Data Warehouse records, San Francisco County ranks among the most underserved counties in the country - 24 active HPSA designations, more than 96% of the 3,289 real US counties, with primary care the deepest gap.
- 24
- Active HPSA designations
- 8
- Dental shortages
- 23
- Peak severity score (of 26)
- Top 4%
- US counties by volume
Key findings
What the HRSA Data Warehouse does not surface for San Francisco 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.
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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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33.3% of San Francisco County's 24 active designations are primary care.
Discipline mix from designated HPSA records only: 8 primary care, 8 mental health, 8 dental (denominator 24).
Dense ZCTA lattice over San Francisco County
San Francisco County intersects 30 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
18 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.
San Francisco County vs. every real US county
Total active HPSA designations, including counties with none
24 Top 4% higher than 96% 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 Francisco County falls in the upper half of CA counties by active-designation volume, at rank 20 of 58. Ties share a rank; the comparison uses the same current designated records as the national chart.
Healthcare shortage designations from HRSA. FIPS: 06075. Population: 873,965.
Single high-priority discipline
San Francisco County's only high-priority (≥17) footprint is dental care
Current HRSA Data Warehouse rows attribute 8 active dental care designations to San Francisco 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
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 24 active (designated) HPSAs in San Francisco County, ranked by HRSA shortage score.
| Name | Type | Score |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco Community Clinic Consortium | dental | 23.0 |
| Mission Area Health Associates | dental | 23.0 |
| Equity Health | dental | 23.0 |
| Asian And Pacific Islander Wellness Center, Inc. | dental | 21.0 |
| Healthright 360 | dental | 21.0 |
| Friendship House Association of American Indians - San Francisco | primary_care | 16.0 |
| Native American Health Center - Oakland | primary_care | 16.0 |
| Mission Area Health Associates | mental_health | 15.0 |
| Equity Health | mental_health | 15.0 |
| Friendship House Association of American Indians - San Francisco | mental_health | 15.0 |
| Friendship House Association of American Indians - San Francisco | dental | 15.0 |
| Native American Health Center - Oakland | dental | 15.0 |
| Mission Area Health Associates | primary_care | 14.0 |
| Equity Health | primary_care | 14.0 |
| San Francisco Community Clinic Consortium | primary_care | 14.0 |
| Native American Health Center - Oakland | mental_health | 14.0 |
| Asian And Pacific Islander Wellness Center, Inc. | primary_care | 13.0 |
| Healthright 360 | primary_care | 12.0 |
| Healthright 360 | mental_health | 12.0 |
| San Francisco Community Clinic Consortium | mental_health | 12.0 |
| Lyon-Martin Community Health Services | mental_health | 12.0 |
| Lyon-Martin Community Health Services | dental | 11.0 |
| Asian And Pacific Islander Wellness Center, Inc. | mental_health | 10.0 |
| Lyon-Martin Community Health Services | primary_care | 9.0 |
Heavy-burden reading for San Francisco County
Designation volume is the standout signal for San Francisco County: 24 active HPSA records, above 96% of real US counties. Dental care carries San Francisco 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 16.0 of 25; Mental health reads 15.0 of 25. The county also sits inside a Medically Underserved Area, indexed at 54.8, and the lower the index, the greater the measured need.
Volume places San Francisco County above 96% of real US counties (24 active designations: 8 primary care, 8 mental health, 8 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.
San Francisco County falls in the upper half of CA counties by active-designation volume, at rank 20 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.
Acting on San Francisco County's high-priority dental care
San Francisco County's shortage designations unlock specific federal programs and comparisons, here is how to act on them.
- San Francisco 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 CA before drawing conclusions from a single score. CA 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 With a Similar Dental Shortage Score
Other U.S. counties whose active HRSA dental HPSA score is closest to San Francisco County's 23.0. This compares the designation score only, not local appointment availability or care quality. Start with Lancaster County, NE and Cumberland County, PA.
Showing 6 of 2744 counties nationally with an active designation this severe.
High-volume peers of San Francisco County (24 active)
One peer set for this volume-led county: nearest active designation count to 24 across the national corpus.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Does San Francisco County's MUA standing sit beside its HPSA records?
- Yes - San Francisco County carries an MUA designation (index 54.8; lower = greater measured need) in addition to its HPSA rows. MUA and HPSA are separate HRSA tracks; both can open different federal pathways.
- What makes up San Francisco County's 24 active HPSA designations?
- 24 Designated rows (8 primary care, 8 mental health, 8 dental). Highest-scored name on this release: "SAN FRANCISCO COMMUNITY CLINIC CONSORTIUM" (score 23.0; dental; 78,737 people in the service area; designated 10/21/2003). Also active: "MISSION AREA HEALTH ASSOCIATES", "Equity Health", "Asian And Pacific Islander Wellness Center, Inc.". Above 96% of real US counties by volume.
- What does volume-plus-score look like for San Francisco County?
- Peak active score 23.0 in dental care clears the 17-point line while volume sits at 24 rows.
- What clinician need sits behind San Francisco County's designation volume?
- Volume is present (24 rows) but this release publishes no positive providers_needed total after id de-dupe.
- Which federal programs follow San Francisco County's designation volume?
- 24 active designations can open NHSC placement, CHC grants, Medicare bonus and J-1 waivers, by designated area and provider type, not by county line alone.
- How does San Francisco County's volume compare inside CA?
- 24 active HPSA rows · peak 23.0. San Francisco County falls in the upper half of CA counties by active-designation volume, at rank 20 of 58. Score-nearest counties on this release include Lancaster County, NE and Cumberland County, PA.
Source: HRSA Data Warehouse. FIPS: 06075. 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 06075 (San Francisco County, CA), vintage 2026-08-15. Active designation count 24; peak score 23.0; signature 24 active designations. This profile is reference material, not professional advice; see methodology.