CA · Healthcare shortage profile
Marin County, CA
Peak severity leads this reading: Marin County's highest active HPSA score is 25.0, clearing HRSA's 17-point high-priority line. Population 262,321.
- Active HPSAs
- 9
- Population
- 262,321
- Peak shortage score
- 25.0
- MUA Index
- 47.2
Heavy-burden verdict
According to current HRSA Data Warehouse records, Marin 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
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 Marin County
Marin County intersects 29 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
17 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 Marin 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 Marin 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).
Corpus placement
Active-designation volume placement
According to current HRSA Data Warehouse records, Marin County carries 9 active designations, above 75% of real US counties. Use the state peer line below before treating the national percentile as a local access verdict.
State peer position. Marin County falls in the lower half of CA counties by active-designation volume, at rank 43 of 58. Ties share a rank.
Computed from current designated HPSA rows for every five-digit county FIPS. See the placement methodology.
Healthcare shortage designations from HRSA. FIPS: 06041. Population: 262,321.
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 Marin County, ranked by HRSA shortage score.
| Name | Type | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Marin City Health And Wellness Center | dental | 25.0 |
| Marin Community Clinic | dental | 23.0 |
| Ritter Center | dental | 21.0 |
| Marin Community Clinic | primary_care | 20.0 |
| Ritter Center | primary_care | 20.0 |
| Marin Community Clinic | mental_health | 20.0 |
| Marin City Health And Wellness Center | primary_care | 19.0 |
| Marin City Health And Wellness Center | mental_health | 19.0 |
| Ritter Center | mental_health | 17.0 |
Heavy-burden reading for Marin County
Peak severity leads this reading: Marin County's highest active HPSA score is 25.0, clearing HRSA's 17-point high-priority line. Dental care carries Marin 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 20.0 of 25; Mental health reads 20.0 of 25. The county also sits inside a Medically Underserved Area, indexed at 47.2, and the lower the index, the greater the measured need.
Volume places Marin 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.
Marin 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.
Marin 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
3 designations
- 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 Marin 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
Marin County's shortage designations unlock specific federal programs and comparisons, here is how to act on them.
- Marin 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 Marin County's 25.0. This compares the designation score only, not local appointment availability or care quality. Start with Cook County, IL and Riverside County, CA.
Showing 6 of 2744 counties nationally with an active designation this severe.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Does Marin County's MUA standing sit beside its HPSA records?
- Yes - Marin County carries an MUA designation (index 47.2; 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 Marin County's peak score of 25.0?
- "MARIN CITY HEALTH AND WELLNESS CENTER" leads the active set (score 25.0; dental; 43,157 people in the service area; designated 08/01/2011). 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 Marin County's severity reading?
- After "MARIN CITY HEALTH AND WELLNESS CENTER", the next active names on this release are "MARIN CITY HEALTH AND WELLNESS CENTER", "MARIN COMMUNITY CLINIC" and "RITTER CENTER". Provider need (id-de-duped) totals ~0 FTE across disciplines that still carry a gap.
- Which federal pathways follow Marin County's high-severity geography?
- Marin 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 "MARIN CITY HEALTH AND WELLNESS CENTER".
- How does Marin County's peak severity sit inside CA?
- Marin County holds 9 active HPSA rows with peak 25.0. Marin 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 Cook County, IL and Riverside County, CA.
Source: HRSA Data Warehouse. FIPS: 06041. 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 06041 (Marin 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.