CA · Healthcare shortage profile
Sonoma County, CA
Peak severity leads this reading: Sonoma County's highest active HPSA score is 26.0, clearing HRSA's 17-point high-priority line. Population 488,863.
- Active HPSAs
- 21
- Population
- 488,863
- Peak shortage score
- 26.0
- MUA Index
- 45.9
Heavy-burden verdict
According to current HRSA Data Warehouse records, Sonoma County ranks among the most underserved counties in the country - 21 active HPSA designations, more than 95% of the 3,289 real US counties, with primary care the deepest gap.
- 21
- Active HPSA designations
- 7
- Dental shortages
- 26
- Peak severity score (of 26)
- Top 5%
- US counties by volume
Key findings
What the HRSA Data Warehouse does not surface for Sonoma 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 26.0 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 Sonoma County's 21 active designations are primary care.
Discipline mix from designated HPSA records only: 7 primary care, 7 mental health, 7 dental (denominator 21).
Dense ZCTA lattice over Sonoma County
Sonoma County intersects 40 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
28 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.
Corpus placement
Active-designation volume placement
According to current HRSA Data Warehouse records, Sonoma County carries 21 active designations, above 95% of real US counties. Use the state peer line below before treating the national percentile as a local access verdict.
State peer position. Sonoma County falls in the upper half of CA counties by active-designation volume, at rank 25 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: 06097. Population: 488,863.
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 21 active (designated) HPSAs in Sonoma County, ranked by HRSA shortage score.
| Name | Type | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Petaluma Health Center, Inc. | dental | 26.0 |
| Santa Rosa Community Health Centers | dental | 25.0 |
| Sonoma Valley Community Health Center | dental | 25.0 |
| Alliance Medical Center, Inc | dental | 23.0 |
| Santa Rosa Community Health Centers | mental_health | 21.0 |
| Alliance Medical Center, Inc | mental_health | 21.0 |
| West County Health Centers, Inc | dental | 21.0 |
| Petaluma Health Center, Inc. | primary_care | 20.0 |
| Sonoma Valley Community Health Center | primary_care | 20.0 |
| Santa Rosa Community Health Centers | primary_care | 20.0 |
| Alliance Medical Center, Inc | primary_care | 20.0 |
| West County Health Centers, Inc | mental_health | 19.0 |
| West County Health Centers, Inc | primary_care | 18.0 |
| Petaluma Health Center, Inc. | mental_health | 18.0 |
| Sonoma County Indian Health | dental | 18.0 |
| Sonoma County Indian Health | mental_health | 17.0 |
| Sonoma County Indian Health | primary_care | 16.0 |
| Sonoma Valley Community Health Center | mental_health | 14.0 |
| Coppertower Family Medical Center Inc | mental_health | 12.0 |
| Coppertower Family Medical Center Inc | dental | 11.0 |
| Coppertower Family Medical Center Inc | primary_care | 7.0 |
Heavy-burden reading for Sonoma County
Peak severity leads this reading: Sonoma County's highest active HPSA score is 26.0, clearing HRSA's 17-point high-priority line. Dental care carries Sonoma County's deepest shortage reading, 26.0 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 21.0 of 25. The county also sits inside a Medically Underserved Area, indexed at 45.9, and the lower the index, the greater the measured need.
Volume places Sonoma County above 95% of real US counties (21 active designations: 7 primary care, 7 mental health, 7 dental). Peak severity on the current designated set is 26.0. 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.
Sonoma County falls in the upper half of CA counties by active-designation volume, at rank 25 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.
Sonoma 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
7 designations
- Mental health
Mental health
7 designations
- Dental
Dental
7 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 Sonoma 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
Sonoma County's shortage designations unlock specific federal programs and comparisons, here is how to act on them.
- Sonoma County's 21 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 Sonoma County's 26.0. This compares the designation score only, not local appointment availability or care quality. Start with Orange County, FL and Lee County, FL.
Showing 6 of 2744 counties nationally with an active designation this severe.
Counties near Sonoma County's dental score of 26.0
One peer set for this severity-led county: nearest active dental HPSA score to 26.0 (severity lead on this page is “PETALUMA HEALTH CENTER, INC.”).
Orange County, FL
26.0 dental score · 1,429,908 pop.
Lee County, FL
26.0 dental score · 760,822 pop.
Washoe County, NV
26.0 dental score · 486,492 pop.
Leon County, FL
26.0 dental score · 292,198 pop.
Yellowstone County, MT
26.0 dental score · 164,731 pop.
Chautauqua County, NY
26.0 dental score · 127,657 pop.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Does Sonoma County's MUA standing sit beside its HPSA records?
- Yes - Sonoma County carries an MUA designation (index 45.9; 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 Sonoma County's peak score of 26.0?
- "PETALUMA HEALTH CENTER, INC." leads the active set (score 26.0; dental; 49,088 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 21 active rows: 7 primary care, 7 mental health, 7 dental.
- Which other active designations sit under Sonoma County's severity reading?
- After "PETALUMA HEALTH CENTER, INC.", the next active names on this release are "PETALUMA HEALTH CENTER, INC.", "SANTA ROSA COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS", "SONOMA VALLEY COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER" and "ALLIANCE MEDICAL CENTER, INC". Provider need (id-de-duped) totals ~0 FTE across disciplines that still carry a gap.
- Which federal pathways follow Sonoma County's high-severity geography?
- Sonoma County's 21 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 "PETALUMA HEALTH CENTER, INC.".
- How does Sonoma County's peak severity sit inside CA?
- Sonoma County holds 21 active HPSA rows with peak 26.0. Sonoma County falls in the upper half of CA counties by active-designation volume, at rank 25 of 58. Score-nearest national peers appear below when the peer module renders. Score-nearest counties on this release include Orange County, FL and Lee County, FL.
Source: HRSA Data Warehouse. FIPS: 06097. 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 06097 (Sonoma County, CA), vintage 2026-08-15. Active designation count 21; peak score 26.0; signature peak score 26.0. This profile is reference material, not professional advice; see methodology.