WA · Healthcare shortage profile
Whitman County, WA
Peak severity leads this reading: Whitman County's highest active HPSA score is 19.0, clearing HRSA's 17-point high-priority line. Population 47,973.
- Active HPSAs
- 3
- Population
- 47,973
- Peak shortage score
- 19.0
- MUA Index
- -
Light-burden verdict
According to current HRSA Data Warehouse records, Whitman County carries a comparatively light shortage burden - 3 active HPSA designations, more than 20% of the 3,289 real US counties, with primary care the deepest gap.
- 3
- Active HPSA designations
- 1
- Dental shortages
- 19
- Peak severity score (of 26)
- Top 80%
- US counties by volume
Dense ZCTA lattice over Whitman County
Whitman County intersects 22 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
10 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 Whitman County, WA 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 19.0 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 Whitman County's active designations would take about 8.3 additional clinician FTEs, with dental the largest gap.
HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id (no double-count across status rows): 3 primary care, 1.6 mental health, 3.8 dental. This is the federal gap estimate, not a headcount of practising clinicians.
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33.3% of Whitman County's 3 active designations are primary care.
Discipline mix from designated HPSA records only: 1 primary care, 1 mental health, 1 dental (denominator 3).
Whitman County vs. every real US county
Total active HPSA designations, including counties with none
3 Top 80% higher than 20% 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. Whitman County falls in the lower half of WA counties by active-designation volume, at rank 32 of 39. Ties share a rank; the comparison uses the same current designated records as the national chart.
Healthcare shortage designations from HRSA. FIPS: 53075. Population: 47,973.
Active HPSA scores
Current designated records only. No Medically Underserved Area designation covers Whitman County in the current HRSA release, federal support here runs through the HPSA route alone. Scores range 0–25 (primary/mental health), 0–26 (dental). Higher = greater need. What counts as a high score?
Highest-severity HPSA designations
All 3 active (designated) HPSAs in Whitman County, ranked by HRSA shortage score.
| Name | Type | Score |
|---|---|---|
| LI - Whitman County | dental | 19.0 |
| Whitman County | mental_health | 17.0 |
| LI - Whitman County | primary_care | 15.0 |
Light-burden reading for Whitman County
Peak severity leads this reading: Whitman County's highest active HPSA score is 19.0, clearing HRSA's 17-point high-priority line. Dental care carries Whitman County's deepest shortage reading, 19.0 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 15.0 of 25; Mental health reads 17.0 of 25. No Medically Underserved Area designation covers Whitman County, so federal support here runs through the HPSA route alone.
Whitman County carries 3 active designations and sits below the national mid-pack (above 20% of counties). A light footprint still matters: a single high-score dental or mental-health record can open program geography even when the county total looks small next to heavy peers.
Whitman County falls in the lower half of WA counties by active-designation volume, at rank 32 of 39. Read the active scores and the deepest-care guide link below before collapsing this county into a "no shortage" story.
Light-volume FTE gap for Whitman County
HRSA providers_needed summed once per HPSA id for Whitman County's active designations: about 8.3 FTE, a federal gap estimate, not a headcount of practising clinicians.
Source: HRSA Data Warehouse, Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSA) + Medically Underserved Areas/Populations (MUA/P) HPSA primary-care, mental-health, and dental designations for Whitman County, WA · 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 Whitman County's designations
Whitman County's shortage designations unlock specific federal programs and comparisons, here is how to act on them.
- Whitman County's 3 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 WA before you draw conclusions from a single score. WA 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 near Whitman County's dental score of 19.0
One peer set for this severity-led county: nearest active dental HPSA score to 19.0 (severity lead on this page is “LI - Whitman County”).
Scott County, MN
19.0 dental score · 150,928 pop.
Lafourche County, LA
19.0 dental score · 97,557 pop.
Chaves County, NM
19.0 dental score · 65,157 pop.
Columbus County, NC
19.0 dental score · 50,623 pop.
Colquitt County, GA
19.0 dental score · 45,898 pop.
Waukesha County, WI
19.0 dental score · 406,978 pop.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Which record sets Whitman County's peak score of 19.0?
- "LI - Whitman County" leads the active set (score 19.0; dental; 2,411 people in the service area; ~3.8 FTE still needed on the record; designated 09/09/2021). Clearing 17 opens NHSC high-priority placement for the matching provider type on the designated geography. Discipline mix across 3 active rows: 1 primary care, 1 mental health, 1 dental.
- Why is Whitman County not listed as a Medically Underserved Area?
- Whitman County has no MUA designation on this release. Federal shortage support here runs through the active HPSA record set alone.
- Which other active designations sit under Whitman County's severity reading?
- After "LI - Whitman County", the next active names on this release are "LI - Whitman County", "Whitman County" and "LI - Whitman County". Provider need (id-de-duped) totals ~8.3 FTE across disciplines that still carry a gap.
Source: HRSA Data Warehouse. FIPS: 53075. 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 53075 (Whitman County, WA), vintage 2026-08-15. Active designation count 3; peak score 19.0; signature peak score 19.0. This profile is reference material, not professional advice; see methodology.