Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) data shows that, as of March 31, 2025, over 77.2 million Americans lived in communities or settings designated as primary care health professional shortage areas (HPSA).  The primary care HPSA designation indicates that the residents of a geographic unit, facility, or population group have poor access to basic medical services because too few primary care practitioners serve the area given its population size. The HRSA estimates that HPSAs throughout the country would need more than 13,300 additional primary care practitioners in order to rectify the primary care shortfall in these communities and settings.

Here is a summary look at the U.S. primary care shortfall by region (for state-level details, follow the "region" link):

The U.S. Primary Care Shortfall by Region

Region	(1) HPSAs	(2) Population	(3) Shortfall
Far Western U.S.	1,444	11,794,609	1.922
Great Lakes	1,006	11,353,616	1,847
Great Plains	1,186	5,420,350	1,080
Mid-Eastern U.S.	437	7,042,814	1,574
New England	231	1,502,509	188
Rocky Mountain	457	2,524,773	408
Southeastern U.S.	2,023	25,699,753	4,214
Southwestern U.S.	898	10,816,479	1,906
U.S. Territories	67	1,098,945	225
U.S.	7,749	77,253,848	13,364

(1) HRSA-designated Geographic Units, Population Groups, and Facilities with a primary care shortfall

(2) Population of designated HPSAs

(3) Primary Care practitioners needed to remove the HPSA Designation

Source:  Designated HPSA Quarterly Summary, 3/31/25 (HRSA)