As the delta variant spreads, new daily cases of COVID-19 are on the rise once again in much of the United States.
Since the first known case was identified in the U.S. on Jan. 21, 2020, there have been a total of 38,158,500 reported cases of COVID-19 nationwide — or 11,663 per 100,000 people. Of course, infections are not evenly spread across the country, and some states have far higher infections rates per capita than others. The number of confirmed cases per 100,000 people ranges from as low as 3,919 to as high as 15,265, depending on the state.
Though the first case of the novel coronavirus in the United States was on the West Coast, the early epicenter of the outbreak was on the other side of the country, in New York City. In the months since, the parts of the country hit hardest by the virus shifted to the Southeast, the Midwest, and California.
Currently, the states with the lowest number of infections per capita tend to be concentrated in the West, while the states with the highest population-adjusted infection rates are most likely to be located in the South.
The severity of a COVID-19 outbreak across a given state is subject to a wide range of factors. Still, states that had a hands-off approach in the early days of the pandemic are more likely to be worse off today than those that adopted strict measures to control the spread. Arkansas, Iowa, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming were the only states that did not issue a statewide stay-at-home order in March or early April — and of those states, all eight currently have a higher infection rate than the U.S. as a whole.
All COVID-19 data used in this story are current as of August 27, 2021. It is important to note that average new daily cases may include older diagnoses that were previously uncounted.
51. Hawaii
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of August 27: 3,919 per 100,000 people (55,668 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of August 27: 40 per 100,000 people (570 total deaths)
> Population: 1,420,491
50. Vermont
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of August 27: 4,090 per 100,000 people (25,618 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of August 27: 42 per 100,000 people (262 total deaths)
> Population: 626,299
49. Maine
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of August 27: 5,581 per 100,000 people (74,699 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of August 27: 69 per 100,000 people (926 total deaths)
> Population: 1,338,404
48. Oregon
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of August 27: 6,280 per 100,000 people (263,164 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of August 27: 74 per 100,000 people (3,086 total deaths)
> Population: 4,190,713
47. Washington
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of August 27: 7,204 per 100,000 people (542,878 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of August 27: 86 per 100,000 people (6,448 total deaths)
> Population: 7,535,591
46. New Hampshire
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of August 27: 7,806 per 100,000 people (105,883 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of August 27: 104 per 100,000 people (1,408 total deaths)
> Population: 1,356,458
45. Washington D.C.
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of August 27: 7,912 per 100,000 people (54,156 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of August 27: 169 per 100,000 people (1,155 total deaths)
> Population: 702,455
Click here to see all current COVID-19 data for Washington D.C.
44. Maryland
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of August 27: 8,128 per 100,000 people (491,174 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of August 27: 165 per 100,000 people (9,963 total deaths)
> Population: 6,042,718
43. Virginia
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of August 27: 8,819 per 100,000 people (751,133 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of August 27: 138 per 100,000 people (11,730 total deaths)
> Population: 8,517,685
42. Pennsylvania
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of August 27: 10,004 per 100,000 people (1,281,199 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of August 27: 220 per 100,000 people (28,131 total deaths)
> Population: 12,807,060
41. West Virginia
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of August 27: 10,073 per 100,000 people (181,906 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of August 27: 168 per 100,000 people (3,036 total deaths)
> Population: 1,805,832
40. Ohio
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of August 27: 10,201 per 100,000 people (1,192,478 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of August 27: 177 per 100,000 people (20,729 total deaths)
> Population: 11,689,442
These are all the counties in Ohio where COVID-19 is slowing (and where it’s still getting worse).
39. Connecticut
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of August 27: 10,332 per 100,000 people (369,132 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of August 27: 233 per 100,000 people (8,335 total deaths)
> Population: 3,572,665
38. Michigan
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of August 27: 10,506 per 100,000 people (1,050,153 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of August 27: 215 per 100,000 people (21,446 total deaths)
> Population: 9,995,915
37. Colorado
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of August 27: 10,644 per 100,000 people (606,236 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of August 27: 124 per 100,000 people (7,088 total deaths)
> Population: 5,695,564
36. New Mexico
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of August 27: 10,863 per 100,000 people (227,636 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of August 27: 214 per 100,000 people (4,488 total deaths)
> Population: 2,095,428
35. Massachusetts
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of August 27: 10,870 per 100,000 people (750,248 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of August 27: 264 per 100,000 people (18,199 total deaths)
> Population: 6,902,149
34. California
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of August 27: 10,931 per 100,000 people (4,323,858 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of August 27: 164 per 100,000 people (64,802 total deaths)
> Population: 39,557,045
33. Alaska
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of August 27: 11,075 per 100,000 people (81,671 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of August 27: 58 per 100,000 people (427 total deaths)
> Population: 737,438
32. North Carolina
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of August 27: 11,293 per 100,000 people (1,172,571 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of August 27: 137 per 100,000 people (14,212 total deaths)
> Population: 10,383,620
31. Minnesota
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of August 27: 11,414 per 100,000 people (640,459 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of August 27: 140 per 100,000 people (7,875 total deaths)
> Population: 5,611,179
30. New York
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of August 27: 11,511 per 100,000 people (2,249,543 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of August 27: 276 per 100,000 people (53,973 total deaths)
> Population: 19,542,209
29. Montana
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of August 27: 11,699 per 100,000 people (124,278 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of August 27: 167 per 100,000 people (1,773 total deaths)
> Population: 1,062,305
28. Illinois
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of August 27: 11,765 per 100,000 people (1,499,022 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of August 27: 207 per 100,000 people (26,335 total deaths)
> Population: 12,741,080
27. New Jersey
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of August 27: 12,122 per 100,000 people (1,079,900 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of August 27: 301 per 100,000 people (26,796 total deaths)
> Population: 8,908,520
26. Delaware
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of August 27: 12,158 per 100,000 people (117,587 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of August 27: 193 per 100,000 people (1,869 total deaths)
> Population: 967,171
25. Texas
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of August 27: 12,182 per 100,000 people (3,496,374 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of August 27: 190 per 100,000 people (54,455 total deaths)
> Population: 28,701,845
24. Missouri
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of August 27: 12,200 per 100,000 people (747,436 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of August 27: 170 per 100,000 people (10,409 total deaths)
> Population: 6,126,452
23. Idaho
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of August 27: 12,317 per 100,000 people (216,061 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of August 27: 132 per 100,000 people (2,316 total deaths)
> Population: 1,754,208
22. Kentucky
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of August 27: 12,365 per 100,000 people (552,501 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of August 27: 171 per 100,000 people (7,640 total deaths)
> Population: 4,468,402
21. Wisconsin
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of August 27: 12,427 per 100,000 people (722,453 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of August 27: 145 per 100,000 people (8,416 total deaths)
> Population: 5,813,568
20. Kansas
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of August 27: 12,444 per 100,000 people (362,321 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of August 27: 190 per 100,000 people (5,535 total deaths)
> Population: 2,911,510
19. Indiana
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of August 27: 12,462 per 100,000 people (833,968 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of August 27: 214 per 100,000 people (14,340 total deaths)
> Population: 6,691,878
18. Nebraska
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of August 27: 12,482 per 100,000 people (240,804 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of August 27: 120 per 100,000 people (2,316 total deaths)
> Population: 1,929,268
17. Wyoming
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of August 27: 12,554 per 100,000 people (72,528 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of August 27: 145 per 100,000 people (835 total deaths)
> Population: 577,737
16. Nevada
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of August 27: 12,659 per 100,000 people (384,135 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of August 27: 210 per 100,000 people (6,376 total deaths)
> Population: 3,034,392
15. Iowa
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of August 27: 12,676 per 100,000 people (400,082 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of August 27: 199 per 100,000 people (6,268 total deaths)
> Population: 3,156,145
These are all the counties in Iowa where COVID-19 is slowing (and where it’s still getting worse).
14. Georgia
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of August 27: 12,815 per 100,000 people (1,348,019 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of August 27: 213 per 100,000 people (22,400 total deaths)
> Population: 10,519,475
13. Oklahoma
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of August 27: 13,671 per 100,000 people (539,074 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of August 27: 199 per 100,000 people (7,857 total deaths)
> Population: 3,943,079
12. Arizona
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of August 27: 13,823 per 100,000 people (991,309 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of August 27: 260 per 100,000 people (18,638 total deaths)
> Population: 7,171,646
11. South Carolina
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of August 27: 13,831 per 100,000 people (703,190 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of August 27: 205 per 100,000 people (10,408 total deaths)
> Population: 5,084,127
10. Alabama
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of August 27: 13,846 per 100,000 people (676,795 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of August 27: 248 per 100,000 people (12,103 total deaths)
> Population: 4,887,871
9. Mississippi
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of August 27: 14,184 per 100,000 people (423,599 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of August 27: 275 per 100,000 people (8,214 total deaths)
> Population: 2,986,530
8. Louisiana
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of August 27: 14,404 per 100,000 people (671,237 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of August 27: 262 per 100,000 people (12,226 total deaths)
> Population: 4,659,978
7. Utah
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of August 27: 14,460 per 100,000 people (457,098 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of August 27: 82 per 100,000 people (2,605 total deaths)
> Population: 3,161,105
These are all the counties in Utah where COVID-19 is slowing (and where it’s still getting worse).
6. Arkansas
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of August 27: 14,641 per 100,000 people (441,246 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of August 27: 225 per 100,000 people (6,774 total deaths)
> Population: 3,013,825
5. South Dakota
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of August 27: 14,720 per 100,000 people (129,866 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of August 27: 233 per 100,000 people (2,059 total deaths)
> Population: 882,235
4. Florida
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of August 27: 14,798 per 100,000 people (3,151,909 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of August 27: 205 per 100,000 people (43,632 total deaths)
> Population: 21,299,325
3. Tennessee
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of August 27: 14,878 per 100,000 people (1,007,270 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of August 27: 196 per 100,000 people (13,256 total deaths)
> Population: 6,770,010
2. Rhode Island
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of August 27: 15,222 per 100,000 people (160,948 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of August 27: 261 per 100,000 people (2,760 total deaths)
> Population: 1,057,315
1. North Dakota
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of August 27: 15,265 per 100,000 people (116,022 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of August 27: 205 per 100,000 people (1,556 total deaths)
> Population: 760,077
Click here to see all coronavirus data for every state.
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