The County With the Worst Drug Problem in Every State

Special Report

March 11, 2022 11:00 am

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Kansas: Sedgwick County
> Avg. annual drug deaths per 100,000, 2016-2020: 21.6 (county), 790 (state)
> Total drug deaths, 2016-2020: 538 (county), 2,015 (state)
> Poverty rate: 13.7% (county), 12% (state)
> Unemployment rate, Dec. 2021: 3.2% (county), 2% (state)

Estill County, Kentucky courthouse by W.marsh

Estill County, Kentucky courthouse (CC BY-SA 3.0) by W.marsh

Kentucky: Estill County
> Avg. annual drug deaths per 100,000, 2016-2020: 76.2 (county), 946.6 (state)
> Total drug deaths, 2016-2020: 51 (county), 8,268 (state)
> Poverty rate: 30.9% (county), 17.3% (state)
> Unemployment rate, Dec. 2021: 3.9% (county), 3.9% (state)

ALSO READ: County in Every State Where Most People Live Below the Poverty Line

Source: BOB WESTON / iStock via Getty Images

Louisiana: Washington Parish
> Avg. annual drug deaths per 100,000, 2016-2020: 86.7 (parish), 905.7 (state)
> Total drug deaths, 2016-2020: 184 (parish), 6,629 (state)
> Poverty rate: 24.4% (parish), 19.2% (state)
> Unemployment rate, Dec. 2021: 4% (parish), 3.6% (state)

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Maine: Washington County
> Avg. annual drug deaths per 100,000, 2016-2020: 61.5 (county), 766.3 (state)
> Total drug deaths, 2016-2020: 83 (county), 2,080 (state)
> Poverty rate: 18.9% (county), 11.8% (state)
> Unemployment rate, Dec. 2021: 5.4% (county), 3.5% (state)

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Maryland: Baltimore city [considered a county equivalent]
> Avg. annual drug deaths per 100,000, 2016-2020: 105 (county), 735.6 (state)
> Total drug deaths, 2016-2020: 3,361 (county), 12,005 (state)
> Poverty rate: 21.2% (county), 9.2% (state)
> Unemployment rate, Dec. 2021: 5.4% (county), 4.7% (state)

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