Since the first known case of COVID-19 was identified in the U.S. on Jan. 21, 2020, there have been a total of 81,978,400 confirmed cases of COVID-19 nationwide — or 25,057 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 17,579 to as high as 34,547, 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, virtually no corner of the country has been spared.
Still, some states have been hit harder than others.
The severity of a COVID-19 outbreak across a given state is subject to a wide range of factors. 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 2020 — and of those eight states, seven 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 May 19, 2022.
51. Maryland
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of May 19: 17,579 per 100,000 people (1,062,235 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of May 19: 241 per 100,000 people (14,545 total deaths)
> Population: 6,042,718
50. Hawaii
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of May 19: 17,723 per 100,000 people (251,759 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of May 19: 100 per 100,000 people (1,422 total deaths)
> Population: 1,420,491
49. Oregon
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of May 19: 17,748 per 100,000 people (743,781 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of May 19: 181 per 100,000 people (7,567 total deaths)
> Population: 4,190,713
48. Maine
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of May 19: 19,199 per 100,000 people (256,957 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of May 19: 175 per 100,000 people (2,337 total deaths)
> Population: 1,338,404
47. Vermont
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of May 19: 19,221 per 100,000 people (120,381 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of May 19: 99 per 100,000 people (623 total deaths)
> Population: 626,299
46. Washington
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of May 19: 20,443 per 100,000 people (1,540,479 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of May 19: 170 per 100,000 people (12,817 total deaths)
> Population: 7,535,591
45. Virginia
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of May 19: 20,517 per 100,000 people (1,747,608 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of May 19: 239 per 100,000 people (20,328 total deaths)
> Population: 8,517,685
44. Washington D.C.
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of May 19: 21,353 per 100,000 people (146,163 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of May 19: 196 per 100,000 people (1,342 total deaths)
> Population: 702,455
Click here to see all current COVID-19 data for Washington D.C.
43. Connecticut
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of May 19: 22,160 per 100,000 people (791,690 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of May 19: 306 per 100,000 people (10,922 total deaths)
> Population: 3,572,665
42. Pennsylvania
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of May 19: 22,437 per 100,000 people (2,873,457 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of May 19: 350 per 100,000 people (44,877 total deaths)
> Population: 12,807,060
41. Ohio
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of May 19: 23,303 per 100,000 people (2,724,041 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of May 19: 330 per 100,000 people (38,550 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).
40. Missouri
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of May 19: 23,398 per 100,000 people (1,433,482 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of May 19: 333 per 100,000 people (20,417 total deaths)
> Population: 6,126,452
39. New Hampshire
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of May 19: 23,530 per 100,000 people (319,179 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of May 19: 185 per 100,000 people (2,513 total deaths)
> Population: 1,356,458
38. Texas
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of May 19: 23,659 per 100,000 people (6,790,676 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of May 19: 302 per 100,000 people (86,723 total deaths)
> Population: 28,701,845
37. California
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of May 19: 23,726 per 100,000 people (9,385,311 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of May 19: 228 per 100,000 people (90,219 total deaths)
> Population: 39,557,045
36. Nevada
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of May 19: 23,997 per 100,000 people (728,159 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of May 19: 357 per 100,000 people (10,819 total deaths)
> Population: 3,034,392
35. Georgia
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of May 19: 24,059 per 100,000 people (2,530,918 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of May 19: 362 per 100,000 people (38,086 total deaths)
> Population: 10,519,475
34. Iowa
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of May 19: 24,467 per 100,000 people (772,205 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of May 19: 303 per 100,000 people (9,572 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).
33. Michigan
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of May 19: 24,736 per 100,000 people (2,472,596 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of May 19: 362 per 100,000 people (36,140 total deaths)
> Population: 9,995,915
32. Colorado
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of May 19: 24,809 per 100,000 people (1,413,034 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of May 19: 220 per 100,000 people (12,512 total deaths)
> Population: 5,695,564
31. Nebraska
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of May 19: 25,160 per 100,000 people (485,409 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of May 19: 220 per 100,000 people (4,240 total deaths)
> Population: 1,929,268
30. New Mexico
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of May 19: 25,175 per 100,000 people (527,534 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of May 19: 365 per 100,000 people (7,638 total deaths)
> Population: 2,095,428
29. Louisiana
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of May 19: 25,337 per 100,000 people (1,180,697 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of May 19: 371 per 100,000 people (17,301 total deaths)
> Population: 4,659,978
28. Illinois
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of May 19: 25,363 per 100,000 people (3,231,524 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of May 19: 298 per 100,000 people (38,028 total deaths)
> Population: 12,741,080
27. Idaho
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of May 19: 25,554 per 100,000 people (448,269 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of May 19: 281 per 100,000 people (4,934 total deaths)
> Population: 1,754,208
26. Indiana
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of May 19: 25,648 per 100,000 people (1,716,327 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of May 19: 353 per 100,000 people (23,640 total deaths)
> Population: 6,691,878
25. Montana
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of May 19: 25,898 per 100,000 people (275,113 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of May 19: 318 per 100,000 people (3,381 total deaths)
> Population: 1,062,305
24. New Jersey
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of May 19: 26,156 per 100,000 people (2,330,144 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of May 19: 377 per 100,000 people (33,571 total deaths)
> Population: 8,908,520
23. North Carolina
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of May 19: 26,174 per 100,000 people (2,717,791 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of May 19: 237 per 100,000 people (24,631 total deaths)
> Population: 10,383,620
22. Massachusetts
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of May 19: 26,445 per 100,000 people (1,825,247 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of May 19: 296 per 100,000 people (20,441 total deaths)
> Population: 6,902,149
21. Minnesota
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of May 19: 26,487 per 100,000 people (1,486,208 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of May 19: 229 per 100,000 people (12,859 total deaths)
> Population: 5,611,179
20. Oklahoma
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of May 19: 26,499 per 100,000 people (1,044,868 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of May 19: 365 per 100,000 people (14,380 total deaths)
> Population: 3,943,079
19. Alabama
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of May 19: 26,733 per 100,000 people (1,306,662 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of May 19: 402 per 100,000 people (19,633 total deaths)
> Population: 4,887,871
18. Kansas
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of May 19: 26,821 per 100,000 people (780,892 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of May 19: 300 per 100,000 people (8,720 total deaths)
> Population: 2,911,510
17. Mississippi
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of May 19: 26,880 per 100,000 people (802,794 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of May 19: 417 per 100,000 people (12,461 total deaths)
> Population: 2,986,530
16. South Dakota
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of May 19: 27,049 per 100,000 people (238,635 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of May 19: 331 per 100,000 people (2,917 total deaths)
> Population: 882,235
15. New York
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of May 19: 27,209 per 100,000 people (5,317,317 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of May 19: 348 per 100,000 people (68,041 total deaths)
> Population: 19,542,209
14. Wyoming
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of May 19: 27,246 per 100,000 people (157,409 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of May 19: 315 per 100,000 people (1,820 total deaths)
> Population: 577,737
13. Delaware
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of May 19: 27,834 per 100,000 people (269,198 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of May 19: 304 per 100,000 people (2,936 total deaths)
> Population: 967,171
12. Arkansas
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of May 19: 27,837 per 100,000 people (838,971 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of May 19: 379 per 100,000 people (11,418 total deaths)
> Population: 3,013,825
11. West Virginia
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of May 19: 28,089 per 100,000 people (507,238 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of May 19: 382 per 100,000 people (6,903 total deaths)
> Population: 1,805,832
10. Arizona
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of May 19: 28,319 per 100,000 people (2,030,925 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of May 19: 422 per 100,000 people (30,230 total deaths)
> Population: 7,171,646
9. Wisconsin
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of May 19: 28,331 per 100,000 people (1,647,029 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of May 19: 250 per 100,000 people (14,508 total deaths)
> Population: 5,813,568
8. Florida
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of May 19: 28,355 per 100,000 people (6,039,475 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of May 19: 349 per 100,000 people (74,272 total deaths)
> Population: 21,299,325
7. South Carolina
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of May 19: 29,262 per 100,000 people (1,487,728 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of May 19: 352 per 100,000 people (17,891 total deaths)
> Population: 5,084,127
6. Utah
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of May 19: 29,701 per 100,000 people (938,864 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of May 19: 151 per 100,000 people (4,761 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).
5. Kentucky
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of May 19: 30,021 per 100,000 people (1,341,465 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of May 19: 355 per 100,000 people (15,855 total deaths)
> Population: 4,468,402
4. Tennessee
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of May 19: 30,200 per 100,000 people (2,044,573 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of May 19: 388 per 100,000 people (26,267 total deaths)
> Population: 6,770,010
3. North Dakota
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of May 19: 31,956 per 100,000 people (242,893 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of May 19: 299 per 100,000 people (2,275 total deaths)
> Population: 760,077
2. Alaska
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of May 19: 33,612 per 100,000 people (247,865 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of May 19: 167 per 100,000 people (1,235 total deaths)
> Population: 737,438
1. Rhode Island
> Cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of May 19: 34,547 per 100,000 people (365,267 total cases)
> COVID-19 related deaths as of May 19: 337 per 100,000 people (3,559 total deaths)
> Population: 1,057,315
Click here to see all coronavirus data for every state.
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