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Counties with highest COVID-19 infection rates in Massachusetts
The vaccine deployment in December 2020 signaled a turning point in the COVID-19 pandemic. By the end of May 2021, 40% of the U.S. population was fully vaccinated. But as vaccination rates lagged over the summer, new surges of COVID-19 came, including Delta in the summer of 2021, and now the Omicron variant, which comprises the majority of cases in the U.S.
Researchers around the world have reported that Omicron is more transmissible than Delta, making breakthrough and repeat infections more likely.
The United States as of Jun. 17 reached over 1 million COVID-19-related deaths and 86 million COVID-19 cases, according to Johns Hopkins University. Currently, 66.7% of the population is fully vaccinated, and 46.9% of vaccinated people have received booster doses.
Stacker compiled a list of the counties with highest COVID-19 infection rates in Massachusetts using data from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services and vaccination data from Covid Act Now. Counties are ranked by the highest infection rate per 100,000 residents within the week leading up to Jun. 15, 2022. Cumulative cases per 100,000 served as a tiebreaker.
Keep reading to see whether your county ranks among the highest COVID-19 infection rates in your state.
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#14. Nantucket County, MA
– New cases per 100k in the past week: 114 (13 new cases, -13% change from previous week)
– Cumulative cases per 100k: 31,099 (3,545 total cases)
— 13.7% more cases per 100k residents than Massachusetts
– Cumulative deaths per 100k: 158 (18 total deaths)
— 47.3% less deaths per 100k residents than Massachusetts
– Population that is fully vaccinated: not available
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#13. Franklin County, MA
– New cases per 100k in the past week: 118 (83 new cases, -33% change from previous week)
– Cumulative cases per 100k: 17,193 (12,066 total cases)
— 37.1% less cases per 100k residents than Massachusetts
– Cumulative deaths per 100k: 212 (149 total deaths)
— 29.3% less deaths per 100k residents than Massachusetts
– Population that is fully vaccinated: 69.4% (48,693 fully vaccinated)
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#12. Bristol County, MA
– New cases per 100k in the past week: 128 (726 new cases, -22% change from previous week)
– Cumulative cases per 100k: 28,334 (160,151 total cases)
— 3.6% more cases per 100k residents than Massachusetts
– Cumulative deaths per 100k: 388 (2,195 total deaths)
— 29.3% more deaths per 100k residents than Massachusetts
– Population that is fully vaccinated: 66.8% (377,494 fully vaccinated)
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#11. Worcester County, MA
– New cases per 100k in the past week: 129 (1,075 new cases, -25% change from previous week)
– Cumulative cases per 100k: 25,237 (209,621 total cases)
— 7.7% less cases per 100k residents than Massachusetts
– Cumulative deaths per 100k: 319 (2,647 total deaths)
— 6.3% more deaths per 100k residents than Massachusetts
– Population that is fully vaccinated: 71.0% (589,511 fully vaccinated)
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#10. Plymouth County, MA
– New cases per 100k in the past week: 132 (686 new cases, -14% change from previous week)
– Cumulative cases per 100k: 23,941 (124,779 total cases)
— 12.5% less cases per 100k residents than Massachusetts
– Cumulative deaths per 100k: 329 (1,716 total deaths)
— 9.7% more deaths per 100k residents than Massachusetts
– Population that is fully vaccinated: 71.0% (369,970 fully vaccinated)
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#9. Barnstable County, MA
– New cases per 100k in the past week: 150 (319 new cases, -22% change from previous week)
– Cumulative cases per 100k: 18,676 (39,778 total cases)
— 31.7% less cases per 100k residents than Massachusetts
– Cumulative deaths per 100k: 282 (600 total deaths)
— 6.0% less deaths per 100k residents than Massachusetts
– Population that is fully vaccinated: not available
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#8. Essex County, MA
– New cases per 100k in the past week: 154 (1,215 new cases, -17% change from previous week)
– Cumulative cases per 100k: 28,234 (222,778 total cases)
— 3.2% more cases per 100k residents than Massachusetts
– Cumulative deaths per 100k: 355 (2,801 total deaths)
— 18.3% more deaths per 100k residents than Massachusetts
– Population that is fully vaccinated: 75.1% (592,858 fully vaccinated)
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#7. Norfolk County, MA
– New cases per 100k in the past week: 162 (1,146 new cases, -27% change from previous week)
– Cumulative cases per 100k: 21,107 (149,179 total cases)
— 22.8% less cases per 100k residents than Massachusetts
– Cumulative deaths per 100k: 276 (1,951 total deaths)
— 8.0% less deaths per 100k residents than Massachusetts
– Population that is fully vaccinated: 80.0% (565,464 fully vaccinated)
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#6. Hampshire County, MA
– New cases per 100k in the past week: 172 (277 new cases, -13% change from previous week)
– Cumulative cases per 100k: 20,473 (32,927 total cases)
— 25.1% less cases per 100k residents than Massachusetts
– Cumulative deaths per 100k: 224 (361 total deaths)
— 25.3% less deaths per 100k residents than Massachusetts
– Population that is fully vaccinated: 67.9% (109,223 fully vaccinated)
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#5. Suffolk County, MA
– New cases per 100k in the past week: 180 (1,446 new cases, -23% change from previous week)
– Cumulative cases per 100k: 29,318 (235,687 total cases)
— 7.2% more cases per 100k residents than Massachusetts
– Cumulative deaths per 100k: 253 (2,031 total deaths)
— 15.7% less deaths per 100k residents than Massachusetts
– Population that is fully vaccinated: 74.1% (595,755 fully vaccinated)
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#4. Berkshire County, MA
– New cases per 100k in the past week: 182 (227 new cases, -27% change from previous week)
– Cumulative cases per 100k: 22,722 (28,390 total cases)
— 16.9% less cases per 100k residents than Massachusetts
– Cumulative deaths per 100k: 313 (391 total deaths)
— 4.3% more deaths per 100k residents than Massachusetts
– Population that is fully vaccinated: 59.8% (74,740 fully vaccinated)
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#3. Middlesex County, MA
– New cases per 100k in the past week: 186 (3,001 new cases, -27% change from previous week)
– Cumulative cases per 100k: 23,199 (373,894 total cases)
— 15.2% less cases per 100k residents than Massachusetts
– Cumulative deaths per 100k: 254 (4,094 total deaths)
— 15.3% less deaths per 100k residents than Massachusetts
– Population that is fully vaccinated: 80.5% (1,297,350 fully vaccinated)
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#2. Dukes County, MA
– New cases per 100k in the past week: 190 (33 new cases, +14% change from previous week)
– Cumulative cases per 100k: 21,613 (3,746 total cases)
— 21.0% less cases per 100k residents than Massachusetts
– Cumulative deaths per 100k: 0 (0 total deaths)
— 100.0% less deaths per 100k residents than Massachusetts
– Population that is fully vaccinated: not available
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#1. Hampden County, MA
– New cases per 100k in the past week: 205 (958 new cases, -5% change from previous week)
– Cumulative cases per 100k: 31,156 (145,305 total cases)
— 13.9% more cases per 100k residents than Massachusetts
– Cumulative deaths per 100k: 392 (1,830 total deaths)
— 30.7% more deaths per 100k residents than Massachusetts
– Population that is fully vaccinated: 66.8% (311,401 fully vaccinated)
This story was written by Stacker and has been re-published pursuant to a CC BY-NC 4.0 License.