Counties with highest COVID-19 infection rates in Arkansas
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 Nov. 16 reached over 1 million COVID-19-related deaths and 98.1 million COVID-19 cases, according to Johns Hopkins University. Currently, 68.6% of the population is fully vaccinated, and 10.1% of vaccinated people have received the most recently available bivalent booster doses.
Stacker compiled a list of the counties with highest COVID-19 infection rates in Arkansas 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 Nov. 10, 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.
#50. Chicot County, AR
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 30,194 (3,055 total cases)
--- 5.4% less cases per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 623 (63 total deaths)
--- 50.1% more deaths per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 56.1% (5,678 fully vaccinated)
#49. Johnson County, AR
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 29,359 (7,803 total cases)
--- 8.0% less cases per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 365 (97 total deaths)
--- 12.0% less deaths per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 51.1% (13,572 fully vaccinated)
#48. Lee County, AR
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 36,807 (3,260 total cases)
--- 15.4% more cases per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 745 (66 total deaths)
--- 79.5% more deaths per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 41.3% (3,657 fully vaccinated)
#47. Jefferson County, AR
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 32,265 (21,561 total cases)
--- 1.1% more cases per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 461 (308 total deaths)
--- 11.1% more deaths per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 48.3% (32,296 fully vaccinated)
#46. Arkansas County, AR
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 38,322 (6,701 total cases)
--- 20.1% more cases per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 509 (89 total deaths)
--- 22.7% more deaths per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 58.0% (10,137 fully vaccinated)
#45. Fulton County, AR
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 24,116 (3,009 total cases)
--- 24.4% less cases per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 777 (97 total deaths)
--- 87.2% more deaths per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 35.7% (4,453 fully vaccinated)
#44. Newton County, AR
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 25,203 (1,954 total cases)
--- 21.0% less cases per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 658 (51 total deaths)
--- 58.6% more deaths per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 35.3% (2,736 fully vaccinated)
#43. Benton County, AR
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 26,653 (74,399 total cases)
--- 16.5% less cases per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 336 (939 total deaths)
--- 19.0% less deaths per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 57.3% (159,929 fully vaccinated)
#42. Sebastian County, AR
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 29,524 (37,740 total cases)
--- 7.5% less cases per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 441 (564 total deaths)
--- 6.3% more deaths per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 52.4% (66,988 fully vaccinated)
#41. Clay County, AR
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 32,754 (4,766 total cases)
--- 2.7% more cases per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 687 (100 total deaths)
--- 65.5% more deaths per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 47.2% (6,865 fully vaccinated)
#40. Calhoun County, AR
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 22,259 (1,155 total cases)
--- 30.2% less cases per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 270 (14 total deaths)
--- 34.9% less deaths per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 39.6% (2,055 fully vaccinated)
#39. Faulkner County, AR
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 32,564 (41,033 total cases)
--- 2.1% more cases per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 276 (348 total deaths)
--- 33.5% less deaths per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 53.1% (66,851 fully vaccinated)
#38. Hempstead County, AR
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 25,033 (5,390 total cases)
--- 21.5% less cases per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 362 (78 total deaths)
--- 12.8% less deaths per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 42.5% (9,142 fully vaccinated)
#37. Grant County, AR
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 27,490 (5,021 total cases)
--- 13.8% less cases per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 356 (65 total deaths)
--- 14.2% less deaths per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 47.8% (8,738 fully vaccinated)
#36. Franklin County, AR
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 24,205 (4,288 total cases)
--- 24.1% less cases per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 446 (79 total deaths)
--- 7.5% more deaths per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 49.8% (8,826 fully vaccinated)
#35. Washington County, AR
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 32,393 (77,479 total cases)
--- 1.5% more cases per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 286 (685 total deaths)
--- 31.1% less deaths per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 59.6% (142,470 fully vaccinated)
#34. White County, AR
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 32,818 (25,845 total cases)
--- 2.9% more cases per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 415 (327 total deaths)
--- 0.0% less deaths per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 45.5% (35,867 fully vaccinated)
#33. Pulaski County, AR
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 31,247 (122,461 total cases)
--- 2.1% less cases per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 329 (1,288 total deaths)
--- 20.7% less deaths per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 62.3% (244,334 fully vaccinated)
#32. Lonoke County, AR
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 31,408 (23,025 total cases)
--- 1.6% less cases per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 363 (266 total deaths)
--- 12.5% less deaths per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 49.6% (36,382 fully vaccinated)
#31. Hot Spring County, AR
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 37,411 (12,634 total cases)
--- 17.3% more cases per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 459 (155 total deaths)
--- 10.6% more deaths per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 44.6% (15,051 fully vaccinated)
#30. Boone County, AR
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 28,719 (10,750 total cases)
--- 10.0% less cases per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 521 (195 total deaths)
--- 25.5% more deaths per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 39.5% (14,774 fully vaccinated)
#29. Miller County, AR
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 25,677 (11,107 total cases)
--- 19.5% less cases per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 460 (199 total deaths)
--- 10.8% more deaths per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 33.4% (14,463 fully vaccinated)
#28. Saline County, AR
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 28,975 (35,476 total cases)
--- 9.2% less cases per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 310 (380 total deaths)
--- 25.3% less deaths per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 54.0% (66,098 fully vaccinated)
#27. Poinsett County, AR
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 40,241 (9,468 total cases)
--- 26.1% more cases per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 582 (137 total deaths)
--- 40.2% more deaths per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 47.4% (11,157 fully vaccinated)
#26. Ashley County, AR
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 30,172 (5,931 total cases)
--- 5.4% less cases per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 407 (80 total deaths)
--- 1.9% less deaths per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 51.3% (10,078 fully vaccinated)
#25. Conway County, AR
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 29,670 (6,185 total cases)
--- 7.0% less cases per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 355 (74 total deaths)
--- 14.5% less deaths per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 55.8% (11,626 fully vaccinated)
#24. Searcy County, AR
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 30,504 (2,404 total cases)
--- 4.4% less cases per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 660 (52 total deaths)
--- 59.0% more deaths per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 40.3% (3,175 fully vaccinated)
#23. Columbia County, AR
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 27,314 (6,407 total cases)
--- 14.4% less cases per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 439 (103 total deaths)
--- 5.8% more deaths per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 50.5% (11,842 fully vaccinated)
#22. Greene County, AR
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 40,834 (18,508 total cases)
--- 28.0% more cases per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 417 (189 total deaths)
--- 0.5% more deaths per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 45.1% (20,447 fully vaccinated)
#21. Jackson County, AR
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 41,599 (6,955 total cases)
--- 30.4% more cases per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 443 (74 total deaths)
--- 6.7% more deaths per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 40.6% (6,795 fully vaccinated)
#20. Woodruff County, AR
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 34,225 (2,163 total cases)
--- 7.3% more cases per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 522 (33 total deaths)
--- 25.8% more deaths per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 57.7% (3,647 fully vaccinated)
#19. Scott County, AR
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 26,709 (2,746 total cases)
--- 16.3% less cases per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 457 (47 total deaths)
--- 10.1% more deaths per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 50.3% (5,171 fully vaccinated)
#18. Lawrence County, AR
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 37,761 (6,195 total cases)
--- 18.4% more cases per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 530 (87 total deaths)
--- 27.7% more deaths per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 48.3% (7,924 fully vaccinated)
#17. St. Francis County, AR
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 33,136 (8,282 total cases)
--- 3.9% more cases per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 420 (105 total deaths)
--- 1.2% more deaths per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 51.9% (12,972 fully vaccinated)
#16. Van Buren County, AR
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 24,678 (4,083 total cases)
--- 22.6% less cases per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 393 (65 total deaths)
--- 5.3% less deaths per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 43.7% (7,224 fully vaccinated)
#15. Ouachita County, AR
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 27,765 (6,492 total cases)
--- 13.0% less cases per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 509 (119 total deaths)
--- 22.7% more deaths per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 55.6% (12,992 fully vaccinated)
#14. Izard County, AR
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 33,121 (4,514 total cases)
--- 3.8% more cases per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 565 (77 total deaths)
--- 36.1% more deaths per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 43.5% (5,930 fully vaccinated)
#13. Mississippi County, AR
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 38,471 (15,639 total cases)
--- 20.6% more cases per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 556 (226 total deaths)
--- 34.0% more deaths per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 42.7% (17,371 fully vaccinated)
#12. Lincoln County, AR
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 40,709 (5,302 total cases)
--- 27.6% more cases per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 537 (70 total deaths)
--- 29.4% more deaths per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 36.6% (4,770 fully vaccinated)
#11. Stone County, AR
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 27,803 (3,477 total cases)
--- 12.9% less cases per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 592 (74 total deaths)
--- 42.7% more deaths per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 38.7% (4,841 fully vaccinated)
#10. Yell County, AR
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 34,867 (7,441 total cases)
--- 9.3% more cases per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 534 (114 total deaths)
--- 28.7% more deaths per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 51.0% (10,892 fully vaccinated)
#9. Craighead County, AR
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 40,298 (44,462 total cases)
--- 26.3% more cases per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 331 (365 total deaths)
--- 20.2% less deaths per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 49.1% (54,223 fully vaccinated)
#8. Cross County, AR
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 33,766 (5,544 total cases)
--- 5.8% more cases per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 597 (98 total deaths)
--- 43.9% more deaths per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 52.7% (8,661 fully vaccinated)
#7. Little River County, AR
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 30,614 (3,753 total cases)
--- 4.0% less cases per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 881 (108 total deaths)
--- 112.3% more deaths per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 42.2% (5,179 fully vaccinated)
#6. Sevier County, AR
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 40,360 (6,864 total cases)
--- 26.5% more cases per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 488 (83 total deaths)
--- 17.6% more deaths per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 47.8% (8,123 fully vaccinated)
#5. Union County, AR
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 28,194 (10,906 total cases)
--- 11.6% less cases per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 507 (196 total deaths)
--- 22.2% more deaths per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 51.2% (19,814 fully vaccinated)
#4. Nevada County, AR
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 31,629 (2,610 total cases)
--- 0.9% less cases per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 557 (46 total deaths)
--- 34.2% more deaths per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 47.4% (3,914 fully vaccinated)
#3. Madison County, AR
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 28,071 (4,653 total cases)
--- 12.0% less cases per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 392 (65 total deaths)
--- 5.5% less deaths per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 45.3% (7,515 fully vaccinated)
#2. Randolph County, AR
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 34,169 (6,136 total cases)
--- 7.1% more cases per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 557 (100 total deaths)
--- 34.2% more deaths per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 43.4% (7,792 fully vaccinated)
#1. Phillips County, AR
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 31,689 (5,635 total cases)
--- 0.7% less cases per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 579 (103 total deaths)
--- 39.5% more deaths per 100k residents than Arkansas
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 51.7% (9,189 fully vaccinated)