Counties with highest COVID-19 infection rates in Kentucky
Counties with highest COVID-19 infection rates in Kentucky
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 Aug. 10 reached over 1 million COVID-19-related deaths and 92.4 million COVID-19 cases, according to Johns Hopkins University. Currently, 67.2% of the population is fully vaccinated, and 48.2% of vaccinated people have received booster doses.
Stacker compiled a list of the counties with highest COVID-19 infection rates in Kentucky 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 Aug. 9, 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. Jefferson County, KY
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 33,344 (255,670 total cases)
--- 0.0% less cases per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 320 (2,455 total deaths)
--- 13.3% less deaths per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 65.0% (498,669 fully vaccinated)
#49. Hart County, KY
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 30,985 (5,898 total cases)
--- 7.1% less cases per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 562 (107 total deaths)
--- 52.3% more deaths per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 36.2% (6,884 fully vaccinated)
#48. Robertson County, KY
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 35,294 (744 total cases)
--- 5.8% more cases per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 996 (21 total deaths)
--- 169.9% more deaths per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 39.0% (822 fully vaccinated)
#47. Woodford County, KY
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 29,966 (8,011 total cases)
--- 10.2% less cases per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 198 (53 total deaths)
--- 46.3% less deaths per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 67.0% (17,918 fully vaccinated)
#46. McLean County, KY
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 31,291 (2,881 total cases)
--- 6.2% less cases per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 597 (55 total deaths)
--- 61.8% more deaths per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 51.6% (4,754 fully vaccinated)
#45. Morgan County, KY
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 43,151 (5,743 total cases)
--- 29.4% more cases per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 248 (33 total deaths)
--- 32.8% less deaths per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 48.7% (6,482 fully vaccinated)
#44. Henry County, KY
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 34,218 (5,518 total cases)
--- 2.6% more cases per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 329 (53 total deaths)
--- 10.8% less deaths per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 54.3% (8,756 fully vaccinated)
#43. Warren County, KY
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 35,508 (47,189 total cases)
--- 6.4% more cases per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 293 (389 total deaths)
--- 20.6% less deaths per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 39.3% (52,203 fully vaccinated)
#42. Clark County, KY
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 33,591 (12,181 total cases)
--- 0.7% more cases per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 207 (75 total deaths)
--- 43.9% less deaths per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 55.5% (20,115 fully vaccinated)
#41. Union County, KY
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 32,995 (4,745 total cases)
--- 1.1% less cases per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 396 (57 total deaths)
--- 7.3% more deaths per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 43.1% (6,196 fully vaccinated)
#40. Larue County, KY
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 28,872 (4,157 total cases)
--- 13.5% less cases per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 521 (75 total deaths)
--- 41.2% more deaths per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 44.2% (6,365 fully vaccinated)
#39. Daviess County, KY
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 33,559 (34,066 total cases)
--- 0.6% more cases per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 394 (400 total deaths)
--- 6.8% more deaths per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 54.8% (55,673 fully vaccinated)
#38. Anderson County, KY
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 32,439 (7,379 total cases)
--- 2.8% less cases per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 321 (73 total deaths)
--- 13.0% less deaths per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 56.4% (12,827 fully vaccinated)
#37. Wolfe County, KY
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 39,667 (2,839 total cases)
--- 18.9% more cases per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 405 (29 total deaths)
--- 9.8% more deaths per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 54.5% (3,898 fully vaccinated)
#36. Lewis County, KY
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 37,288 (4,950 total cases)
--- 11.8% more cases per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 670 (89 total deaths)
--- 81.6% more deaths per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 39.9% (5,296 fully vaccinated)
#35. Lee County, KY
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 41,794 (3,094 total cases)
--- 25.3% more cases per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 756 (56 total deaths)
--- 104.9% more deaths per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 50.3% (3,725 fully vaccinated)
#34. Webster County, KY
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 33,017 (4,273 total cases)
--- 1.0% less cases per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 386 (50 total deaths)
--- 4.6% more deaths per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 46.7% (6,043 fully vaccinated)
#33. McCreary County, KY
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 35,384 (6,097 total cases)
--- 6.1% more cases per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 487 (84 total deaths)
--- 32.0% more deaths per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 39.7% (6,833 fully vaccinated)
#32. Breckinridge County, KY
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 27,543 (5,640 total cases)
--- 17.4% less cases per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 410 (84 total deaths)
--- 11.1% more deaths per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 50.0% (10,238 fully vaccinated)
#31. Allen County, KY
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 34,206 (7,291 total cases)
--- 2.5% more cases per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 521 (111 total deaths)
--- 41.2% more deaths per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 40.2% (8,562 fully vaccinated)
#30. Pike County, KY
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 36,810 (21,304 total cases)
--- 10.3% more cases per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 568 (329 total deaths)
--- 53.9% more deaths per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 53.4% (30,889 fully vaccinated)
#29. Trigg County, KY
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 30,080 (4,407 total cases)
--- 9.8% less cases per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 307 (45 total deaths)
--- 16.8% less deaths per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 47.7% (6,983 fully vaccinated)
#28. Simpson County, KY
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 33,890 (6,294 total cases)
--- 1.6% more cases per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 517 (96 total deaths)
--- 40.1% more deaths per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 51.4% (9,551 fully vaccinated)
#27. Powell County, KY
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 42,414 (5,242 total cases)
--- 27.1% more cases per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 364 (45 total deaths)
--- 1.4% less deaths per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 53.5% (6,607 fully vaccinated)
#26. Harlan County, KY
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 38,328 (9,969 total cases)
--- 14.9% more cases per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 830 (216 total deaths)
--- 124.9% more deaths per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 47.0% (12,213 fully vaccinated)
#25. Laurel County, KY
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 36,893 (22,436 total cases)
--- 10.6% more cases per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 421 (256 total deaths)
--- 14.1% more deaths per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 40.9% (24,900 fully vaccinated)
#24. Hopkins County, KY
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 36,873 (16,477 total cases)
--- 10.5% more cases per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 580 (259 total deaths)
--- 57.2% more deaths per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 52.5% (23,454 fully vaccinated)
#23. Carter County, KY
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 36,810 (9,864 total cases)
--- 10.3% more cases per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 414 (111 total deaths)
--- 12.2% more deaths per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 49.8% (13,351 fully vaccinated)
#22. Magoffin County, KY
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 35,976 (4,375 total cases)
--- 7.8% more cases per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 452 (55 total deaths)
--- 22.5% more deaths per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 51.6% (6,275 fully vaccinated)
#21. Whitley County, KY
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 41,159 (14,926 total cases)
--- 23.4% more cases per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 587 (213 total deaths)
--- 59.1% more deaths per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 45.1% (16,358 fully vaccinated)
#20. Hardin County, KY
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 33,587 (37,267 total cases)
--- 0.7% more cases per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 412 (457 total deaths)
--- 11.7% more deaths per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 65.3% (72,446 fully vaccinated)
#19. Hancock County, KY
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 31,392 (2,738 total cases)
--- 5.9% less cases per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 298 (26 total deaths)
--- 19.2% less deaths per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 60.0% (5,235 fully vaccinated)
#18. Owen County, KY
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 24,512 (2,672 total cases)
--- 26.5% less cases per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 321 (35 total deaths)
--- 13.0% less deaths per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 38.1% (4,158 fully vaccinated)
#17. Rockcastle County, KY
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 32,477 (5,422 total cases)
--- 2.6% less cases per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 377 (63 total deaths)
--- 2.2% more deaths per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 41.0% (6,850 fully vaccinated)
#16. Henderson County, KY
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 33,933 (15,341 total cases)
--- 1.7% more cases per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 385 (174 total deaths)
--- 4.3% more deaths per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 52.5% (23,720 fully vaccinated)
#15. Wayne County, KY
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 32,617 (6,632 total cases)
--- 2.2% less cases per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 467 (95 total deaths)
--- 26.6% more deaths per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 42.8% (8,712 fully vaccinated)
#14. Elliott County, KY
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 39,138 (2,942 total cases)
--- 17.3% more cases per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 266 (20 total deaths)
--- 27.9% less deaths per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 36.1% (2,714 fully vaccinated)
#13. Floyd County, KY
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 39,203 (13,952 total cases)
--- 17.5% more cases per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 635 (226 total deaths)
--- 72.1% more deaths per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 57.7% (20,535 fully vaccinated)
#12. Bath County, KY
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 29,112 (3,639 total cases)
--- 12.7% less cases per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 392 (49 total deaths)
--- 6.2% more deaths per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 54.5% (6,810 fully vaccinated)
#11. Bell County, KY
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 36,732 (9,562 total cases)
--- 10.1% more cases per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 618 (161 total deaths)
--- 67.5% more deaths per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 46.4% (12,075 fully vaccinated)
#10. Knox County, KY
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 40,575 (12,637 total cases)
--- 21.6% more cases per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 491 (153 total deaths)
--- 33.1% more deaths per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 37.1% (11,558 fully vaccinated)
#9. Greenup County, KY
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 39,458 (13,849 total cases)
--- 18.3% more cases per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 430 (151 total deaths)
--- 16.5% more deaths per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 53.2% (18,686 fully vaccinated)
#8. Rowan County, KY
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 31,415 (7,684 total cases)
--- 5.8% less cases per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 303 (74 total deaths)
--- 17.9% less deaths per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 52.9% (12,949 fully vaccinated)
#7. Knott County, KY
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 32,743 (4,848 total cases)
--- 1.8% less cases per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 446 (66 total deaths)
--- 20.9% more deaths per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 48.4% (7,168 fully vaccinated)
#6. Boyd County, KY
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 40,154 (18,759 total cases)
--- 20.4% more cases per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 398 (186 total deaths)
--- 7.9% more deaths per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 50.1% (23,398 fully vaccinated)
#5. Letcher County, KY
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 37,197 (8,017 total cases)
--- 11.5% more cases per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 571 (123 total deaths)
--- 54.7% more deaths per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 53.7% (11,580 fully vaccinated)
#4. Cumberland County, KY
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 36,377 (2,406 total cases)
--- 9.0% more cases per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 499 (33 total deaths)
--- 35.2% more deaths per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 45.4% (3,000 fully vaccinated)
#3. Owsley County, KY
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 38,029 (1,679 total cases)
--- 14.0% more cases per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 680 (30 total deaths)
--- 84.3% more deaths per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 48.0% (2,119 fully vaccinated)
#2. Leslie County, KY
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 42,310 (4,179 total cases)
--- 26.8% more cases per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 506 (50 total deaths)
--- 37.1% more deaths per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 52.9% (5,226 fully vaccinated)
#1. Perry County, KY
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 48,835 (12,579 total cases)
--- 46.4% more cases per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 722 (186 total deaths)
--- 95.7% more deaths per 100k residents than Kentucky
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 62.8% (16,185 fully vaccinated)