Counties with highest COVID-19 infection rates in Maryland
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 Maryland 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.
#24. Somerset County, MD
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 23,064 (5,908 total cases)
--- 9.3% more cases per 100k residents than Maryland
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 304 (78 total deaths)
--- 17.8% more deaths per 100k residents than Maryland
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 51.7% (13,234 fully vaccinated)
#23. Carroll County, MD
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 15,624 (26,319 total cases)
--- 25.9% less cases per 100k residents than Maryland
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 263 (443 total deaths)
--- 1.9% more deaths per 100k residents than Maryland
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 74.2% (125,011 fully vaccinated)
#22. Queen Anne's County, MD
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 16,623 (8,375 total cases)
--- 21.2% less cases per 100k residents than Maryland
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 254 (128 total deaths)
--- 1.6% less deaths per 100k residents than Maryland
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 69.5% (35,020 fully vaccinated)
#21. Kent County, MD
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 19,318 (3,752 total cases)
--- 8.4% less cases per 100k residents than Maryland
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 376 (73 total deaths)
--- 45.7% more deaths per 100k residents than Maryland
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 67.8% (13,175 fully vaccinated)
#20. Calvert County, MD
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 15,001 (13,880 total cases)
--- 28.9% less cases per 100k residents than Maryland
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 171 (158 total deaths)
--- 33.7% less deaths per 100k residents than Maryland
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 73.2% (67,700 fully vaccinated)
#19. Cecil County, MD
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 18,500 (19,028 total cases)
--- 12.3% less cases per 100k residents than Maryland
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 269 (277 total deaths)
--- 4.3% more deaths per 100k residents than Maryland
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 60.9% (62,630 fully vaccinated)
#18. Worcester County, MD
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 19,657 (10,276 total cases)
--- 6.8% less cases per 100k residents than Maryland
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 333 (174 total deaths)
--- 29.1% more deaths per 100k residents than Maryland
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 74.3% (38,860 fully vaccinated)
#17. Washington County, MD
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 26,248 (39,647 total cases)
--- 24.4% more cases per 100k residents than Maryland
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 403 (608 total deaths)
--- 56.2% more deaths per 100k residents than Maryland
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 61.6% (93,015 fully vaccinated)
#16. Talbot County, MD
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 18,259 (6,789 total cases)
--- 13.4% less cases per 100k residents than Maryland
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 277 (103 total deaths)
--- 7.4% more deaths per 100k residents than Maryland
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 76.1% (28,307 fully vaccinated)
#15. Wicomico County, MD
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 22,638 (23,455 total cases)
--- 7.3% more cases per 100k residents than Maryland
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 334 (346 total deaths)
--- 29.5% more deaths per 100k residents than Maryland
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 57.7% (59,740 fully vaccinated)
#14. Dorchester County, MD
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 28,303 (9,037 total cases)
--- 34.2% more cases per 100k residents than Maryland
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 354 (113 total deaths)
--- 37.2% more deaths per 100k residents than Maryland
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 61.4% (19,596 fully vaccinated)
#13. St. Mary's County, MD
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 20,307 (23,050 total cases)
--- 3.7% less cases per 100k residents than Maryland
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 207 (235 total deaths)
--- 19.8% less deaths per 100k residents than Maryland
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 68.3% (77,505 fully vaccinated)
#12. Anne Arundel County, MD
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 19,386 (112,290 total cases)
--- 8.1% less cases per 100k residents than Maryland
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 207 (1,200 total deaths)
--- 19.8% less deaths per 100k residents than Maryland
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 79.9% (462,777 fully vaccinated)
#11. Baltimore County, MD
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 19,481 (161,184 total cases)
--- 7.6% less cases per 100k residents than Maryland
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 321 (2,656 total deaths)
--- 24.4% more deaths per 100k residents than Maryland
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 75.2% (622,326 fully vaccinated)
#10. Frederick County, MD
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 21,213 (55,059 total cases)
--- 0.6% more cases per 100k residents than Maryland
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 218 (566 total deaths)
--- 15.5% less deaths per 100k residents than Maryland
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 81.5% (211,634 fully vaccinated)
#9. Harford County, MD
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 18,327 (46,815 total cases)
--- 13.1% less cases per 100k residents than Maryland
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 250 (639 total deaths)
--- 3.1% less deaths per 100k residents than Maryland
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 72.2% (184,479 fully vaccinated)
#8. Garrett County, MD
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 23,234 (6,741 total cases)
--- 10.2% more cases per 100k residents than Maryland
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 410 (119 total deaths)
--- 58.9% more deaths per 100k residents than Maryland
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 52.6% (15,265 fully vaccinated)
#7. Charles County, MD
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 21,989 (35,899 total cases)
--- 4.2% more cases per 100k residents than Maryland
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 237 (387 total deaths)
--- 8.1% less deaths per 100k residents than Maryland
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 73.4% (119,850 fully vaccinated)
#6. Howard County, MD
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 18,247 (59,430 total cases)
--- 13.5% less cases per 100k residents than Maryland
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 127 (415 total deaths)
--- 50.8% less deaths per 100k residents than Maryland
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 89.5% (291,633 fully vaccinated)
#5. Montgomery County, MD
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 21,731 (228,325 total cases)
--- 3.0% more cases per 100k residents than Maryland
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 211 (2,219 total deaths)
--- 18.2% less deaths per 100k residents than Maryland
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 92.1% (967,989 fully vaccinated)
#4. Caroline County, MD
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 20,868 (6,971 total cases)
--- 1.1% less cases per 100k residents than Maryland
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 260 (87 total deaths)
--- 0.8% more deaths per 100k residents than Maryland
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 58.6% (19,589 fully vaccinated)
#3. Baltimore city, MD
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 23,513 (139,550 total cases)
--- 11.5% more cases per 100k residents than Maryland
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 318 (1,889 total deaths)
--- 23.3% more deaths per 100k residents than Maryland
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 67.1% (398,139 fully vaccinated)
#2. Prince George's County, MD
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 23,410 (212,872 total cases)
--- 11.0% more cases per 100k residents than Maryland
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 251 (2,279 total deaths)
--- 2.7% less deaths per 100k residents than Maryland
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 78.2% (711,494 fully vaccinated)
#1. Allegany County, MD
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 29,192 (20,556 total cases)
--- 38.4% more cases per 100k residents than Maryland
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 537 (378 total deaths)
--- 108.1% more deaths per 100k residents than Maryland
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 57.2% (40,249 fully vaccinated)