Counties with highest COVID-19 infection rates in South Carolina
Counties with highest COVID-19 infection rates in South Carolina
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 May 25 reached over 1 million COVID-19-related deaths and 83.6 million COVID-19 cases, according to Johns Hopkins University. Currently, 66.6% of the population is fully vaccinated, and 46.6% of vaccinated people have received booster doses.
Stacker compiled a list of the counties with highest COVID-19 infection rates in South Carolina 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 May 24, 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.
#46. Allendale County, SC
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 24,091 (2,093 total cases)
--- 17.1% less cases per 100k residents than South Carolina
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 276 (24 total deaths)
--- 20.7% less deaths per 100k residents than South Carolina
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 59.0% (5,130 fully vaccinated)
#45. Saluda County, SC
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 19,396 (3,971 total cases)
--- 33.2% less cases per 100k residents than South Carolina
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 381 (78 total deaths)
--- 9.5% more deaths per 100k residents than South Carolina
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 30.6% (6,256 fully vaccinated)
#44. Abbeville County, SC
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 27,162 (6,662 total cases)
--- 6.5% less cases per 100k residents than South Carolina
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 281 (69 total deaths)
--- 19.3% less deaths per 100k residents than South Carolina
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 40.2% (9,861 fully vaccinated)
#43. Marion County, SC
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 27,974 (8,576 total cases)
--- 3.7% less cases per 100k residents than South Carolina
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 532 (163 total deaths)
--- 52.9% more deaths per 100k residents than South Carolina
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 49.2% (15,089 fully vaccinated)
#42. Calhoun County, SC
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 19,274 (2,805 total cases)
--- 33.7% less cases per 100k residents than South Carolina
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 419 (61 total deaths)
--- 20.4% more deaths per 100k residents than South Carolina
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 41.4% (6,019 fully vaccinated)
#41. Laurens County, SC
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 27,701 (18,696 total cases)
--- 4.6% less cases per 100k residents than South Carolina
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 437 (295 total deaths)
--- 25.6% more deaths per 100k residents than South Carolina
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 38.8% (26,214 fully vaccinated)
#40. Barnwell County, SC
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 28,002 (5,843 total cases)
--- 3.6% less cases per 100k residents than South Carolina
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 494 (103 total deaths)
--- 42.0% more deaths per 100k residents than South Carolina
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 56.7% (11,825 fully vaccinated)
#39. Cherokee County, SC
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 25,808 (14,788 total cases)
--- 11.2% less cases per 100k residents than South Carolina
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 562 (322 total deaths)
--- 61.5% more deaths per 100k residents than South Carolina
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 34.5% (19,764 fully vaccinated)
#38. Williamsburg County, SC
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 28,227 (8,572 total cases)
--- 2.8% less cases per 100k residents than South Carolina
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 481 (146 total deaths)
--- 38.2% more deaths per 100k residents than South Carolina
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 57.6% (17,483 fully vaccinated)
#37. Chester County, SC
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 31,479 (10,150 total cases)
--- 8.4% more cases per 100k residents than South Carolina
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 475 (153 total deaths)
--- 36.5% more deaths per 100k residents than South Carolina
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 46.4% (14,971 fully vaccinated)
#36. Chesterfield County, SC
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 25,980 (11,860 total cases)
--- 10.6% less cases per 100k residents than South Carolina
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 418 (191 total deaths)
--- 20.1% more deaths per 100k residents than South Carolina
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 37.2% (16,985 fully vaccinated)
#35. Edgefield County, SC
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 24,923 (6,794 total cases)
--- 14.2% less cases per 100k residents than South Carolina
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 260 (71 total deaths)
--- 25.3% less deaths per 100k residents than South Carolina
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 60.6% (16,517 fully vaccinated)
#34. Union County, SC
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 28,430 (7,766 total cases)
--- 2.1% less cases per 100k residents than South Carolina
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 549 (150 total deaths)
--- 57.8% more deaths per 100k residents than South Carolina
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 42.0% (11,482 fully vaccinated)
#33. Jasper County, SC
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 19,759 (5,942 total cases)
--- 32.0% less cases per 100k residents than South Carolina
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 309 (93 total deaths)
--- 11.2% less deaths per 100k residents than South Carolina
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 38.2% (11,477 fully vaccinated)
#32. Florence County, SC
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 30,331 (41,946 total cases)
--- 4.4% more cases per 100k residents than South Carolina
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 458 (633 total deaths)
--- 31.6% more deaths per 100k residents than South Carolina
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 55.4% (76,673 fully vaccinated)
#31. Hampton County, SC
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 26,199 (5,036 total cases)
--- 9.8% less cases per 100k residents than South Carolina
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 447 (86 total deaths)
--- 28.4% more deaths per 100k residents than South Carolina
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 64.4% (12,377 fully vaccinated)
#30. Darlington County, SC
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 28,494 (18,982 total cases)
--- 1.9% less cases per 100k residents than South Carolina
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 467 (311 total deaths)
--- 34.2% more deaths per 100k residents than South Carolina
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 49.1% (32,731 fully vaccinated)
#29. Spartanburg County, SC
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 29,886 (95,571 total cases)
--- 2.9% more cases per 100k residents than South Carolina
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 484 (1,548 total deaths)
--- 39.1% more deaths per 100k residents than South Carolina
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 44.1% (141,100 fully vaccinated)
#28. Aiken County, SC
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 24,511 (41,883 total cases)
--- 15.6% less cases per 100k residents than South Carolina
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 256 (437 total deaths)
--- 26.4% less deaths per 100k residents than South Carolina
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 46.5% (79,408 fully vaccinated)
#27. Colleton County, SC
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 23,728 (8,940 total cases)
--- 18.3% less cases per 100k residents than South Carolina
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 587 (221 total deaths)
--- 68.7% more deaths per 100k residents than South Carolina
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 48.8% (18,380 fully vaccinated)
#26. Anderson County, SC
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 28,718 (58,170 total cases)
--- 1.1% less cases per 100k residents than South Carolina
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 494 (1,000 total deaths)
--- 42.0% more deaths per 100k residents than South Carolina
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 40.7% (82,455 fully vaccinated)
#25. Georgetown County, SC
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 25,534 (16,005 total cases)
--- 12.1% less cases per 100k residents than South Carolina
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 362 (227 total deaths)
--- 4.0% more deaths per 100k residents than South Carolina
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 54.9% (34,388 fully vaccinated)
#24. Greenwood County, SC
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 32,006 (22,664 total cases)
--- 10.2% more cases per 100k residents than South Carolina
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 435 (308 total deaths)
--- 25.0% more deaths per 100k residents than South Carolina
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 48.4% (34,270 fully vaccinated)
#23. Fairfield County, SC
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 26,961 (6,025 total cases)
--- 7.2% less cases per 100k residents than South Carolina
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 479 (107 total deaths)
--- 37.6% more deaths per 100k residents than South Carolina
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 65.1% (14,539 fully vaccinated)
#22. Lee County, SC
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 25,469 (4,286 total cases)
--- 12.3% less cases per 100k residents than South Carolina
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 570 (96 total deaths)
--- 63.8% more deaths per 100k residents than South Carolina
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 48.4% (8,143 fully vaccinated)
#21. McCormick County, SC
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 23,798 (2,252 total cases)
--- 18.1% less cases per 100k residents than South Carolina
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 423 (40 total deaths)
--- 21.6% more deaths per 100k residents than South Carolina
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 59.2% (5,600 fully vaccinated)
#20. Clarendon County, SC
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 26,093 (8,805 total cases)
--- 10.2% less cases per 100k residents than South Carolina
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 471 (159 total deaths)
--- 35.3% more deaths per 100k residents than South Carolina
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 49.5% (16,690 fully vaccinated)
#19. Orangeburg County, SC
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 27,269 (23,499 total cases)
--- 6.1% less cases per 100k residents than South Carolina
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 487 (420 total deaths)
--- 39.9% more deaths per 100k residents than South Carolina
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 56.3% (48,494 fully vaccinated)
#18. Greenville County, SC
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 33,196 (173,793 total cases)
--- 14.3% more cases per 100k residents than South Carolina
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 384 (2,010 total deaths)
--- 10.3% more deaths per 100k residents than South Carolina
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 55.8% (292,252 fully vaccinated)
#17. Pickens County, SC
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 36,430 (46,224 total cases)
--- 25.4% more cases per 100k residents than South Carolina
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 499 (633 total deaths)
--- 43.4% more deaths per 100k residents than South Carolina
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 47.0% (59,605 fully vaccinated)
#16. Oconee County, SC
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 30,703 (24,423 total cases)
--- 5.7% more cases per 100k residents than South Carolina
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 431 (343 total deaths)
--- 23.9% more deaths per 100k residents than South Carolina
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 45.3% (36,045 fully vaccinated)
#15. Berkeley County, SC
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 23,019 (52,462 total cases)
--- 20.8% less cases per 100k residents than South Carolina
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 197 (450 total deaths)
--- 43.4% less deaths per 100k residents than South Carolina
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 52.6% (119,895 fully vaccinated)
#14. Bamberg County, SC
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 24,605 (3,461 total cases)
--- 15.3% less cases per 100k residents than South Carolina
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 533 (75 total deaths)
--- 53.2% more deaths per 100k residents than South Carolina
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 51.5% (7,250 fully vaccinated)
#13. Marlboro County, SC
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 30,278 (7,908 total cases)
--- 4.2% more cases per 100k residents than South Carolina
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 402 (105 total deaths)
--- 15.5% more deaths per 100k residents than South Carolina
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 44.3% (11,580 fully vaccinated)
#12. Dillon County, SC
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 32,032 (9,763 total cases)
--- 10.3% more cases per 100k residents than South Carolina
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 472 (144 total deaths)
--- 35.6% more deaths per 100k residents than South Carolina
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 45.0% (13,710 fully vaccinated)
#11. Newberry County, SC
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 34,854 (13,398 total cases)
--- 20.0% more cases per 100k residents than South Carolina
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 507 (195 total deaths)
--- 45.7% more deaths per 100k residents than South Carolina
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 52.9% (20,320 fully vaccinated)
#10. Lancaster County, SC
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 25,904 (25,389 total cases)
--- 10.8% less cases per 100k residents than South Carolina
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 287 (281 total deaths)
--- 17.5% less deaths per 100k residents than South Carolina
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 46.9% (45,953 fully vaccinated)
#9. Beaufort County, SC
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 22,776 (43,758 total cases)
--- 21.6% less cases per 100k residents than South Carolina
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 198 (381 total deaths)
--- 43.1% less deaths per 100k residents than South Carolina
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 66.4% (127,534 fully vaccinated)
#8. York County, SC
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 27,977 (78,610 total cases)
--- 3.7% less cases per 100k residents than South Carolina
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 243 (682 total deaths)
--- 30.2% less deaths per 100k residents than South Carolina
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 50.1% (140,804 fully vaccinated)
#7. Kershaw County, SC
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 32,622 (21,710 total cases)
--- 12.3% more cases per 100k residents than South Carolina
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 392 (261 total deaths)
--- 12.6% more deaths per 100k residents than South Carolina
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 59.2% (39,382 fully vaccinated)
#6. Lexington County, SC
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 32,470 (97,004 total cases)
--- 11.8% more cases per 100k residents than South Carolina
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 292 (872 total deaths)
--- 16.1% less deaths per 100k residents than South Carolina
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 56.0% (167,367 fully vaccinated)
#5. Sumter County, SC
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 26,485 (28,265 total cases)
--- 8.8% less cases per 100k residents than South Carolina
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 369 (394 total deaths)
--- 6.0% more deaths per 100k residents than South Carolina
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 57.4% (61,295 fully vaccinated)
#4. Dorchester County, SC
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 34,756 (56,586 total cases)
--- 19.6% more cases per 100k residents than South Carolina
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 305 (496 total deaths)
--- 12.4% less deaths per 100k residents than South Carolina
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 53.8% (87,633 fully vaccinated)
#3. Charleston County, SC
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 27,692 (113,927 total cases)
--- 4.7% less cases per 100k residents than South Carolina
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 231 (949 total deaths)
--- 33.6% less deaths per 100k residents than South Carolina
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 66.0% (271,653 fully vaccinated)
#2. Richland County, SC
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 29,894 (124,288 total cases)
--- 2.9% more cases per 100k residents than South Carolina
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 228 (947 total deaths)
--- 34.5% less deaths per 100k residents than South Carolina
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 59.8% (248,470 fully vaccinated)
#1. Horry County, SC
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 27,727 (98,177 total cases)
--- 4.6% less cases per 100k residents than South Carolina
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 328 (1,161 total deaths)
--- 5.7% less deaths per 100k residents than South Carolina
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 57.0% (201,849 fully vaccinated)