Counties with highest COVID-19 infection rates in Tennessee
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 Tennessee 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. Houston County, TN
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 35,861 (2,941 total cases)
--- 3.3% more cases per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 768 (63 total deaths)
--- 86.0% more deaths per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 44.4% (3,645 fully vaccinated)
#49. Chester County, TN
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 38,313 (6,627 total cases)
--- 10.3% more cases per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 578 (100 total deaths)
--- 40.0% more deaths per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 36.8% (6,363 fully vaccinated)
#48. Obion County, TN
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 41,355 (12,435 total cases)
--- 19.1% more cases per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 688 (207 total deaths)
--- 66.6% more deaths per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 43.4% (13,036 fully vaccinated)
#47. Johnson County, TN
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 32,679 (5,813 total cases)
--- 5.9% less cases per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 596 (106 total deaths)
--- 44.3% more deaths per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 38.5% (6,841 fully vaccinated)
#46. Henry County, TN
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 29,426 (9,518 total cases)
--- 15.3% less cases per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 532 (172 total deaths)
--- 28.8% more deaths per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 48.9% (15,819 fully vaccinated)
#45. Blount County, TN
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 34,730 (46,222 total cases)
--- 0.0% more cases per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 370 (492 total deaths)
--- 10.4% less deaths per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 53.7% (71,440 fully vaccinated)
#44. Overton County, TN
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 36,990 (8,227 total cases)
--- 6.5% more cases per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 589 (131 total deaths)
--- 42.6% more deaths per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 36.2% (8,061 fully vaccinated)
#43. Grainger County, TN
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 33,542 (7,822 total cases)
--- 3.4% less cases per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 493 (115 total deaths)
--- 19.4% more deaths per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 50.2% (11,700 fully vaccinated)
#42. Hamblen County, TN
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 35,561 (23,091 total cases)
--- 2.4% more cases per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 585 (380 total deaths)
--- 41.6% more deaths per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 43.7% (28,385 fully vaccinated)
#41. Meigs County, TN
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 31,935 (3,967 total cases)
--- 8.0% less cases per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 499 (62 total deaths)
--- 20.8% more deaths per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 69.6% (8,649 fully vaccinated)
#40. Jefferson County, TN
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 33,979 (18,517 total cases)
--- 2.2% less cases per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 549 (299 total deaths)
--- 32.9% more deaths per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 51.4% (27,985 fully vaccinated)
#39. Wilson County, TN
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 33,559 (48,545 total cases)
--- 3.4% less cases per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 359 (519 total deaths)
--- 13.1% less deaths per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 55.0% (79,529 fully vaccinated)
#38. Putnam County, TN
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 35,473 (28,465 total cases)
--- 2.1% more cases per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 394 (316 total deaths)
--- 4.6% less deaths per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 52.2% (41,901 fully vaccinated)
#37. Hardin County, TN
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 39,935 (10,244 total cases)
--- 15.0% more cases per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 671 (172 total deaths)
--- 62.5% more deaths per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 41.7% (10,702 fully vaccinated)
#36. Cumberland County, TN
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 30,986 (18,753 total cases)
--- 10.8% less cases per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 562 (340 total deaths)
--- 36.1% more deaths per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 48.3% (29,255 fully vaccinated)
#35. Claiborne County, TN
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 32,980 (10,540 total cases)
--- 5.0% less cases per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 635 (203 total deaths)
--- 53.8% more deaths per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 47.7% (15,231 fully vaccinated)
#34. White County, TN
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 34,332 (9,388 total cases)
--- 1.1% less cases per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 501 (137 total deaths)
--- 21.3% more deaths per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 43.3% (11,845 fully vaccinated)
#33. Loudon County, TN
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 32,161 (17,389 total cases)
--- 7.4% less cases per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 390 (211 total deaths)
--- 5.6% less deaths per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 65.4% (35,351 fully vaccinated)
#32. Perry County, TN
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 32,826 (2,651 total cases)
--- 5.5% less cases per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 731 (59 total deaths)
--- 77.0% more deaths per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 41.9% (3,380 fully vaccinated)
#31. Sevier County, TN
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 35,538 (34,916 total cases)
--- 2.3% more cases per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 446 (438 total deaths)
--- 8.0% more deaths per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 51.6% (50,649 fully vaccinated)
#30. Hawkins County, TN
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 35,248 (20,016 total cases)
--- 1.5% more cases per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 611 (347 total deaths)
--- 47.9% more deaths per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 45.6% (25,916 fully vaccinated)
#29. Franklin County, TN
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 35,661 (15,052 total cases)
--- 2.7% more cases per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 479 (202 total deaths)
--- 16.0% more deaths per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 42.6% (17,994 fully vaccinated)
#28. Marshall County, TN
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 34,752 (11,946 total cases)
--- 0.1% more cases per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 369 (127 total deaths)
--- 10.7% less deaths per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 43.8% (15,067 fully vaccinated)
#27. Lawrence County, TN
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 36,827 (16,256 total cases)
--- 6.0% more cases per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 498 (220 total deaths)
--- 20.6% more deaths per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 37.7% (16,640 fully vaccinated)
#26. Hickman County, TN
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 31,837 (8,016 total cases)
--- 8.3% less cases per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 473 (119 total deaths)
--- 14.5% more deaths per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 43.5% (10,948 fully vaccinated)
#25. Madison County, TN
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 37,009 (36,263 total cases)
--- 6.6% more cases per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 482 (472 total deaths)
--- 16.7% more deaths per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 55.8% (54,662 fully vaccinated)
#24. Van Buren County, TN
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 36,223 (2,127 total cases)
--- 4.3% more cases per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 817 (48 total deaths)
--- 97.8% more deaths per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 59.5% (3,493 fully vaccinated)
#23. Benton County, TN
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 32,778 (5,297 total cases)
--- 5.6% less cases per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 625 (101 total deaths)
--- 51.3% more deaths per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 45.6% (7,365 fully vaccinated)
#22. Humphreys County, TN
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 30,874 (5,737 total cases)
--- 11.1% less cases per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 447 (83 total deaths)
--- 8.2% more deaths per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 42.3% (7,858 fully vaccinated)
#21. Campbell County, TN
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 37,209 (14,825 total cases)
--- 7.1% more cases per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 452 (180 total deaths)
--- 9.4% more deaths per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 45.1% (17,965 fully vaccinated)
#20. Carroll County, TN
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 38,636 (10,728 total cases)
--- 11.3% more cases per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 598 (166 total deaths)
--- 44.8% more deaths per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 50.1% (13,922 fully vaccinated)
#19. Haywood County, TN
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 42,869 (7,418 total cases)
--- 23.4% more cases per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 613 (106 total deaths)
--- 48.4% more deaths per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 54.1% (9,362 fully vaccinated)
#18. Lake County, TN
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 43,101 (3,024 total cases)
--- 24.1% more cases per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 641 (45 total deaths)
--- 55.2% more deaths per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 36.2% (2,537 fully vaccinated)
#17. Washington County, TN
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 35,725 (46,219 total cases)
--- 2.9% more cases per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 407 (526 total deaths)
--- 1.5% less deaths per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 61.5% (79,611 fully vaccinated)
#16. Macon County, TN
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 40,167 (9,882 total cases)
--- 15.7% more cases per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 638 (157 total deaths)
--- 54.5% more deaths per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 33.7% (8,303 fully vaccinated)
#15. Cannon County, TN
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 33,833 (4,966 total cases)
--- 2.6% less cases per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 491 (72 total deaths)
--- 18.9% more deaths per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 33.1% (4,865 fully vaccinated)
#14. Pickett County, TN
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 40,828 (2,061 total cases)
--- 17.6% more cases per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 753 (38 total deaths)
--- 82.3% more deaths per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 46.0% (2,323 fully vaccinated)
#13. Hancock County, TN
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 37,326 (2,471 total cases)
--- 7.5% more cases per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 634 (42 total deaths)
--- 53.5% more deaths per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 33.2% (2,197 fully vaccinated)
#12. Crockett County, TN
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 42,263 (6,014 total cases)
--- 21.7% more cases per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 625 (89 total deaths)
--- 51.3% more deaths per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 49.8% (7,083 fully vaccinated)
#11. Smith County, TN
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 34,370 (6,928 total cases)
--- 1.0% less cases per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 461 (93 total deaths)
--- 11.6% more deaths per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 33.9% (6,838 fully vaccinated)
#10. Sullivan County, TN
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 35,082 (55,551 total cases)
--- 1.0% more cases per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 489 (775 total deaths)
--- 18.4% more deaths per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 58.1% (91,923 fully vaccinated)
#9. Morgan County, TN
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 34,411 (7,365 total cases)
--- 0.9% less cases per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 439 (94 total deaths)
--- 6.3% more deaths per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 52.8% (11,295 fully vaccinated)
#8. Greene County, TN
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 37,733 (26,062 total cases)
--- 8.7% more cases per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 581 (401 total deaths)
--- 40.7% more deaths per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 47.3% (32,667 fully vaccinated)
#7. Weakley County, TN
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 32,927 (10,974 total cases)
--- 5.2% less cases per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 519 (173 total deaths)
--- 25.7% more deaths per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 39.4% (13,122 fully vaccinated)
#6. Polk County, TN
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 32,111 (5,405 total cases)
--- 7.5% less cases per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 529 (89 total deaths)
--- 28.1% more deaths per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 42.3% (7,117 fully vaccinated)
#5. Carter County, TN
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 35,172 (19,834 total cases)
--- 1.3% more cases per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 645 (364 total deaths)
--- 56.2% more deaths per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 41.6% (23,440 fully vaccinated)
#4. Monroe County, TN
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 36,801 (17,129 total cases)
--- 6.0% more cases per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 561 (261 total deaths)
--- 35.8% more deaths per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 44.3% (20,642 fully vaccinated)
#3. Scott County, TN
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 51,124 (11,282 total cases)
--- 47.2% more cases per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 616 (136 total deaths)
--- 49.2% more deaths per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 37.6% (8,289 fully vaccinated)
#2. Cocke County, TN
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 38,485 (13,856 total cases)
--- 10.8% more cases per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 664 (239 total deaths)
--- 60.8% more deaths per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 51.4% (18,510 fully vaccinated)
#1. Unicoi County, TN
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 35,469 (6,343 total cases)
--- 2.1% more cases per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 576 (103 total deaths)
--- 39.5% more deaths per 100k residents than Tennessee
- Population that is fully vaccinated: 55.4% (9,915 fully vaccinated)