More than 1 million Americans have died from COVID-19 – more than the total number of Americans killed in World War I and World War II combined.

In the Memphis metropolitan area, which covers parts of Tennessee, Mississippi, and Arkansas, a total of 5,011 deaths have been attributed to the virus, equal to 372 fatalities for every 100,000 people. Nationwide, 310 deaths have been attributed to the virus per 100,000 people.

The higher than average per capita COVID-19 death rate across the metro area is being driven by one area in particular.

The broader Memphis metro area comprises nine counties or county equivalents — and of them, Benton County has had the most COVID-19 fatalities per capita. So far, the per capita coronavirus death rate in Benton County stands at 594 for every 100,000 people.

With the highest per capita death rate in the Memphis metro area, Benton County ranks among the top 10% of all U.S. counties or county equivalents by COVID-19 death rate per capita.

All COVID-19 data used in this story are current as of July 19, 2022.

These are all the counties in Mississippi where COVID-19 is slowing (and where it’s still getting worse).

Rank	Geography	Deaths per 100,000 people	Total deaths	Confirmed cases per 100,000 people	Total confirmed cases
1	Benton County, MS	594	49	28,911	2,386
2	Tate County, MS	509	145	27,593	7,862
3	Marshall County, MS	492	176	29,242	10,465
4	Fayette County, TN	476	189	30,936	12,279
5	Tunica County, MS	472	48	26,775	2,723
6	Crittenden County, AR	463	227	30,680	15,037
7	Tipton County, TN	386	237	30,679	18,851
8	Shelby County, TN	361	3,384	27,401	256,753
9	DeSoto County, MS	316	556	30,548	53,805

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