Special Report
This Is the City in Every State Where COVID-19 Is Growing the Fastest
Published:
Last Updated:
The U.S. has reported more than 79.4 million confirmed COVID-19 cases as of April 5. There have been more than 974,000 reported deaths from COVID-19-related causes — the highest death toll of any country.
The extent of the spread of the novel coronavirus continues to vary considerably from state to state, and from city to city. Even as the number of daily new cases is flattening or even declining in some parts of the country, it is surging at a growing rate in others.
Nationwide, the number of new cases is growing at a steady rate. There were an average of 8.8 daily new coronavirus cases per 100,000 Americans in the week ending April 5, essentially unchanged from the week prior, when there were an average of 9.0 daily new coronavirus cases per 100,000 people.
Metropolitan areas with a high degree of mobility and a large population may be particularly vulnerable to outbreaks. While science and medical professionals are still studying how exactly the virus spreads, experts agree that outbreaks are more likely to occur in group settings where large numbers of people routinely have close contact with one another. Cities with high concentrations of dense spaces such as colleges, correctional facilities, and nursing homes are particularly at risk.
The city with the highest seven-day average of new daily COVID-19 cases per capita is in Alabama. In the Dothan, AL, metro area, there were an average of 94.8 daily new coronavirus cases per 100,000 residents in the week ending April 5, the most of any U.S. metro area. Other cities where COVID-19 is growing the fastest include Goldsboro, NC; Ithaca, NY; and Syracuse, NY.
To determine the metropolitan area in each state where COVID-19 is growing the fastest, 24/7 Wall St. compiled and reviewed data from state and local health departments. We ranked metropolitan areas according to the average number of new daily COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents in the seven days ending April 5. Data was aggregated from the county level to the metropolitan area level using boundary definitions from the U.S. Census Bureau. Population data used to adjust case and death totals came from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2019 American Community Survey and are five-year estimates. Unemployment data is from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and is seasonally adjusted.
Alabama: Dothan
Avg. new daily cases in Dothan in week ending April 5: 94.8 per 100,000
Avg. new daily cases in Dothan in week ending March 29: 5.4 per 100,000
COVID-19 cases in Dothan as of April 5: 36,679 (24,741.0 per 100,000)
Peak pandemic unemployment in Dothan: 11.2% (April 2020)
Dothan population: 148,252 (86.4 people per sq. mi.)
Alaska: Anchorage
Avg. new daily cases in Anchorage in week ending April 5: 20.9 per 100,000
Avg. new daily cases in Anchorage in week ending March 29: 19.3 per 100,000
COVID-19 cases in Anchorage as of April 5: 137,117 (34,373.8 per 100,000)
Peak pandemic unemployment in Anchorage: 14.8% (April 2020)
Anchorage population: 398,900 (15.2 people per sq. mi.)
These are all the counties in Alaska where COVID-19 is slowing (and where it’s still getting worse).
Arizona: Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler
Avg. new daily cases in Phoenix in week ending April 5: 22.3 per 100,000
Avg. new daily cases in Phoenix in week ending March 29: 10.7 per 100,000
COVID-19 cases in Phoenix as of April 5: 1,398,689 (29,374.3 per 100,000)
Peak pandemic unemployment in Phoenix: 12.8% (April 2020)
Phoenix population: 4,761,603 (326.9 people per sq. mi.)
Arkansas: Jonesboro
Avg. new daily cases in Jonesboro in week ending April 5: 11.5 per 100,000
Avg. new daily cases in Jonesboro in week ending March 29: 43.5 per 100,000
COVID-19 cases in Jonesboro as of April 5: 45,595 (34,741.4 per 100,000)
Peak pandemic unemployment in Jonesboro: 9.3% (April 2020)
Jonesboro population: 131,241 (89.5 people per sq. mi.)
California: Fresno
Avg. new daily cases in Fresno in week ending April 5: 15.1 per 100,000
Avg. new daily cases in Fresno in week ending March 29: 14.2 per 100,000
COVID-19 cases in Fresno as of April 5: 253,293 (25,727.5 per 100,000)
Peak pandemic unemployment in Fresno: 16.7% (April 2020)
Fresno population: 984,521 (165.2 people per sq. mi.)
Colorado: Fort Collins
Avg. new daily cases in Fort Collins in week ending April 5: 31.8 per 100,000
Avg. new daily cases in Fort Collins in week ending March 29: 27.0 per 100,000
COVID-19 cases in Fort Collins as of April 5: 76,644 (22,229.4 per 100,000)
Peak pandemic unemployment in Fort Collins: 11.2% (April 2020)
Fort Collins population: 344,786 (132.8 people per sq. mi.)
Connecticut: Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk
Avg. new daily cases in Bridgeport in week ending April 5: 13.9 per 100,000
Avg. new daily cases in Bridgeport in week ending March 29: 9.5 per 100,000
COVID-19 cases in Bridgeport as of April 5: 202,314 (21,433.2 per 100,000)
Peak pandemic unemployment in Bridgeport: 10.6% (July 2020)
Bridgeport population: 943,926 (1,510.5 people per sq. mi.)
Delaware: Dover
Avg. new daily cases in Dover in week ending April 5: 10.4 per 100,000
Avg. new daily cases in Dover in week ending March 29: 7.5 per 100,000
COVID-19 cases in Dover as of April 5: 50,246 (28,435.9 per 100,000)
Peak pandemic unemployment in Dover: 17.3% (May 2020)
Dover population: 176,699 (301.4 people per sq. mi.)
Florida: Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach
Avg. new daily cases in Miami in week ending April 5: 9.9 per 100,000
Avg. new daily cases in Miami in week ending March 29: 5.9 per 100,000
COVID-19 cases in Miami as of April 5: 2,158,854 (35,445.3 per 100,000)
Peak pandemic unemployment in Miami: 13.8% (April 2020)
Miami population: 6,090,660 (1,199.6 people per sq. mi.)
Georgia: Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Alpharetta
Avg. new daily cases in Atlanta in week ending April 5: 19.8 per 100,000
Avg. new daily cases in Atlanta in week ending March 29: 4.9 per 100,000
COVID-19 cases in Atlanta as of April 5: 1,319,996 (22,516.2 per 100,000)
Peak pandemic unemployment in Atlanta: 12.8% (April 2020)
Atlanta population: 5,862,424 (674.9 people per sq. mi.)
Hawaii: Urban Honolulu
Avg. new daily cases in Urban Honolulu in week ending April 5: 10.8 per 100,000
Avg. new daily cases in Urban Honolulu in week ending March 29: 7.9 per 100,000
COVID-19 cases in Urban Honolulu as of April 5: 166,620 (16,918.8 per 100,000)
Peak pandemic unemployment in Urban Honolulu: 20.7% (April 2020)
Urban Honolulu population: 984,821 (1,639.3 people per sq. mi.)
These are all the counties in Hawaii where COVID-19 is slowing (and where it’s still getting worse).
Idaho: Coeur d’Alene
Avg. new daily cases in Coeur d’Alene in week ending April 5: 9.4 per 100,000
Avg. new daily cases in Coeur d’Alene in week ending March 29: 76.3 per 100,000
COVID-19 cases in Coeur d’Alene as of April 5: 41,880 (26,620.6 per 100,000)
Peak pandemic unemployment in Coeur d’Alene: 17.2% (April 2020)
Coeur d’Alene population: 157,322 (126.5 people per sq. mi.)
These are all the counties in Idaho where COVID-19 is slowing (and where it’s still getting worse).
Illinois: Champaign-Urbana
Avg. new daily cases in Champaign in week ending April 5: 20.1 per 100,000
Avg. new daily cases in Champaign in week ending March 29: 12.8 per 100,000
COVID-19 cases in Champaign as of April 5: 66,810 (29,519.8 per 100,000)
Peak pandemic unemployment in Champaign: 12.2% (April 2020)
Champaign population: 226,323 (157.7 people per sq. mi.)
Indiana: Lafayette-West Lafayette
Avg. new daily cases in Lafayette in week ending April 5: 6.3 per 100,000
Avg. new daily cases in Lafayette in week ending March 29: 4.8 per 100,000
COVID-19 cases in Lafayette as of April 5: 58,719 (25,693.0 per 100,000)
Peak pandemic unemployment in Lafayette: 13.8% (April 2020)
Lafayette population: 228,541 (139.1 people per sq. mi.)
Iowa: Waterloo-Cedar Falls
Avg. new daily cases in Waterloo in week ending April 5: 4.0 per 100,000
Avg. new daily cases in Waterloo in week ending March 29: 5.0 per 100,000
COVID-19 cases in Waterloo as of April 5: 40,734 (24,023.9 per 100,000)
Peak pandemic unemployment in Waterloo: 11.6% (April 2020)
Waterloo population: 169,556 (112.8 people per sq. mi.)
These are all the counties in Iowa where COVID-19 is slowing (and where it’s still getting worse).
Kansas: Lawrence
Avg. new daily cases in Lawrence in week ending April 5: 7.5 per 100,000
Avg. new daily cases in Lawrence in week ending March 29: 5.1 per 100,000
COVID-19 cases in Lawrence as of April 5: 25,399 (21,114.8 per 100,000)
Peak pandemic unemployment in Lawrence: 12.1% (April 2020)
Lawrence population: 120,290 (263.9 people per sq. mi.)
These are all the counties in Kansas where COVID-19 is slowing (and where it’s still getting worse).
Kentucky: Lexington-Fayette
Avg. new daily cases in Lexington in week ending April 5: 20.9 per 100,000
Avg. new daily cases in Lexington in week ending March 29: 22.0 per 100,000
COVID-19 cases in Lexington as of April 5: 149,346 (29,246.4 per 100,000)
Peak pandemic unemployment in Lexington: 15.8% (April 2020)
Lexington population: 510,647 (347.7 people per sq. mi.)
Louisiana: Hammond
Avg. new daily cases in Hammond in week ending April 5: 2.9 per 100,000
Avg. new daily cases in Hammond in week ending March 29: 2.3 per 100,000
COVID-19 cases in Hammond as of April 5: 32,936 (24,940.7 per 100,000)
Peak pandemic unemployment in Hammond: 18.1% (April 2020)
Hammond population: 132,057 (166.9 people per sq. mi.)
Maine: Bangor
Avg. new daily cases in Bangor in week ending April 5: 17.7 per 100,000
Avg. new daily cases in Bangor in week ending March 29: 10.8 per 100,000
COVID-19 cases in Bangor as of April 5: 27,367 (18,031.4 per 100,000)
Peak pandemic unemployment in Bangor: 9.6% (April 2020)
Bangor population: 151,774 (44.7 people per sq. mi.)
These are all the counties in Maine where COVID-19 is slowing (and where it’s still getting worse).
Maryland: Salisbury, MD-DE
Avg. new daily cases in Salisbury in week ending April 5: 8.3 per 100,000
Avg. new daily cases in Salisbury in week ending March 29: 5.9 per 100,000
COVID-19 cases in Salisbury as of April 5: 95,038 (23,500.0 per 100,000)
Peak pandemic unemployment in Salisbury: 16.0% (April 2020)
Salisbury population: 404,417 (192.7 people per sq. mi.)
Massachusetts: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH
Avg. new daily cases in Boston in week ending April 5: 16.3 per 100,000
Avg. new daily cases in Boston in week ending March 29: 11.4 per 100,000
COVID-19 cases in Boston as of April 5: 1,082,392 (22,398.9 per 100,000)
Peak pandemic unemployment in Boston: 16.9% (June 2020)
Boston population: 4,832,346 (1,385.7 people per sq. mi.)
Michigan: Ann Arbor
Avg. new daily cases in Ann Arbor in week ending April 5: 19.1 per 100,000
Avg. new daily cases in Ann Arbor in week ending March 29: 14.6 per 100,000
COVID-19 cases in Ann Arbor as of April 5: 74,810 (20,384.2 per 100,000)
Peak pandemic unemployment in Ann Arbor: 15.5% (April 2020)
Ann Arbor population: 367,000 (519.9 people per sq. mi.)
Minnesota: Rochester
Avg. new daily cases in Rochester in week ending April 5: 18.2 per 100,000
Avg. new daily cases in Rochester in week ending March 29: 15.0 per 100,000
COVID-19 cases in Rochester as of April 5: 56,828 (26,072.2 per 100,000)
Peak pandemic unemployment in Rochester: 9.7% (May 2020)
Rochester population: 217,964 (88.0 people per sq. mi.)
Mississippi: Gulfport-Biloxi
Avg. new daily cases in Gulfport in week ending April 5: 2.8 per 100,000
Avg. new daily cases in Gulfport in week ending March 29: 3.2 per 100,000
COVID-19 cases in Gulfport as of April 5: 107,956 (26,195.6 per 100,000)
Peak pandemic unemployment in Gulfport: 22.3% (April 2020)
Gulfport population: 412,115 (186.0 people per sq. mi.)
Missouri: Cape Girardeau, MO-IL
Avg. new daily cases in Cape Girardeau in week ending April 5: 12.2 per 100,000
Avg. new daily cases in Cape Girardeau in week ending March 29: 8.8 per 100,000
COVID-19 cases in Cape Girardeau as of April 5: 22,605 (23,309.9 per 100,000)
Peak pandemic unemployment in Cape Girardeau: 10.1% (April 2020)
Cape Girardeau population: 96,976 (67.7 people per sq. mi.)
Montana: Missoula
Avg. new daily cases in Missoula in week ending April 5: 3.8 per 100,000
Avg. new daily cases in Missoula in week ending March 29: 5.2 per 100,000
COVID-19 cases in Missoula as of April 5: 27,259 (23,236.9 per 100,000)
Peak pandemic unemployment in Missoula: 13.3% (April 2020)
Missoula population: 117,309 (45.2 people per sq. mi.)
Nebraska: Lincoln
Avg. new daily cases in Lincoln in week ending April 5: 8.0 per 100,000
Avg. new daily cases in Lincoln in week ending March 29: 4.9 per 100,000
COVID-19 cases in Lincoln as of April 5: 81,532 (24,682.1 per 100,000)
Peak pandemic unemployment in Lincoln: 9.6% (April 2020)
Lincoln population: 330,329 (234.4 people per sq. mi.)
Nevada: Carson City
Avg. new daily cases in Carson City in week ending April 5: 17.1 per 100,000
Avg. new daily cases in Carson City in week ending March 29: 31.7 per 100,000
COVID-19 cases in Carson City as of April 5: 14,836 (27,086.3 per 100,000)
Peak pandemic unemployment in Carson City: 21.0% (April 2020)
Carson City population: 54,773 (378.6 people per sq. mi.)
These are all the counties in Nevada where COVID-19 is slowing (and where it’s still getting worse).
New Hampshire: Manchester-Nashua
Avg. new daily cases in Manchester in week ending April 5: 12.7 per 100,000
Avg. new daily cases in Manchester in week ending March 29: 8.6 per 100,000
COVID-19 cases in Manchester as of April 5: 96,905 (23,461.7 per 100,000)
Peak pandemic unemployment in Manchester: 17.5% (April 2020)
Manchester population: 413,035 (471.4 people per sq. mi.)
New Jersey: Trenton-Princeton
Avg. new daily cases in Trenton in week ending April 5: 13.7 per 100,000
Avg. new daily cases in Trenton in week ending March 29: 8.9 per 100,000
COVID-19 cases in Trenton as of April 5: 75,975 (20,649.8 per 100,000)
Peak pandemic unemployment in Trenton: 12.4% (June 2020)
Trenton population: 367,922 (1,638.4 people per sq. mi.)
New Mexico: Farmington
Avg. new daily cases in Farmington in week ending April 5: 11.3 per 100,000
Avg. new daily cases in Farmington in week ending March 29: 9.4 per 100,000
COVID-19 cases in Farmington as of April 5: 40,670 (32,146.4 per 100,000)
Peak pandemic unemployment in Farmington: 14.5% (July 2020)
Farmington population: 126,515 (22.9 people per sq. mi.)
New York: Ithaca
Avg. new daily cases in Ithaca in week ending April 5: 66.2 per 100,000
Avg. new daily cases in Ithaca in week ending March 29: 34.3 per 100,000
COVID-19 cases in Ithaca as of April 5: 18,775 (18,291.7 per 100,000)
Peak pandemic unemployment in Ithaca: 10.8% (April 2020)
Ithaca population: 102,642 (216.2 people per sq. mi.)
North Carolina: Goldsboro
Avg. new daily cases in Goldsboro in week ending April 5: 86.2 per 100,000
Avg. new daily cases in Goldsboro in week ending March 29: 116.3 per 100,000
COVID-19 cases in Goldsboro as of April 5: 30,293 (24,508.3 per 100,000)
Peak pandemic unemployment in Goldsboro: 10.1% (April 2020)
Goldsboro population: 123,603 (223.5 people per sq. mi.)
North Dakota: Fargo, ND-MN
Avg. new daily cases in Fargo in week ending April 5: 5.0 per 100,000
Avg. new daily cases in Fargo in week ending March 29: 3.6 per 100,000
COVID-19 cases in Fargo as of April 5: 78,638 (32,708.5 per 100,000)
Peak pandemic unemployment in Fargo: 7.7% (April 2020)
Fargo population: 240,421 (85.5 people per sq. mi.)
Ohio: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN
Avg. new daily cases in Cincinnati in week ending April 5: 10.7 per 100,000
Avg. new daily cases in Cincinnati in week ending March 29: 9.3 per 100,000
COVID-19 cases in Cincinnati as of April 5: 537,478 (24,411.5 per 100,000)
Peak pandemic unemployment in Cincinnati: 14.5% (April 2020)
Cincinnati population: 2,201,741 (483.6 people per sq. mi.)
These are all the counties in Ohio where COVID-19 is slowing (and where it’s still getting worse).
Oklahoma: Lawton
Avg. new daily cases in Lawton in week ending April 5: 12.3 per 100,000
Avg. new daily cases in Lawton in week ending March 29: 91.3 per 100,000
COVID-19 cases in Lawton as of April 5: 34,386 (26,944.1 per 100,000)
Peak pandemic unemployment in Lawton: 19.5% (April 2020)
Lawton population: 127,620 (75.0 people per sq. mi.)
Oregon: Corvallis
Avg. new daily cases in Corvallis in week ending April 5: 10.0 per 100,000
Avg. new daily cases in Corvallis in week ending March 29: 6.5 per 100,000
COVID-19 cases in Corvallis as of April 5: 15,102 (16,576.1 per 100,000)
Peak pandemic unemployment in Corvallis: 10.6% (April 2020)
Corvallis population: 91,107 (134.8 people per sq. mi.)
These are all the counties in Oregon where COVID-19 is slowing (and where it’s still getting worse).
Pennsylvania: Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD
Avg. new daily cases in Philadelphia in week ending April 5: 6.5 per 100,000
Avg. new daily cases in Philadelphia in week ending March 29: 5.5 per 100,000
COVID-19 cases in Philadelphia as of April 5: 1,258,507 (20,702.1 per 100,000)
Peak pandemic unemployment in Philadelphia: 15.3% (April 2020)
Philadelphia population: 6,079,130 (1,320.9 people per sq. mi.)
Rhode Island: Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
Avg. new daily cases in Providence in week ending April 5: 16.5 per 100,000
Avg. new daily cases in Providence in week ending March 29: 15.9 per 100,000
COVID-19 cases in Providence as of April 5: 483,642 (29,886.4 per 100,000)
Peak pandemic unemployment in Providence: 18.5% (April 2020)
Providence population: 1,618,268 (1,019.8 people per sq. mi.)
South Carolina: Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC-NC
Avg. new daily cases in Myrtle Beach in week ending April 5: 4.9 per 100,000
Avg. new daily cases in Myrtle Beach in week ending March 29: 5.5 per 100,000
COVID-19 cases in Myrtle Beach as of April 5: 125,985 (27,152.7 per 100,000)
Peak pandemic unemployment in Myrtle Beach: 22.0% (April 2020)
Myrtle Beach population: 463,987 (234.2 people per sq. mi.)
South Dakota: Rapid City
Avg. new daily cases in Rapid City in week ending April 5: 2.9 per 100,000
Avg. new daily cases in Rapid City in week ending March 29: 4.7 per 100,000
COVID-19 cases in Rapid City as of April 5: 39,659 (28,654.9 per 100,000)
Peak pandemic unemployment in Rapid City: 13.8% (April 2020)
Rapid City population: 138,402 (22.2 people per sq. mi.)
Tennessee: Jackson
Avg. new daily cases in Jackson in week ending April 5: 8.5 per 100,000
Avg. new daily cases in Jackson in week ending March 29: 10.2 per 100,000
COVID-19 cases in Jackson as of April 5: 58,249 (32,643.1 per 100,000)
Peak pandemic unemployment in Jackson: 14.0% (April 2020)
Jackson population: 178,442 (104.3 people per sq. mi.)
Texas: Midland
Avg. new daily cases in Midland in week ending April 5: 37.3 per 100,000
Avg. new daily cases in Midland in week ending March 29: 49.7 per 100,000
COVID-19 cases in Midland as of April 5: 41,104 (23,648.0 per 100,000)
Peak pandemic unemployment in Midland: 12.8% (May 2020)
Midland population: 173,816 (95.8 people per sq. mi.)
These are all the counties in Texas where COVID-19 is slowing (and where it’s still getting worse).
Utah: Salt Lake City
Avg. new daily cases in Salt Lake City in week ending April 5: 4.9 per 100,000
Avg. new daily cases in Salt Lake City in week ending March 29: 5.8 per 100,000
COVID-19 cases in Salt Lake City as of April 5: 362,661 (30,195.5 per 100,000)
Peak pandemic unemployment in Salt Lake City: 11.3% (April 2020)
Salt Lake City population: 1,201,043 (156.3 people per sq. mi.)
These are all the counties in Utah where COVID-19 is slowing (and where it’s still getting worse).
Vermont: Burlington-South Burlington
Avg. new daily cases in Burlington in week ending April 5: 25.3 per 100,000
Avg. new daily cases in Burlington in week ending March 29: 20.7 per 100,000
COVID-19 cases in Burlington as of April 5: 41,463 (18,951.6 per 100,000)
Peak pandemic unemployment in Burlington: 14.8% (April 2020)
Burlington population: 218,784 (174.7 people per sq. mi.)
Virginia: Charlottesville
Avg. new daily cases in Charlottesville in week ending April 5: 18.1 per 100,000
Avg. new daily cases in Charlottesville in week ending March 29: 11.8 per 100,000
COVID-19 cases in Charlottesville as of April 5: 37,940 (17,610.1 per 100,000)
Peak pandemic unemployment in Charlottesville: 10.2% (April 2020)
Charlottesville population: 215,445 (131.0 people per sq. mi.)
Washington: Longview
Avg. new daily cases in Longview in week ending April 5: 19.7 per 100,000
Avg. new daily cases in Longview in week ending March 29: 19.3 per 100,000
COVID-19 cases in Longview as of April 5: 22,737 (21,293.7 per 100,000)
Peak pandemic unemployment in Longview: 16.5% (April 2020)
Longview population: 106,778 (93.7 people per sq. mi.)
West Virginia: Morgantown
Avg. new daily cases in Morgantown in week ending April 5: 7.0 per 100,000
Avg. new daily cases in Morgantown in week ending March 29: 9.2 per 100,000
COVID-19 cases in Morgantown as of April 5: 33,816 (24,300.6 per 100,000)
Peak pandemic unemployment in Morgantown: 13.3% (April 2020)
Morgantown population: 139,157 (137.9 people per sq. mi.)
Wisconsin: Madison
Avg. new daily cases in Madison in week ending April 5: 15.0 per 100,000
Avg. new daily cases in Madison in week ending March 29: 12.2 per 100,000
COVID-19 cases in Madison as of April 5: 153,947 (23,549.2 per 100,000)
Peak pandemic unemployment in Madison: 11.6% (April 2020)
Madison population: 653,725 (197.5 people per sq. mi.)
Wyoming: Cheyenne
Avg. new daily cases in Cheyenne in week ending April 5: 4.1 per 100,000
Avg. new daily cases in Cheyenne in week ending March 29: 4.2 per 100,000
COVID-19 cases in Cheyenne as of April 5: 26,107 (26,553.1 per 100,000)
Peak pandemic unemployment in Cheyenne: 9.2% (April 2020)
Cheyenne population: 98,320 (36.6 people per sq. mi.)
Click here to see all coronavirus data for every state.
Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us?
Contact the 24/7 Wall St. editorial team.