The death toll from COVID-19 has surpassed 1 million people in the United States, with about 5,000 deaths in the past two weeks alone, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Some states are deadlier than others, however. Based on COVID-19-related deaths per capita, the deadliest state for COVID-19 right now is Kansas.
Unlike total cases, which have been generally increasing since the beginning of April, deaths from COVID-19 have been declining since February. Still, in the past two weeks, the fatality rate has stabilized, with an average of 0.09 daily deaths per 100,000 people over the past seven days, according to The New York Times. (These are the countries where the most people have died from COVID-19.)
To find the deadliest state for COVID-19, 24/7 Tempo ranked states based on the average daily deaths over the most recent seven-day period per 100,000 people, using data from federal, state, and local sources as of May 31. Alaska, Missouri, and Wyoming have yet to update recent COVID-19-related death data and were excluded.
After ranking as the deadliest state for COVID-19 throughout April, Kentucky dropped to No. 12, with Kansas now occupying the top spot. Kansas reported an average of 19.6 daily deaths over the past seven days, or 0.67 deaths per 100,000 people – the most of any state. Deaths there rose 372% in the past two weeks, the second highest increase among states.
Click here to see the deadliest states for COVID-19 this month
Other states with relatively high COVID-19 death rates over the past week include New Mexico, Nebraska, Pennsylvania, and Vermont. It was Utah, however, at No. 31, that reported the highest increase in deaths over the past two weeks, at 1,100%.
Still, deaths declined in most states. The average number of daily deaths has fallen in 27 states and increased in 19, with one state reporting no change. Oklahoma reported a 97% decline in deaths from two weeks ago, the highest decline, and Colorado reported a 75% drop, the second highest decrease. (These are the states that had more deaths than births in 2021.)
47. Oklahoma
> Avg. daily deaths per 100,000 (past 7 days): 0.00
> Avg. daily deaths (past 7 days): 0.1 (2nd lowest)
> 14-day change in avg new deaths: -97.1% (the highest decline)
> Total COVID-19 deaths: 14,420 (23rd highest)
> Total COVID-19 deaths per 100,000: 366 (10th highest)
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46. Mississippi
> Avg. daily deaths per 100,000 (past 7 days): 0.00
> Avg. daily deaths (past 7 days): 0.1 (2nd lowest)
> 14-day change in avg new deaths: -66.7% (4th highest decline)
> Total COVID-19 deaths: 12,466 (21st lowest)
> Total COVID-19 deaths per 100,000: 417 (2nd highest)
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45. Texas
> Avg. daily deaths per 100,000 (past 7 days): 0.01
> Avg. daily deaths (past 7 days): 3.9 (23rd highest)
> 14-day change in avg new deaths: -65.8% (5th highest decline)
> Total COVID-19 deaths: 86,791 (2nd highest)
> Total COVID-19 deaths per 100,000: 302 (20th lowest)
44. North Carolina
> Avg. daily deaths per 100,000 (past 7 days): 0.02
> Avg. daily deaths (past 7 days): 1.9 (18th lowest)
> 14-day change in avg new deaths: 18.2% (4th lowest increase)
> Total COVID-19 deaths: 24,644 (13th highest)
> Total COVID-19 deaths per 100,000: 237 (12th lowest)
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43. Colorado
> Avg. daily deaths per 100,000 (past 7 days): 0.02
> Avg. daily deaths (past 7 days): 1.1 (12th lowest)
> 14-day change in avg new deaths: -75.0% (2nd highest decline)
> Total COVID-19 deaths: 12,513 (22nd lowest)
> Total COVID-19 deaths per 100,000: 220 (8th lowest)
42. Indiana
> Avg. daily deaths per 100,000 (past 7 days): 0.02
> Avg. daily deaths (past 7 days): 1.6 (15th lowest)
> 14-day change in avg new deaths: -50.0% (12th highest decline)
> Total COVID-19 deaths: 23,692 (14th highest)
> Total COVID-19 deaths per 100,000: 354 (15th highest)
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41. Idaho
> Avg. daily deaths per 100,000 (past 7 days): 0.02
> Avg. daily deaths (past 7 days): 0.4 (4th lowest)
> 14-day change in avg new deaths: -40.0% (13th highest decline)
> Total COVID-19 deaths: 4,939 (12th lowest)
> Total COVID-19 deaths per 100,000: 282 (16th lowest)
40. Louisiana
> Avg. daily deaths per 100,000 (past 7 days): 0.02
> Avg. daily deaths (past 7 days): 1.1 (12th lowest)
> 14-day change in avg new deaths: -57.9% (11th highest decline)
> Total COVID-19 deaths: 17,321 (19th highest)
> Total COVID-19 deaths per 100,000: 372 (8th highest)
39. Alabama
> Avg. daily deaths per 100,000 (past 7 days): 0.03
> Avg. daily deaths (past 7 days): 1.3 (13th lowest)
> 14-day change in avg new deaths: -70.0% (3rd highest decline)
> Total COVID-19 deaths: 19,658 (17th highest)
> Total COVID-19 deaths per 100,000: 402 (3rd highest)
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38. California
> Avg. daily deaths per 100,000 (past 7 days): 0.04
> Avg. daily deaths (past 7 days): 15.1 (5th highest)
> 14-day change in avg new deaths: -60.2% (9th highest decline)
> Total COVID-19 deaths: 90,488 (the highest)
> Total COVID-19 deaths per 100,000: 229 (10th lowest)
37. South Carolina
> Avg. daily deaths per 100,000 (past 7 days): 0.04
> Avg. daily deaths (past 7 days): 2.0 (19th lowest)
> 14-day change in avg new deaths: -36.4% (13th lowest decline)
> Total COVID-19 deaths: 17,905 (18th highest)
> Total COVID-19 deaths per 100,000: 352 (17th highest)
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36. Maine
> Avg. daily deaths per 100,000 (past 7 days): 0.04
> Avg. daily deaths (past 7 days): 0.6 (6th lowest)
> 14-day change in avg new deaths: -63.6% (8th highest decline)
> Total COVID-19 deaths: 2,347 (4th lowest)
> Total COVID-19 deaths per 100,000: 175 (5th lowest)
35. Delaware
> Avg. daily deaths per 100,000 (past 7 days): 0.04
> Avg. daily deaths (past 7 days): 0.4 (4th lowest)
> 14-day change in avg new deaths: 0.0% (No change)
> Total COVID-19 deaths: 2,942 (7th lowest)
> Total COVID-19 deaths per 100,000: 304 (22nd lowest)
34. Ohio
> Avg. daily deaths per 100,000 (past 7 days): 0.05
> Avg. daily deaths (past 7 days): 5.4 (20th highest)
> 14-day change in avg new deaths: -30.9% (12th lowest decline)
> Total COVID-19 deaths: 38,628 (6th highest)
> Total COVID-19 deaths per 100,000: 330 (22nd highest)
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33. Hawaii
> Avg. daily deaths per 100,000 (past 7 days): 0.05
> Avg. daily deaths (past 7 days): 0.7 (8th lowest)
> 14-day change in avg new deaths: -16.7% (6th lowest decline)
> Total COVID-19 deaths: 1,439 (2nd lowest)
> Total COVID-19 deaths per 100,000: 101 (the lowest)
32. Montana
> Avg. daily deaths per 100,000 (past 7 days): 0.05
> Avg. daily deaths (past 7 days): 0.6 (6th lowest)
> 14-day change in avg new deaths: 33.3% (5th lowest increase)
> Total COVID-19 deaths: 3,385 (8th lowest)
> Total COVID-19 deaths per 100,000: 319 (23rd highest)
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31. Utah
> Avg. daily deaths per 100,000 (past 7 days): 0.05
> Avg. daily deaths (past 7 days): 1.7 (17th lowest)
> 14-day change in avg new deaths: 1,100.0% (the highest increase)
> Total COVID-19 deaths: 4,777 (11th lowest)
> Total COVID-19 deaths per 100,000: 151 (3rd lowest)
30. Georgia
> Avg. daily deaths per 100,000 (past 7 days): 0.06
> Avg. daily deaths (past 7 days): 5.9 (16th highest)
> 14-day change in avg new deaths: -65.0% (6th highest decline)
> Total COVID-19 deaths: 38,198 (7th highest)
> Total COVID-19 deaths per 100,000: 363 (12th highest)
29. Illinois
> Avg. daily deaths per 100,000 (past 7 days): 0.06
> Avg. daily deaths (past 7 days): 7.6 (12th highest)
> 14-day change in avg new deaths: 8.2% (the lowest increase)
> Total COVID-19 deaths: 38,121 (8th highest)
> Total COVID-19 deaths per 100,000: 299 (18th lowest)
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28. Florida
> Avg. daily deaths per 100,000 (past 7 days): 0.06
> Avg. daily deaths (past 7 days): 13.1 (6th highest)
> 14-day change in avg new deaths: -29.8% (11th lowest decline)
> Total COVID-19 deaths: 74,466 (3rd highest)
> Total COVID-19 deaths per 100,000: 350 (18th highest)
27. Virginia
> Avg. daily deaths per 100,000 (past 7 days): 0.06
> Avg. daily deaths (past 7 days): 5.3 (22nd highest)
> 14-day change in avg new deaths: 12.1% (2nd lowest increase)
> Total COVID-19 deaths: 20,376 (16th highest)
> Total COVID-19 deaths per 100,000: 239 (13th lowest)
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26. Connecticut
> Avg. daily deaths per 100,000 (past 7 days): 0.06
> Avg. daily deaths (past 7 days): 2.3 (21st lowest)
> 14-day change in avg new deaths: -60.0% (10th highest decline)
> Total COVID-19 deaths: 10,941 (19th lowest)
> Total COVID-19 deaths per 100,000: 306 (23rd lowest)
25. Washington
> Avg. daily deaths per 100,000 (past 7 days): 0.07
> Avg. daily deaths (past 7 days): 5.4 (20th highest)
> 14-day change in avg new deaths: -36.7% (14th highest decline)
> Total COVID-19 deaths: 12,901 (23rd lowest)
> Total COVID-19 deaths per 100,000: 171 (4th lowest)
24. Iowa
> Avg. daily deaths per 100,000 (past 7 days): 0.07
> Avg. daily deaths (past 7 days): 2.3 (21st lowest)
> 14-day change in avg new deaths: -27.3% (10th lowest decline)
> Total COVID-19 deaths: 9,588 (17th lowest)
> Total COVID-19 deaths per 100,000: 304 (21st lowest)
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23. Arizona
> Avg. daily deaths per 100,000 (past 7 days): 0.08
> Avg. daily deaths (past 7 days): 5.7 (18th highest)
> 14-day change in avg new deaths: -2.4% (the lowest decline)
> Total COVID-19 deaths: 30,299 (11th highest)
> Total COVID-19 deaths per 100,000: 422 (the highest)
22. Oregon
> Avg. daily deaths per 100,000 (past 7 days): 0.08
> Avg. daily deaths (past 7 days): 3.4 (23rd lowest)
> 14-day change in avg new deaths: -25.0% (9th lowest decline)
> Total COVID-19 deaths: 7,610 (14th lowest)
> Total COVID-19 deaths per 100,000: 182 (6th lowest)
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21. New Jersey
> Avg. daily deaths per 100,000 (past 7 days): 0.09
> Avg. daily deaths (past 7 days): 7.9 (11th highest)
> 14-day change in avg new deaths: -3.5% (2nd lowest decline)
> Total COVID-19 deaths: 33,665 (10th highest)
> Total COVID-19 deaths per 100,000: 378 (7th highest)
20. New York
> Avg. daily deaths per 100,000 (past 7 days): 0.09
> Avg. daily deaths (past 7 days): 18.0 (4th highest)
> 14-day change in avg new deaths: -20.3% (8th lowest decline)
> Total COVID-19 deaths: 68,273 (4th highest)
> Total COVID-19 deaths per 100,000: 349 (19th highest)
19. Maryland
> Avg. daily deaths per 100,000 (past 7 days): 0.09
> Avg. daily deaths (past 7 days): 5.6 (19th highest)
> 14-day change in avg new deaths: 34.5% (6th lowest increase)
> Total COVID-19 deaths: 14,594 (21st highest)
> Total COVID-19 deaths per 100,000: 242 (14th lowest)
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18. North Dakota
> Avg. daily deaths per 100,000 (past 7 days): 0.09
> Avg. daily deaths (past 7 days): 0.7 (8th lowest)
> 14-day change in avg new deaths: -16.7% (6th lowest decline)
> Total COVID-19 deaths: 2,281 (3rd lowest)
> Total COVID-19 deaths per 100,000: 300 (19th lowest)
17. Rhode Island
> Avg. daily deaths per 100,000 (past 7 days): 0.09
> Avg. daily deaths (past 7 days): 1.0 (9th lowest)
> 14-day change in avg new deaths: -12.5% (4th lowest decline)
> Total COVID-19 deaths: 3,569 (9th lowest)
> Total COVID-19 deaths per 100,000: 338 (20th highest)
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16. Minnesota
> Avg. daily deaths per 100,000 (past 7 days): 0.11
> Avg. daily deaths (past 7 days): 6.0 (15th highest)
> 14-day change in avg new deaths: -4.5% (3rd lowest decline)
> Total COVID-19 deaths: 12,929 (24th highest)
> Total COVID-19 deaths per 100,000: 230 (11th lowest)
15. Arkansas
> Avg. daily deaths per 100,000 (past 7 days): 0.11
> Avg. daily deaths (past 7 days): 3.3 (22nd lowest)
> 14-day change in avg new deaths: 187.5% (5th highest increase)
> Total COVID-19 deaths: 11,468 (20th lowest)
> Total COVID-19 deaths per 100,000: 381 (6th highest)
14. New Hampshire
> Avg. daily deaths per 100,000 (past 7 days): 0.12
> Avg. daily deaths (past 7 days): 1.6 (15th lowest)
> 14-day change in avg new deaths: -15.4% (5th lowest decline)
> Total COVID-19 deaths: 2,531 (5th lowest)
> Total COVID-19 deaths per 100,000: 187 (7th lowest)
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13. South Dakota
> Avg. daily deaths per 100,000 (past 7 days): 0.13
> Avg. daily deaths (past 7 days): 1.1 (12th lowest)
> 14-day change in avg new deaths: 300.0% (3rd highest increase)
> Total COVID-19 deaths: 2,927 (6th lowest)
> Total COVID-19 deaths per 100,000: 332 (21st highest)
12. Kentucky
> Avg. daily deaths per 100,000 (past 7 days): 0.13
> Avg. daily deaths (past 7 days): 5.9 (16th highest)
> 14-day change in avg new deaths: -64.7% (7th highest decline)
> Total COVID-19 deaths: 15,933 (20th highest)
> Total COVID-19 deaths per 100,000: 357 (14th highest)
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11. Tennessee
> Avg. daily deaths per 100,000 (past 7 days): 0.14
> Avg. daily deaths (past 7 days): 9.4 (9th highest)
> 14-day change in avg new deaths: 15.8% (3rd lowest increase)
> Total COVID-19 deaths: 26,435 (12th highest)
> Total COVID-19 deaths per 100,000: 390 (4th highest)
10. Wisconsin
> Avg. daily deaths per 100,000 (past 7 days): 0.14
> Avg. daily deaths (past 7 days): 8.3 (10th highest)
> 14-day change in avg new deaths: 52.6% (8th lowest increase)
> Total COVID-19 deaths: 14,584 (22nd highest)
> Total COVID-19 deaths per 100,000: 251 (15th lowest)
9. Massachusetts
> Avg. daily deaths per 100,000 (past 7 days): 0.17
> Avg. daily deaths (past 7 days): 11.9 (7th highest)
> 14-day change in avg new deaths: 40.7% (7th lowest increase)
> Total COVID-19 deaths: 20,561 (15th highest)
> Total COVID-19 deaths per 100,000: 298 (17th lowest)
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8. Michigan
> Avg. daily deaths per 100,000 (past 7 days): 0.20
> Avg. daily deaths (past 7 days): 19.9 (2nd highest)
> 14-day change in avg new deaths: 82.9% (10th lowest increase)
> Total COVID-19 deaths: 36,357 (9th highest)
> Total COVID-19 deaths per 100,000: 364 (11th highest)
7. Nevada
> Avg. daily deaths per 100,000 (past 7 days): 0.20
> Avg. daily deaths (past 7 days): 6.1 (14th highest)
> 14-day change in avg new deaths: 186.7% (6th highest increase)
> Total COVID-19 deaths: 10,872 (18th lowest)
> Total COVID-19 deaths per 100,000: 358 (13th highest)
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6. West Virginia
> Avg. daily deaths per 100,000 (past 7 days): 0.21
> Avg. daily deaths (past 7 days): 3.9 (23rd highest)
> 14-day change in avg new deaths: 107.7% (8th highest increase)
> Total COVID-19 deaths: 6,942 (13th lowest)
> Total COVID-19 deaths per 100,000: 384 (5th highest)
5. Vermont
> Avg. daily deaths per 100,000 (past 7 days): 0.27
> Avg. daily deaths (past 7 days): 1.7 (17th lowest)
> 14-day change in avg new deaths: 100.0% (9th highest increase)
> Total COVID-19 deaths: 635 (the lowest)
> Total COVID-19 deaths per 100,000: 101 (2nd lowest)
4. Pennsylvania
> Avg. daily deaths per 100,000 (past 7 days): 0.27
> Avg. daily deaths (past 7 days): 35.1 (the highest)
> 14-day change in avg new deaths: 189.4% (4th highest increase)
> Total COVID-19 deaths: 45,169 (5th highest)
> Total COVID-19 deaths per 100,000: 353 (16th highest)
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3. Nebraska
> Avg. daily deaths per 100,000 (past 7 days): 0.33
> Avg. daily deaths (past 7 days): 6.3 (13th highest)
> 14-day change in avg new deaths: 144.4% (7th highest increase)
> Total COVID-19 deaths: 4,284 (10th lowest)
> Total COVID-19 deaths per 100,000: 222 (9th lowest)
2. New Mexico
> Avg. daily deaths per 100,000 (past 7 days): 0.55
> Avg. daily deaths (past 7 days): 11.6 (8th highest)
> 14-day change in avg new deaths: 58.8% (9th lowest increase)
> Total COVID-19 deaths: 7,756 (15th lowest)
> Total COVID-19 deaths per 100,000: 370 (9th highest)
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1. Kansas
> Avg. daily deaths per 100,000 (past 7 days): 0.67
> Avg. daily deaths (past 7 days): 19.6 (3rd highest)
> 14-day change in avg new deaths: 372.4% (2nd highest increase)
> Total COVID-19 deaths: 8,939 (16th lowest)
> Total COVID-19 deaths per 100,000: 307 (24th highest)
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