Counties with the highest COVID-19 death rate in Massachusetts

Written by:
April 16, 2021
Real Window Creative // Shutterstock

Counties with the highest COVID-19 death rate in Massachusetts

As has been true throughout America’s COVID-19 history, every state—and every county threin—has its own COVID-19 story, driven by local policies and behaviors. The United States as of April 15 had reached 565,275 COVID-19-related deaths and more than 31.5 million COVID-19 cases, according to Johns Hopkins University. Amid the grim numbers come two bright spots: As of Feb. 2, more Americans had been vaccinated for COVID-19 than had been infected; and since then, rolling averages for case counts and deaths have been on the decline.

Stacker compiled a list of the counties with highest COVID-19 death rates in Massachusetts using data from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. Counties are ranked by the highest death rate per 100k residents as of April 14, 2021. Keep reading to see whether your county ranks among the highest COVID-19 death rates in your state.

1 / 13
thisisbossi // Wikimedia Commons

#13. Nantucket County

- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 35 (4 total deaths)
--- 86.1% less deaths per 100k residents than Massachusetts
--- #3,021 highest rate among all counties nationwide
- New deaths per 100k in the past week: 0 (0 new deaths, -100% change from previous week)
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 12,299 (1,402 total cases)
--- 34.0% more cases per 100k residents than Massachusetts
- New cases per 100k in the past week: 412 (47 new cases, -22% change from previous week)
2 / 13
AlexiusHoratius // Wikimedia Commons

#12. Franklin County

- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 157 (110 total deaths)
--- 37.5% less deaths per 100k residents than Massachusetts
--- #1,808 highest rate among all counties nationwide
- New deaths per 100k in the past week: 1.4 (1 new deaths, -50% change from previous week)
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 3,324 (2,333 total cases)
--- 63.8% less cases per 100k residents than Massachusetts
- New cases per 100k in the past week: 80 (56 new cases, -32% change from previous week)
3 / 13
John Phelan // Wikimedia Commons

#11. Hampshire County

- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 177 (284 total deaths)
--- 29.5% less deaths per 100k residents than Massachusetts
--- #1,574 highest rate among all counties nationwide
- New deaths per 100k in the past week: 0 (0 new deaths, -100% change from previous week)
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 5,385 (8,661 total cases)
--- 41.3% less cases per 100k residents than Massachusetts
- New cases per 100k in the past week: 101 (163 new cases, -19% change from previous week)
4 / 13
Wangkun Jia // Shutterstock

#10. Barnstable County

- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 213 (453 total deaths)
--- 15.1% less deaths per 100k residents than Massachusetts
--- #1,132 highest rate among all counties nationwide
- New deaths per 100k in the past week: 2.3 (5 new deaths, 0% change from previous week)
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 6,093 (12,977 total cases)
--- 33.6% less cases per 100k residents than Massachusetts
- New cases per 100k in the past week: 187 (399 new cases, -25% change from previous week)
5 / 13
Sean Pavone // Shutterstock

#9. Suffolk County

- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 224 (1,804 total deaths)
--- 10.8% less deaths per 100k residents than Massachusetts
--- #1,019 highest rate among all counties nationwide
- New deaths per 100k in the past week: 0.4 (3 new deaths, -82% change from previous week)
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 10,961 (88,116 total cases)
--- 19.4% more cases per 100k residents than Massachusetts
- New cases per 100k in the past week: 218 (1,751 new cases, -11% change from previous week)
6 / 13
Protophobic // Wikimedia Commons

#8. Berkshire County

- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 225 (281 total deaths)
--- 10.4% less deaths per 100k residents than Massachusetts
--- #1,004 highest rate among all counties nationwide
- New deaths per 100k in the past week: 1.6 (2 new deaths, -50% change from previous week)
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 4,742 (5,925 total cases)
--- 48.3% less cases per 100k residents than Massachusetts
- New cases per 100k in the past week: 177 (221 new cases, -10% change from previous week)
7 / 13
Jellymuffin40 // Wikimedia Commons

#7. Middlesex County

- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 229 (3,689 total deaths)
--- 8.8% less deaths per 100k residents than Massachusetts
--- #954 highest rate among all counties nationwide
- New deaths per 100k in the past week: 0.6 (9 new deaths, -79% change from previous week)
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 7,914 (127,550 total cases)
--- 13.8% less cases per 100k residents than Massachusetts
- New cases per 100k in the past week: 182 (2,932 new cases, +2% change from previous week)
8 / 13
Jameslwoodward // Wikimedia Commons

#6. Norfolk County

- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 249 (1,759 total deaths)
--- 0.8% less deaths per 100k residents than Massachusetts
--- #788 highest rate among all counties nationwide
- New deaths per 100k in the past week: 2.0 (14 new deaths, -46% change from previous week)
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 7,338 (51,865 total cases)
--- 20.0% less cases per 100k residents than Massachusetts
- New cases per 100k in the past week: 140 (988 new cases, -12% change from previous week)
9 / 13
Daderot // Wikimedia Commons

#5. Worcester County

- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 262 (2,174 total deaths)
--- 4.4% more deaths per 100k residents than Massachusetts
--- #686 highest rate among all counties nationwide
- New deaths per 100k in the past week: 0.8 (7 new deaths, -67% change from previous week)
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 8,766 (72,811 total cases)
--- 4.5% less cases per 100k residents than Massachusetts
- New cases per 100k in the past week: 162 (1,349 new cases, +4% change from previous week)
10 / 13
Schlitzer90 // Wikimedia Commons

#4. Plymouth County

- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 267 (1,392 total deaths)
--- 6.4% more deaths per 100k residents than Massachusetts
--- #639 highest rate among all counties nationwide
- New deaths per 100k in the past week: 1.3 (7 new deaths, -22% change from previous week)
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 8,826 (46,001 total cases)
--- 3.8% less cases per 100k residents than Massachusetts
- New cases per 100k in the past week: 177 (925 new cases, -15% change from previous week)
11 / 13
Bobak // Wikimedia Commons

#3. Essex County

- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 294 (2,323 total deaths)
--- 17.1% more deaths per 100k residents than Massachusetts
--- #483 highest rate among all counties nationwide
- New deaths per 100k in the past week: 1.1 (9 new deaths, -62% change from previous week)
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 11,707 (92,374 total cases)
--- 27.6% more cases per 100k residents than Massachusetts
- New cases per 100k in the past week: 220 (1,732 new cases, +7% change from previous week)
12 / 13
Marcbela (Marc N. Belanger) // Wikimedia Commons

#2. Bristol County

- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 294 (1,662 total deaths)
--- 17.1% more deaths per 100k residents than Massachusetts
--- #482 highest rate among all counties nationwide
- New deaths per 100k in the past week: 1.4 (8 new deaths, -65% change from previous week)
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 11,005 (62,204 total cases)
--- 19.9% more cases per 100k residents than Massachusetts
- New cases per 100k in the past week: 219 (1,236 new cases, 0% change from previous week)
13 / 13
Real Window Creative // Shutterstock

#1. Hampden County

- Cumulative deaths per 100k: 315 (1,471 total deaths)
--- 25.5% more deaths per 100k residents than Massachusetts
--- #377 highest rate among all counties nationwide
- New deaths per 100k in the past week: 2.6 (12 new deaths, -25% change from previous week)
- Cumulative cases per 100k: 10,321 (48,136 total cases)
--- 12.5% more cases per 100k residents than Massachusetts
- New cases per 100k in the past week: 275 (1,281 new cases, +8% change from previous week)

Trending Now