In the early days of the coronavirus pandemic, Covid-19 hit the world’s large cities and metropolitan areas first and hardest. In the days since, we’ve seen how rural communities and small towns are not beyond the pandemic’s reach.
Whether it’s meatpacking towns in the Midwest and the plains, tourism and recreation regions in the West and northeast, the hills and hollers of the rural South, or reservations across Indian Country, each day brings more developments as rural America faces the virus. Here at the Daily Yonder we’re tracking the spread and impact of Covid-19 across rural America.
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The numbers and maps on this dashboard are updated weekly. Scroll further down the page to follow our latest stories and related reporting.
The Rural Red-Zone
The Daily Yonder’s weekly red-zone report shows counties where Covid-19 is spreading at more than 500 and 100 new cases per 100,000 people over a one-week period. Counties where new cases occur at a rate of more than 100 cases per 100,000 are out of control, according to White House Coronavirus Task Force definitions. Hover and click on the map to explore data for each U.S. county.
Track THE RURAL Spread – Previous ReD-Zone Reports
Cases and Deaths – Running Rural Totals
The dashboard numbers below track the raw number of Covid-19 cases and deaths to-date occurring in rural counties.
3,355,876
Rural Covid-19 Cases
14.93% of all cases in the U.S.
57,863
Rural Covid-19 Deaths
15.49% of all Covid-19-related deaths in the U.S.
Source: USAFacts. Last Updated: January 12, 2021.
The Pandemic’s Reach in Rural America
These graphs show the rate of new infections and new deaths in rural (nonmetropolitan) counties and metropolitan counties. The rate is based on total new cases and deaths over one week (Sunday to Saturday) expressed as a total per 100,000 residents.
How States Are Faring
Use the table below to track how many rural counties in your state are currently in the red zone and how those numbers compare to other states and previous weeks. The table reflects the period Sunday, November 1, to Saturday, November 7.
The Rural Stories of Covid-19
Numbers alone don’t tell the whole story. We’re collecting our most vital reporting on coronavirus here, so you can see the people and places of the pandemic.
The LATEST
Fauci: Dark Months Ahead; Rural Residents Should Focus on Prevention
Quality News and Information is Essential – Don’t Miss A Story
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The REPORT FROM Rural Hospitals
Connecting COMMUNITY DESPITE DISTANCE
Back to SCHOOL? Rural Education in the Covid-19 ERA
Support this Critical Coverage – Donate to the Yonder
LOCAL LEaders RESPOND
Keeping SPirits UP – Some Momentary Diversions
Go Deeper
View our full Coronavirus Archives to review all of our reporting throughout the pandemic.
