After adding over 16,000 new cases on June 10, the U.S. now has more than 33.0 million confirmed cases of COVID-19. There have been more than 590,000 COVID-19-related deaths — the highest death toll of any country.
New cases continue to rise at a steady rate. In the past week, there were an average of 5.6 daily new coronavirus cases per 100,000 Americans — essentially unchanged from the week prior, when there were an average of 5.6 daily new coronavirus cases per 100,000 people.
While COVID-19 has spread to nearly every part of the country, cities continue to be the sites of major outbreaks. Experts agree that the virus is more likely to spread in group settings where large numbers of people routinely have close contact with one another, such as colleges, nursing homes, bars, and restaurants. Metropolitan areas with a high degree of connectivity between different neighborhoods and a large population may be particularly at-risk.
The Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA, metro area consists of Polk County, Dallas County, Warren County, and three other counties. In the past week, there were an average of 2.9 new coronavirus cases every day per 100,000 Des Moines residents, in line with the national figure. The metro area’s average daily case growth in the most recent week is essentially unchanged from the week prior, when there were an average of 3.0 daily new cases per 100,000 Des Moines residents.
The spread of coronavirus depends on a variety of factors and can vary even between neighboring counties. Within the Des Moines-West Des Moines metro area, COVID-19 is growing the slowest in Jasper County. There were an average of 0.9 new cases per day per 100,000 residents in Jasper County during the past week, the least of the six counties in Des Moines with available data.
Case growth in the Des Moines metro area varies widely at the county level. In Guthrie County, for example, there were an average of 5.4 new cases per day per 100,000 residents in the past week — the most of any county in Des Moines and far more than the case growth rate in Jasper County.
While Jasper County has the slowest case growth in the Des Moines area, it does not have the lowest incidence of cases overall. As of June 10, there were a total of 11,376.5 confirmed cases per 100,000 residents in Jasper County, the second fewest of the six counties in the metro area. For comparison, the U.S. has so far reported 10,185.8 cases per 100,000 Americans nationwide.
In order to slow the spread of COVID-19, city and county governments have ordered the closure of thousands of consumer-facing businesses. These measures have led to widespread job loss and record unemployment. In Jasper County, unemployment peaked at 10.5% in April 2020. As of April 2021, the county’s unemployment rate was 3.9%.
To determine the county in every metropolitan area where COVID-19 is growing the slowest, 24/7 Wall St. compiled and reviewed data from state and local health departments. We ranked counties according to the average number of new daily COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents in the seven days ending June 10. To estimate the incidence of COVID-19 at the metropolitan level, we aggregated data from the county 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 not seasonally adjusted.
These are all the counties in Iowa where COVID-19 is slowing (and where it’s still getting worse).
| Rank in MSA | County | Population | New daily cases per 100,000, week ending June 10 | New daily cases per 100,000, week ending June 3 | Cumulative cases per 100,000 | Cumulative deaths per 100,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jasper County | 36,971 | 0.9 | 1.0 | 11,376.5 | 194.7 |
| 2 | Polk County | 479,612 | 2.8 | 3.2 | 12,122.5 | 132.6 |
| 3 | Warren County | 50,076 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 11,628.3 | 179.7 |
| 4 | Dallas County | 87,099 | 3.5 | 2.8 | 12,943.9 | 113.7 |
| 5 | Madison County | 16,012 | 4.7 | 5.0 | 10,273.5 | 118.7 |
| 6 | Guthrie County | 10,669 | 5.4 | 1.3 | 11,510.0 | 299.9 |
Essential Tips for Investing: Sponsored
A financial advisor can help you understand the advantages and disadvantages of investment properties. Finding a qualified financial advisor doesn’t have to be hard. SmartAsset’s free tool matches you with up to three financial advisors who serve your area, and you can interview your advisor matches at no cost to decide which one is right for you. If you’re ready to find an advisor who can help you achieve your financial goals, get started now.
Investing in real estate can diversify your portfolio. But expanding your horizons may add additional costs. If you’re an investor looking to minimize expenses, consider checking out online brokerages. They often offer low investment fees, helping you maximize your profit.
Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us?
Contact the 24/7 Wall St. editorial team.
Editors' Picks
