The ongoing vaccination effort is allowing life in the United States to return to some degree of normalcy. So far, the virus has claimed 603,880 American lives — more than the total number of Americans killed in World War I and World War II combined.
In the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington metropolitan area, which covers parts of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland, a total of 13,147 deaths have been attributed to the virus, equal to 217 fatalities for every 100,000 people. Nationwide, 185 deaths have been attributed to the virus per 100,000 people.
The higher than average per capita COVID-19 death rate across the metro area is being driven by one area in particular.
The broader Philadelphia metro area comprises 11 counties or county equivalents — and of them, Salem County has had the most COVID-19 fatalities per capita. So far, the per capita coronavirus death rate in Salem County stands at 297 for every 100,000 people.
With the highest per capita death rate in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington metro area, Salem County ranks among the top 25% of all U.S. counties or county equivalents with at least one COVID-19 fatality by death rate per capita.
All COVID-19 data used in this story are current as of July 20, 2021.
| Rank | Geography | Deaths per 100,000 people | Total deaths | Confirmed cases per 100,000 people | Total confirmed cases |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Salem County, NJ | 297 | 188 | 9,726 | 6,160 |
| 2 | Camden County, NJ | 265 | 1,343 | 11,094 | 56,288 |
| 3 | Delaware County, PA | 251 | 1,417 | 9,325 | 52,551 |
| 4 | Philadelphia County, PA | 240 | 3,774 | 9,847 | 155,134 |
| 5 | Gloucester County, NJ | 223 | 648 | 10,611 | 30,863 |
| 6 | Bucks County, PA | 213 | 1,332 | 9,750 | 61,068 |
| 7 | Montgomery County, PA | 212 | 1,739 | 8,608 | 70,701 |
| 8 | Burlington County, NJ | 197 | 880 | 10,008 | 44,671 |
| 9 | Chester County, PA | 160 | 825 | 7,917 | 40,942 |
| 10 | New Castle County, DE | 153 | 847 | 11,781 | 65,399 |
| 11 | Cecil County, MD | 150 | 154 | 6,247 | 6,404 |
ALERT: Take This Retirement Quiz Now (Sponsored)
Take the quiz below to get matched with a financial advisor today.
Each advisor has been vetted by SmartAsset and is held to a fiduciary standard to act in your best interests.
Here’s how it works:
1. Answer SmartAsset advisor match quiz
2. Review your pre-screened matches at your leisure. Check out the advisors’ profiles.
3. Speak with advisors at no cost to you. Have an introductory call on the phone or introduction in person and choose whom to work with in the future
Take the retirement quiz right here.
Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us?
Contact the 24/7 Wall St. editorial team.
Editors' Picks
