The U.S. has reported more than 84.5 million confirmed COVID-19 cases as of June 14. There have been more than 1,001,000 reported deaths from COVID-19-related causes — the highest death toll of any country.

The extent of the spread of the novel coronavirus continues to vary considerably from state to state, and from city to city. Even as the number of daily new cases is flattening or even declining in some parts of the country, it is surging at a growing rate in others.

Nationwide, the number of new cases is growing at a steady rate. There were an average of 32.3 daily new coronavirus cases per 100,000 Americans in the week ending June 14, essentially unchanged from the week prior, when there were an average of 32.1 daily new coronavirus cases per 100,000 people.

In Idaho, there were an average of 20.2 daily new coronavirus cases per 100,000 residents in the week ending June 14 — the sixth fewest of all 50 states. Idaho’s most recent case growth is an increase from the week prior, when there were an average of 13.8 daily new cases per 100,000 residents.

Metropolitan areas with a high degree of mobility and a large population may be particularly vulnerable to outbreaks. While science and medical professionals are still studying how exactly the virus spreads, experts agree that outbreaks are more likely to occur in group settings where large numbers of people routinely have close contact with one another. Cities with high concentrations of dense spaces such as colleges, correctional facilities, and nursing homes are particularly at risk.

In the Boise City metropolitan area, there were an average of 27.1 daily new coronavirus cases per 100,000 residents in the week ending June 14 — the fastest case growth of any city in Idaho. The metro area’s most recent case growth rate is an increase from the week prior, when there were an average of 19.4 daily new cases per 100,000 residents.

Twin Falls, the city where COVID-19 is growing the second fastest, has reported an average of 18.1 new daily cases per 100,000 residents.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, the Boise City metropolitan area has reported a cumulative total of 208,158 confirmed cases, or 29,287.4 per 100,000 residents. By comparison, there are currently 25,484.6 cases per 100,000 Idaho residents and 25,771.8 cases per 100,000 Americans nationwide.

In order to slow the spread, cities have ordered the closure of thousands of consumer-facing businesses. These measures have led to widespread job loss and record unemployment. In Boise City, unemployment peaked at 12.6% in April 2020. As of November 2021, the unemployment rate was 2.6%.

To determine the metropolitan area in each state where COVID-19 is growing the fastest, 24/7 Wall St. compiled and reviewed data from state and local health departments. We ranked metropolitan areas according to the average number of new daily COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents in the seven days ending June 14. Data was aggregated from the county level to the metropolitan area 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 seasonally adjusted.

These are all the counties in Idaho where COVID-19 is slowing (and where it’s still getting worse).

MSA	Population	New daily cases per 100,000, week ending Jun. 14	New daily cases per 100,000, week ending Jun. 7	Cumulative cases per 100,000	Cumulative deaths per 100,000
Boise City, ID	710,743	27.1	19.4	29,287.4	261.4
Twin Falls, ID	108,599	18.1	13.2	28,215.7	331.5
Coeur d’Alene, ID	157,322	17.9	10.4	27,129.1	379.5
Idaho Falls, ID	145,507	15.8	8.0	26,015.2	247.4
Lewiston, ID-WA	62,638	14.6	14.0	21,927.6	343.2
Pocatello, ID	93,436	13.6	6.5	24,236.9	287.9

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