The Most COVID-19 Safe States This Spring
The Safest States in America for COVID-19 Right Now
The worst of the COVID-19 pandemic appears to be in the rearview as the United States eyes a shift to endemic status but the virus is still very much out there and some parts of the country are faring better than others when it comes to curbing it. To determine the safest states at this stage of the COVID-19 pandemic, the personal-finance website WalletHub compared all 50 states and Washington, D.C. across five key metrics of COVID-19 safety, including vaccination rate (25 points), positive testing rate (12.5 points), hospitalization rate (12.5 points), the death rate (37.5 points) and the estimated transmission rate (12.5 points) as of April 20. Taking the latest data into consideration, overall WalletHub COVID-19 safety scores range from 28.9 for 51st-ranked Nevada all the way to 80.79 for the first-place state. Here’s a look at the 15 safest states right now.
15. Connecticut
Connecticut rounds out the top 15 safest states in America at the moment with an overall score of 65.41 out of 100. Despite having one of the nation’s highest positive testing rates and highest hospitalization rates, the New England destination is propelled by the country’s highest vaccination rate.
14. Florida
Perhaps one of the biggest surprises in the top 15, Florida earned a WalletHub COVID-19 safety score of 65.86 as it currently has the nation’s third-lowest death rate. However, the Sunshine State is tied with Alaska for the highest positive testing rate in the U.S. right now.
13. New Hampshire
New England features prominently in the top 15, with New Hampshire ranking 13th-safest. While only two other states have higher hospitalization rates, New Hampshire is tied for the highest COVID-19 vaccination rate and ranks 16th in terms of the lowest death rate.
12. Illinois
In the Midwest, Illinois ranks 12th nationally in terms of COVID-19 safety this spring, earning an overall WalletHub score of 67.48. Illinois ranks just 24th in terms of vaccination rate but 11th when it comes to the nation’s lowest COVID-19 death rate.
11. Nebraska
Nebraska narrowly edges out Illinois despite ranking just 31st for coronavirus vaccination rate. However, the state ranks sixth nationwide in terms of the lowest COVID-19 death rate, a metric that accounts for more than one-third of the final output.
10. North Carolina
North Carolina’s COVID-19 vaccination rate is among the highest in the country, ranking 14th. Still, the state has some work to do to climb up the top 10 list as it fares just 29th in terms of the COVID-related death rate.
9. Massachusetts
Ranking inside of the top 10 in terms of the two most important metrics, including vaccination rate (tied for first) and death rate (ninth), Massachusetts is only held back by its high transmission rate, which is tied for 43rd worse nationwide.
8. Utah
A state ideal for outdoor activities, Utah ranks eighth in the country in terms of COVID-19 safety this spring, reporting the nation’s fifth-lowest death rate despite ranking only 26th for coronavirus vaccination rate.
7. Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania, one of only seven states or districts to score better than 70 in WalletHub’s latest COVID-19 safety study, falls into the coveted low COVID-19 death rate and high vaccination rate category.
6. Rhode Island
The smallest state in the U.S. is also one of the safest when it comes to COVID-19 this spring. Rhode Island has the fourth-lowest death rate in the country and is tied for the highest coronavirus vaccination rate nationwide.
5. Hawaii
Hawaii has reopened to travelers without COVID-19 restrictions in 2022 and continues to be among the safest states amid the pandemic, tying for the nation’s highest vaccination rate and its lowest transmission rate.
4. Washington, DC
Although technically not a state, the nation’s capital ranks fourth on WalletHub’s list this April. After all, Washington, D.C. is tied for the highest COVID-19 vaccination rate and also boasts the country’s lowest coronavirus-related death rate as of April 20.
3. California
On the West Coast, California took strict measures to limit the spread of COVID-19 and those efforts appear to be paying off as the Golden State ranks as the third safest in America this spring. California is tied for the second-lowest positive testing rate and ranks 16th-best in terms of vaccination rate.
2. South Dakota
South Dakota is tied for the lowest COVID-19 transmission rate in the nation and earns an overall WalletHub score of 77.08 despite having the 21st highest vaccination rate and 25th lowest death rate.
1. Maryland
Top-ranked Maryland is the only state to earn an overall WalletHub COVID-19 safety score above 80. The Mid-Atlantic state is tied for the nation’s highest vaccination rate and ranks a solid 12th in terms of the COVID-19 death rate this spring.