COVID

These 66 Mass. communities have the highest rates of COVID-19

The number of cities and towns in the red zone continues to drop.

Genesis Pinto, RN BSN administers a COVID-19 test to a patient at a NEW Health COVID-19 testing site in Charlestown. Jessica Rinaldi/Globe Staff

By Arianna MacNeill

1 minute to read

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There are now fewer than 100 Massachusetts communities in the state’s COVID-19 red zone as cases continue to decline.

A total of 66 cities and towns made the high-risk category for COVID-19 infection this week, according to state data. This is 44 fewer than last week, or a drop of 40 percent.

The state’s average daily case rate has also dropped compared to prior weeks. This week it stands at an average of 30 cases a day per 100,000 residents over the past two weeks. Last week it was 38.5 per 100,000 residents; it was 48.9 per 100,000 the week before.

A community receives a red designation based on a few factors. Small communities with under 10,000 residents are placed in the red zone if they have more than 25 cases total over the last two weeks, according to the state. For communities between 10,000 and 50,000 people, a red zone designation is given if the community has 10 or more average cases per 100,000 residents and if the positivity rate is greater than or equal to 5 percent. For communities over 50,000, they need 10 or more cases per 100,000 residents and a positivity rate of 4 percent or higher. 

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Here’s a look at each of the cities and towns in the red zone, listed alphabetically. All of the state’s data can be found here.

  • Abington
  • Acushnet
  • Ayer
  • Barnstable
  • Berkley
  • Blackstone
  • Bolton
  • Boxford
  • Brewster
  • Bridgewater
  • Brockton
  • Carver
  • Chatham
  • Chelsea
  • Chicopee
  • Clinton
  • Cohasset
  • Dighton
  • Douglas
  • Dracut
  • Fall River
  • Freetown
  • Gardner
  • Georgetown
  • Haverhill
  • Holyoke
  • Lakeville
  • Lancaster
  • Lawrence
  • Leominster
  • Littleton
  • Lowell
  • Ludlow
  • Lynn
  • Marion
  • Methuen
  • Middleborough
  • New Bedford
  • North Reading
  • Orleans
  • Oxford
  • Peabody
  • Plainville
  • Plymouth
  • Raynham
  • Revere
  • Rockland
  • Rutland
  • Saugus
  • Seekonk
  • Somerset
  • Southampton
  • Southbridge
  • Southwick
  • Springfield
  • Sterling
  • Sunderland
  • Swansea
  • Taunton 
  • Templeton
  • Ware
  • West Bridgewater
  • Westminster
  • Westport
  • Weymouth
  • Whitman

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