Coronavirus Hot Spots: 20 Communities With the Highest Rate of Cases in Mass.

For the second straight week, the state Department of Public Health released a breakdown of the total number of coronavirus cases in each Massachusetts city and town.

They also released data showing which communities had the highest rate of positive COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people from Jan. 1 through April 22. Updated numbers will now be released by 4 p.m. every Wednesday.

Some of those communities were not particularly surprising. For example, state officials have already made note of the fact that Chelsea is experiencing an incredibly high rate of coronavirus cases. And the outbreak at the Holyoke Soldiers' Home has prompted both state and federal inquiries.

But others -- like tiny Avon, with a population of just 4,500 -- haven't received as much attention despite a high rate of coronavirus cases.

Coronavirus Infection Rates in Mass. Cities and Towns

Below is a list of the 20 Massachusetts communities with the highest rate of positive COVID-19 cases right now:

1. Chelsea – 1,447 cases, 3,841.80 rate
2. Brockton – 1,763 cases, 1,794.43 rate
3. Everett -- 716 cases 1,475.18 rate
4. Randolph -- 481 cases, 1,405.65 rate
5. Lynn -- 1,387 cases, 1,374.58 rate
6. Lawrence – 1,205 cases, 1,366.59 rate
7. Topsfield -- 76 cases, 1,300.49 rate
8. Revere -- 759 , 1,245.97 rate
9. Holyoke -- 474 cases 1,150.36 rate
10. Danvers -- 316 cases 1,106.60 rate
11. Stoughton -- 305 cases, 1,102.77 rate
12. Williamstown -- 81 cases, 1,099.24 rate
13. Braintree -- 418 cases, 1,062 rate
14. Lowell – 1,235 cases, 1,056.83 rate
15. Norwood -- 316 cases, 1,049.41 rate
16. Longmeadow -- 159 cases, 1,025.16 rate
17. Boston – 6,744 cases, 970.40 rate
18. Medford – 590 cases, 970.16 rate
19. Templeton – 84 cases, 940.55 rate
20. Avon – 39 cases, 890.27 rate

Rate per 100,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases (Jan. 1-April 22, 2020)

Many of these communities appeared on last week's list as well. Here is a closer look at that list, which was the first town-by-town breakdown released by the state.