Data / Rankings / Traffic fatalities / Counties in Kentucky

Counties in Kentucky by traffic fatalities

Jefferson County had the highest traffic fatalities of 120 counties in 2021, at 124. Robertson County had the lowest, at 0. The median was 4 and the figure for Kentucky was 806. Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest124Jefferson County
Lowest0Robertson County
Median4120 counties
Kentucky806History

Map of counties, 2021

Adair County: 6 countAllen County: 5 countAnderson County: 1 countBallard County: 7 countBarren County: 9 countBath County: 7 countBell County: 9 countBoone County: 10 countBourbon County: 3 countBoyd County: 3 countBoyle County: 3 countBracken County: 4 countBreathitt County: 4 countBreckinridge County: 6 countBullitt County: 16 countButler County: 3 countCaldwell County: 7 countCalloway County: 8 countCampbell County: 1 countCarlisle County: 2 countCarroll County: 4 countCarter County: 11 countCasey County: 5 countChristian County: 14 countClark County: 5 countClay County: 6 countClinton County: 3 countCrittenden County: 2 countCumberland County: 1 countDaviess County: 13 countEdmonson County: 5 countElliott County: 1 countEstill County: 2 countFayette County: 42 countFleming County: 2 countFloyd County: 5 countFranklin County: 4 countFulton County: 1 countGallatin County: 1 countGarrard County: 3 countGrant County: 5 countGraves County: 6 countGrayson County: 7 countGreen County: 2 countGreenup County: 1 countHancock County: 4 countHardin County: 22 countHarlan County: 9 countHarrison County: 2 countHart County: 5 countHenderson County: 14 countHenry County: 2 countHickman County: 0 countHopkins County: 6 countJackson County: 3 countJefferson County: 124 countJessamine County: 7 countJohnson County: 3 countKenton County: 7 countKnott County: 5 countKnox County: 6 countLarue County: 4 countLaurel County: 15 countLawrence County: 4 countLee County: 3 countLeslie County: 4 countLetcher County: 1 countLewis County: 3 countLincoln County: 8 countLivingston County: 1 countLogan County: 5 countLyon County: 4 countMcCracken County: 20 countMcCreary County: 4 countMcLean County: 3 countMadison County: 9 countMagoffin County: 4 countMarion County: 3 countMarshall County: 10 countMartin County: 1 countMason County: 3 countMeade County: 12 countMenifee County: 2 countMercer County: 1 countMetcalfe County: 6 countMonroe County: 2 countMontgomery County: 4 countMorgan County: 9 countMuhlenberg County: 10 countNelson County: 8 countNicholas County: 1 countOhio County: 7 countOldham County: 9 countOwen County: 0 countOwsley County: 2 countPendleton County: 0 countPerry County: 13 countPike County: 18 countPowell County: 0 countPulaski County: 12 countRobertson County: 0 countRockcastle County: 3 countRowan County: 4 countRussell County: 3 countScott County: 8 countShelby County: 11 countSimpson County: 2 countSpencer County: 1 countTaylor County: 4 countTodd County: 7 countTrigg County: 4 countTrimble County: 4 countUnion County: 1 countWarren County: 20 countWashington County: 2 countWayne County: 4 countWebster County: 3 countWhitley County: 5 countWolfe County: 5 countWoodford County: 6 count
  • Under 2
  • 2 to 3
  • 3 to 4
  • 4 to 6
  • 6 to 9
  • 9 and over
count, 2021. Source: NHTSA, Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), national CSV files: people killed (sum of FATALS in accident.csv) by county of the crash. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2021

Jefferson County: 124 countJefferson County124Fayette County: 42 countFayette County42Hardin County: 22 countHardin County22McCracken County: 20 countMcCracken County20Warren County: 20 countWarren County20Pike County: 18 countPike County18Bullitt County: 16 countBullitt County16Laurel County: 15 countLaurel County15Christian County: 14 countChristian County14Henderson County: 14 countHenderson County14Daviess County: 13 countDaviess County13Perry County: 13 countPerry County13Meade County: 12 countMeade County12Pulaski County: 12 countPulaski County12Carter County: 11 countCarter County11Shelby County: 11 countShelby County11Boone County: 10 countBoone County10Marshall County: 10 countMarshall County10Muhlenberg County: 10 countMuhlenberg County10Barren County: 9 countBarren County9Bell County: 9 countBell County9Harlan County: 9 countHarlan County9Madison County: 9 countMadison County9Morgan County: 9 countMorgan County9Oldham County: 9 countOldham County9Calloway County: 8 countCalloway County8Lincoln County: 8 countLincoln County8Nelson County: 8 countNelson County8Scott County: 8 countScott County8Ballard County: 7 countBallard County7Bath County: 7 countBath County7Caldwell County: 7 countCaldwell County7Grayson County: 7 countGrayson County7Jessamine County: 7 countJessamine County7Kenton County: 7 countKenton County7Ohio County: 7 countOhio County7Todd County: 7 countTodd County7Adair County: 6 countAdair County6Breckinridge County: 6 countBreckinridge County6Clay County: 6 countClay County6Jefferson County: 124 countJefferson County124Fayette County: 42 countFayette County42Hardin County: 22 countHardin County22McCracken County: 20 countMcCracken County20Warren County: 20 countWarren County20Pike County: 18 countPike County18Bullitt County: 16 countBullitt County16Laurel County: 15 countLaurel County15Christian County: 14 countChristian County14Henderson County: 14 countHenderson County14Daviess County: 13 countDaviess County13Perry County: 13 countPerry County13Meade County: 12 countMeade County12Pulaski County: 12 countPulaski County12Carter County: 11 countCarter County11Shelby County: 11 countShelby County11Boone County: 10 countBoone County10Marshall County: 10 countMarshall County10Muhlenberg County: 10 countMuhlenberg County10Barren County: 9 countBarren County9Bell County: 9 countBell County9Harlan County: 9 countHarlan County9Madison County: 9 countMadison County9Morgan County: 9 countMorgan County9Oldham County: 9 countOldham County9Calloway County: 8 countCalloway County8Lincoln County: 8 countLincoln County8Nelson County: 8 countNelson County8Scott County: 8 countScott County8Ballard County: 7 countBallard County7Bath County: 7 countBath County7Caldwell County: 7 countCaldwell County7Grayson County: 7 countGrayson County7Jessamine County: 7 countJessamine County7Kenton County: 7 countKenton County7Ohio County: 7 countOhio County7Todd County: 7 countTodd County7Adair County: 6 countAdair County6Breckinridge County: 6 countBreckinridge County6Clay County: 6 countClay County6
count. Source: NHTSA, Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), national CSV files: people killed (sum of FATALS in accident.csv) by county of the crash. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2021
count		Change on 2020
1Jefferson County1240%
2Fayette County42+61.5%
3Hardin County22+37.5%
4McCracken County20+42.9%
4Warren County20+33.3%
6Pike County18+28.6%
7Bullitt County16+14.3%
8Laurel County15+15.4%
9Christian County14+7.7%
9Henderson County14+100%
11Daviess County13+44.4%
11Perry County13+44.4%
13Meade County12+33.3%
13Pulaski County12-7.7%
15Carter County11+266.7%
15Shelby County11+120%
17Boone County10-44.4%
17Marshall County10+42.9%
17Muhlenberg County10+233.3%
20Barren County90%
20Bell County9+50%
20Harlan County9-25%
20Madison County9-35.7%
20Morgan County9+125%
20Oldham County9+50%
26Calloway County8+14.3%
26Lincoln County8+100%
26Nelson County8-11.1%
26Scott County8-20%
30Ballard County7+250%
30Bath County7+250%
30Caldwell County7+600%
30Grayson County7+16.7%
30Jessamine County7-22.2%
30Kenton County7-36.4%
30Ohio County7-22.2%
30Todd County7+75%
38Adair County6+50%
38Breckinridge County6+20%
38Clay County6-14.3%
38Graves County6+20%
38Hopkins County60%
38Knox County6+50%
38Metcalfe County6n/a
38Woodford County6-60%
46Allen County5-16.7%
46Casey County5+400%
46Clark County50%
46Edmonson County5+25%
46Floyd County5-54.5%
46Grant County5-50%
46Hart County5-37.5%
46Knott County5+150%
46Logan County5-16.7%
46Whitley County5-54.5%
46Wolfe County5+66.7%
57Bracken County4n/a
57Breathitt County40%
57Carroll County4+33.3%
57Franklin County40%
57Hancock County4n/a
57Larue County4-42.9%
57Lawrence County4+300%
57Leslie County4-20%
57Lyon County4+33.3%
57Magoffin County40%
57McCreary County4-20%
57Montgomery County40%
57Rowan County40%
57Taylor County40%
57Trigg County40%
57Trimble County4+33.3%
57Wayne County4+33.3%
74Bourbon County3-66.7%
74Boyd County3-50%
74Boyle County3+200%
74Butler County3+200%
74Clinton County3+50%
74Garrard County3+200%
74Jackson County3-40%
74Johnson County3-25%
74Lee County3+200%
74Lewis County3-50%
74Marion County3-66.7%
74Mason County3-25%
74McLean County3n/a
74Rockcastle County3-57.1%
74Russell County3-40%
74Webster County3n/a
90Carlisle County2+100%
90Crittenden County2-33.3%
90Estill County2+100%
90Fleming County2-33.3%
90Green County2+100%
90Harrison County2-33.3%
90Henry County2-50%
90Menifee County20%
90Monroe County20%
90Owsley County2n/a
90Simpson County2-50%
90Washington County2-71.4%
102Anderson County1-50%
102Campbell County1-93.3%
102Cumberland County1-50%
102Elliott County10%
102Fulton County1-66.7%
102Gallatin County1-66.7%
102Greenup County1-66.7%
102Letcher County1-88.9%
102Livingston County1n/a
102Martin County10%
102Mercer County1-75%
102Nicholas County1-50%
102Spencer County1-50%
102Union County1-50%
116Hickman County0n/a
116Owen County0-100%
116Pendleton County0-100%
116Powell County0-100%
116Robertson County0n/a

Other periods

About this ranking

People killed in motor vehicle traffic crashes during the year. FARS counts people who die within 30 days of a crash involving a motor vehicle travelling on a public road, by the place of the crash, not of residence.

A police-based count of deaths. It differs from death certificate counts (CDC) and from the WHO road traffic death rate (road_traffic_death_rate), which is modelled for international comparison.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the counties are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Fatality Analysis Reporting System. Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), national CSV files: people killed (sum of FATALS in accident.csv) by county of the crash. https://static.nhtsa.gov/nhtsa/downloads/FARS/2021/National/FARS2021NationalCSV.zip. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. (2026). Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), national CSV files: people killed (sum of FATALS in accident.csv) by county of the crash (Counties in Kentucky by traffic fatalities, 2021) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://static.nhtsa.gov/nhtsa/downloads/FARS/2021/National/FARS2021NationalCSV.zip

MLA 9

Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), national CSV files: people killed (sum of FATALS in accident.csv) by county of the crash, Counties in Kentucky by traffic fatalities, 2021. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 24 June 2026, https://static.nhtsa.gov/nhtsa/downloads/FARS/2021/National/FARS2021NationalCSV.zip. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/traffic-fatalities/kentucky-counties?period=2021. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. 2026. Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), national CSV files: people killed (sum of FATALS in accident.csv) by county of the crash. Counties in Kentucky by traffic fatalities, 2021. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://static.nhtsa.gov/nhtsa/downloads/FARS/2021/National/FARS2021NationalCSV.zip. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/traffic-fatalities/kentucky-counties?period=2021.

Harvard

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (2026) Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), national CSV files: people killed (sum of FATALS in accident.csv) by county of the crash, Counties in Kentucky by traffic fatalities, 2021 [Dataset]. Available at: https://static.nhtsa.gov/nhtsa/downloads/FARS/2021/National/FARS2021NationalCSV.zip, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/traffic-fatalities/kentucky-counties?period=2021 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{national_counties_in_kentucky_by_2021,
  author = {{National Highway Traffic Safety Administration}},
  title = {{Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), national CSV files: people killed (sum of FATALS in accident.csv) by county of the crash: Counties in Kentucky by traffic fatalities, 2021}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://static.nhtsa.gov/nhtsa/downloads/FARS/2021/National/FARS2021NationalCSV.zip},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/traffic-fatalities/kentucky-counties?period=2021. Publisher attribution: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Fatality Analysis Reporting System. Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), national CSV files: people killed (sum of FATALS in accident.csv) by county of the crash. https://static.nhtsa.gov/nhtsa/downloads/FARS/2021/National/FARS2021NationalCSV.zip. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
TI  - Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), national CSV files: people killed (sum of FATALS in accident.csv) by county of the crash: Counties in Kentucky by traffic fatalities, 2021
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/06/24
PB  - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://static.nhtsa.gov/nhtsa/downloads/FARS/2021/National/FARS2021NationalCSV.zip
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/traffic-fatalities/kentucky-counties?period=2021
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/traffic-fatalities/kentucky-counties?period=2021.
N1  - Publisher attribution: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Fatality Analysis Reporting System. Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), national CSV files: people killed (sum of FATALS in accident.csv) by county of the crash. https://static.nhtsa.gov/nhtsa/downloads/FARS/2021/National/FARS2021NationalCSV.zip. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Questions

Which county has the highest traffic fatalities?

Jefferson County, with 124 in 2021, according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Which county has the lowest traffic fatalities?

Robertson County, with 0 in 2021.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), national CSV files: people killed (sum of FATALS in accident.csv) by county of the crash. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Traffic fatalities: other rankings

Counties in Kentucky: more rankings