Data / Rankings / Traffic fatality rate / Counties in California

Counties in California by traffic fatality rate, 2024

Alpine County had the highest traffic fatality rate of 58 counties in 2024, at 91 per 100,000 people. San Mateo County had the lowest, at 4 per 100,000 people. The median was 15.6 per 100,000 people and the figure for California was 9.8 per 100,000 people. Source: NHTSA and BEA.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest91Alpine County
Lowest4San Mateo County
Median15.658 counties
California9.8History

Map of counties, 2024

Alameda County: 6.1 per 100,000 peopleAlpine County: 91 per 100,000 peopleAmador County: 16.7 per 100,000 peopleButte County: 16.3 per 100,000 peopleCalaveras County: 28 per 100,000 peopleColusa County: 36.2 per 100,000 peopleContra Costa County: 5.6 per 100,000 peopleDel Norte County: 22.2 per 100,000 peopleEl Dorado County: 8.8 per 100,000 peopleFresno County: 16.5 per 100,000 peopleGlenn County: 28.3 per 100,000 peopleHumboldt County: 19.6 per 100,000 peopleImperial County: 14.3 per 100,000 peopleInyo County: 81.1 per 100,000 peopleKern County: 21 per 100,000 peopleKings County: 19.4 per 100,000 peopleLake County: 36.9 per 100,000 peopleLassen County: 10.6 per 100,000 peopleLos Angeles County: 8 per 100,000 peopleMadera County: 19.9 per 100,000 peopleMarin County: 4.3 per 100,000 peopleMariposa County: 11.7 per 100,000 peopleMendocino County: 15.7 per 100,000 peopleMerced County: 15.5 per 100,000 peopleModoc County: 47.1 per 100,000 peopleMono County: 46.2 per 100,000 peopleMonterey County: 10.3 per 100,000 peopleNapa County: 8.3 per 100,000 peopleNevada County: 7.8 per 100,000 peopleOrange County: 6.3 per 100,000 peoplePlacer County: 9.2 per 100,000 peoplePlumas County: 10.6 per 100,000 peopleRiverside County: 11.4 per 100,000 peopleSacramento County: 9.7 per 100,000 peopleSan Benito County: 15.9 per 100,000 peopleSan Bernardino County: 15.8 per 100,000 peopleSan Diego County: 9.2 per 100,000 peopleSan Francisco County: 5.8 per 100,000 peopleSan Joaquin County: 17 per 100,000 peopleSan Luis Obispo County: 10.6 per 100,000 peopleSan Mateo County: 4 per 100,000 peopleSanta Barbara County: 8.5 per 100,000 peopleSanta Clara County: 5.2 per 100,000 peopleSanta Cruz County: 6.1 per 100,000 peopleShasta County: 18.2 per 100,000 peopleSierra County: 32.1 per 100,000 peopleSiskiyou County: 28.2 per 100,000 peopleSolano County: 9 per 100,000 peopleSonoma County: 6 per 100,000 peopleStanislaus County: 15.8 per 100,000 peopleSutter County: 20.3 per 100,000 peopleTehama County: 20.2 per 100,000 peopleTrinity County: 38.4 per 100,000 peopleTulare County: 14.9 per 100,000 peopleTuolumne County: 20.4 per 100,000 peopleVentura County: 6.9 per 100,000 peopleYolo County: 9.3 per 100,000 peopleYuba County: 16 per 100,000 people
  • Under 7.4
  • 7.4 to 9.7
  • 9.7 to 16
  • 16 to 18
  • 18 to 28
  • 28 and over
per 100,000 people, 2024. Source: Invokely calculation with data from NHTSA, BEA. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

All counties, 2024

Alpine County: 91 per 100,000 peopleAlpine County91Inyo County: 81.1 per 100,000 peopleInyo County81.1Modoc County: 47.1 per 100,000 peopleModoc County47.1Mono County: 46.2 per 100,000 peopleMono County46.2Trinity County: 38.4 per 100,000 peopleTrinity County38.4Lake County: 36.9 per 100,000 peopleLake County36.9Colusa County: 36.2 per 100,000 peopleColusa County36.2Sierra County: 32.1 per 100,000 peopleSierra County32.1Glenn County: 28.3 per 100,000 peopleGlenn County28.3Siskiyou County: 28.2 per 100,000 peopleSiskiyou County28.2Calaveras County: 28 per 100,000 peopleCalaveras County28Del Norte County: 22.2 per 100,000 peopleDel Norte County22.2Kern County: 21 per 100,000 peopleKern County21Tuolumne County: 20.4 per 100,000 peopleTuolumne County20.4Sutter County: 20.3 per 100,000 peopleSutter County20.3Tehama County: 20.2 per 100,000 peopleTehama County20.2Madera County: 19.9 per 100,000 peopleMadera County19.9Humboldt County: 19.6 per 100,000 peopleHumboldt County19.6Kings County: 19.4 per 100,000 peopleKings County19.4Shasta County: 18.2 per 100,000 peopleShasta County18.2San Joaquin County: 17 per 100,000 peopleSan Joaquin County17Amador County: 16.7 per 100,000 peopleAmador County16.7Fresno County: 16.5 per 100,000 peopleFresno County16.5Butte County: 16.3 per 100,000 peopleButte County16.3Yuba County: 16 per 100,000 peopleYuba County16San Benito County: 15.9 per 100,000 peopleSan Benito County15.9San Bernardino County: 15.8 per 100,000 peopleSan Bernardino County15.8Stanislaus County: 15.8 per 100,000 peopleStanislaus County15.8Mendocino County: 15.7 per 100,000 peopleMendocino County15.7Merced County: 15.5 per 100,000 peopleMerced County15.5Tulare County: 14.9 per 100,000 peopleTulare County14.9Imperial County: 14.3 per 100,000 peopleImperial County14.3Mariposa County: 11.7 per 100,000 peopleMariposa County11.7Riverside County: 11.4 per 100,000 peopleRiverside County11.4San Luis Obispo County: 10.6 per 100,000 peopleSan Luis Obispo County10.6Plumas County: 10.6 per 100,000 peoplePlumas County10.6Lassen County: 10.6 per 100,000 peopleLassen County10.6Monterey County: 10.3 per 100,000 peopleMonterey County10.3Sacramento County: 9.7 per 100,000 peopleSacramento County9.7Yolo County: 9.3 per 100,000 peopleYolo County9.3Placer County: 9.2 per 100,000 peoplePlacer County9.2San Diego County: 9.2 per 100,000 peopleSan Diego County9.2Solano County: 9 per 100,000 peopleSolano County9El Dorado County: 8.8 per 100,000 peopleEl Dorado County8.8Santa Barbara County: 8.5 per 100,000 peopleSanta Barbara County8.5Napa County: 8.3 per 100,000 peopleNapa County8.3Los Angeles County: 8 per 100,000 peopleLos Angeles County8Nevada County: 7.8 per 100,000 peopleNevada County7.8Ventura County: 6.9 per 100,000 peopleVentura County6.9Orange County: 6.3 per 100,000 peopleOrange County6.3Santa Cruz County: 6.1 per 100,000 peopleSanta Cruz County6.1Alameda County: 6.1 per 100,000 peopleAlameda County6.1Sonoma County: 6 per 100,000 peopleSonoma County6San Francisco County: 5.8 per 100,000 peopleSan Francisco County5.8Contra Costa County: 5.6 per 100,000 peopleContra Costa County5.6Santa Clara County: 5.2 per 100,000 peopleSanta Clara County5.2Marin County: 4.3 per 100,000 peopleMarin County4.3San Mateo County: 4 per 100,000 peopleSan Mateo County4Alpine County: 91 per 100,000 peopleAlpine County91Inyo County: 81.1 per 100,000 peopleInyo County81.1Modoc County: 47.1 per 100,000 peopleModoc County47.1Mono County: 46.2 per 100,000 peopleMono County46.2Trinity County: 38.4 per 100,000 peopleTrinity County38.4Lake County: 36.9 per 100,000 peopleLake County36.9Colusa County: 36.2 per 100,000 peopleColusa County36.2Sierra County: 32.1 per 100,000 peopleSierra County32.1Glenn County: 28.3 per 100,000 peopleGlenn County28.3Siskiyou County: 28.2 per 100,000 peopleSiskiyou County28.2Calaveras County: 28 per 100,000 peopleCalaveras County28Del Norte County: 22.2 per 100,000 peopleDel Norte County22.2Kern County: 21 per 100,000 peopleKern County21Tuolumne County: 20.4 per 100,000 peopleTuolumne County20.4Sutter County: 20.3 per 100,000 peopleSutter County20.3Tehama County: 20.2 per 100,000 peopleTehama County20.2Madera County: 19.9 per 100,000 peopleMadera County19.9Humboldt County: 19.6 per 100,000 peopleHumboldt County19.6Kings County: 19.4 per 100,000 peopleKings County19.4Shasta County: 18.2 per 100,000 peopleShasta County18.2San Joaquin County: 17 per 100,000 peopleSan Joaquin County17Amador County: 16.7 per 100,000 peopleAmador County16.7Fresno County: 16.5 per 100,000 peopleFresno County16.5Butte County: 16.3 per 100,000 peopleButte County16.3Yuba County: 16 per 100,000 peopleYuba County16San Benito County: 15.9 per 100,000 peopleSan Benito County15.9San Bernardino County: 15.8 per 100,000 peopleSan Bernardino County15.8Stanislaus County: 15.8 per 100,000 peopleStanislaus County15.8Mendocino County: 15.7 per 100,000 peopleMendocino County15.7Merced County: 15.5 per 100,000 peopleMerced County15.5Tulare County: 14.9 per 100,000 peopleTulare County14.9Imperial County: 14.3 per 100,000 peopleImperial County14.3Mariposa County: 11.7 per 100,000 peopleMariposa County11.7Riverside County: 11.4 per 100,000 peopleRiverside County11.4San Luis Obispo County: 10.6 per 100,000 peopleSan Luis Obispo County10.6Plumas County: 10.6 per 100,000 peoplePlumas County10.6Lassen County: 10.6 per 100,000 peopleLassen County10.6Monterey County: 10.3 per 100,000 peopleMonterey County10.3Sacramento County: 9.7 per 100,000 peopleSacramento County9.7Yolo County: 9.3 per 100,000 peopleYolo County9.3Placer County: 9.2 per 100,000 peoplePlacer County9.2San Diego County: 9.2 per 100,000 peopleSan Diego County9.2Solano County: 9 per 100,000 peopleSolano County9El Dorado County: 8.8 per 100,000 peopleEl Dorado County8.8Santa Barbara County: 8.5 per 100,000 peopleSanta Barbara County8.5Napa County: 8.3 per 100,000 peopleNapa County8.3Los Angeles County: 8 per 100,000 peopleLos Angeles County8Nevada County: 7.8 per 100,000 peopleNevada County7.8Ventura County: 6.9 per 100,000 peopleVentura County6.9Orange County: 6.3 per 100,000 peopleOrange County6.3Santa Cruz County: 6.1 per 100,000 peopleSanta Cruz County6.1Alameda County: 6.1 per 100,000 peopleAlameda County6.1Sonoma County: 6 per 100,000 peopleSonoma County6San Francisco County: 5.8 per 100,000 peopleSan Francisco County5.8Contra Costa County: 5.6 per 100,000 peopleContra Costa County5.6Santa Clara County: 5.2 per 100,000 peopleSanta Clara County5.2Marin County: 4.3 per 100,000 peopleMarin County4.3San Mateo County: 4 per 100,000 peopleSan Mateo County4
per 100,000 people. Source: Invokely calculation with data from NHTSA, BEA. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2024
per 100,000 people		Change on 2023
1Alpine County Estimated91+91 pts
2Inyo County Estimated81.1+43.4 pts
3Modoc County Estimated47.1+23.8 pts
4Mono County Estimated46.2+38.6 pts
5Trinity County Estimated38.4-12.6 pts
6Lake County Estimated36.9+8.9 pts
7Colusa County Estimated36.2+13.6 pts
8Sierra County Estimated32.1+0.7 pts
9Glenn County Estimated28.3-17.9 pts
10Siskiyou County Estimated28.2-13.7 pts
11Calaveras County Estimated28-2.1 pts
12Del Norte County Estimated22.2+3.4 pts
13Kern County Estimated21+1.1 pts
14Tuolumne County Estimated20.4-14.7 pts
15Sutter County Estimated20.3-3.1 pts
16Tehama County Estimated20.2-1.4 pts
17Madera County Estimated19.9+2.8 pts
18Humboldt County Estimated19.6+0.2 pts
19Kings County Estimated19.4-5.4 pts
20Shasta County Estimated18.2+6 pts
21San Joaquin County Estimated17+0.3 pts
22Amador County Estimated16.7-9.7 pts
23Fresno County Estimated16.5+1.6 pts
24Butte County Estimated16.3-0.6 pts
25Yuba County Estimated16-8.5 pts
26San Benito County Estimated15.9+5.7 pts
27San Bernardino County Estimated15.8-1.7 pts
28Stanislaus County Estimated15.8-0.3 pts
29Mendocino County Estimated15.7-8.9 pts
30Merced County Estimated15.5-4.5 pts
31Tulare County Estimated14.9-2.2 pts
32Imperial County Estimated14.3+4.9 pts
33Mariposa County Estimated11.7-5.9 pts
34Riverside County Estimated11.4-2 pts
35San Luis Obispo County Estimated10.6+3.6 pts
36Plumas County Estimated10.6+10.6 pts
37Lassen County Estimated10.6-13.7 pts
38Monterey County Estimated10.3+1.4 pts
39Sacramento County Estimated9.7-3.4 pts
40Yolo County Estimated9.3-1.4 pts
41Placer County Estimated9.2-0.9 pts
42San Diego County Estimated9.2+0.4 pts
43Solano County Estimated9-0.7 pts
44El Dorado County Estimated8.8-0.5 pts
45Santa Barbara County Estimated8.5-0.5 pts
46Napa County Estimated8.3-5.2 pts
47Los Angeles County Estimated8-0.7 pts
48Nevada County Estimated7.8-5.9 pts
49Ventura County Estimated6.9-1.7 pts
50Orange County Estimated6.3-1 pts
51Santa Cruz County Estimated6.1-3.4 pts
52Alameda County Estimated6.10 pts
53Sonoma County Estimated6-0 pts
54San Francisco County Estimated5.8+1.5 pts
55Contra Costa County Estimated5.6-2.8 pts
56Santa Clara County Estimated5.2-1.4 pts
57Marin County Estimated4.3-0.8 pts
58San Mateo County Estimated4-1.1 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

Traffic fatalities (NHTSA FARS) per 100,000 residents in the same year and place.

Deaths are counted where the crash happened and divided by the resident population, so counties with busy highways and few residents can show very high rates. Differs from the WHO road traffic death rate (road_traffic_death_rate).

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

Invokely calculation from NHTSA FARS traffic fatalities divided by BEA mid-year population (SAINC1 and CAINC1), per 100,000 residents. https://invokely.ai/docs/methodology#traffic_fatality_rate_per_100k. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

Invokely calculated this figure from the publishers' data, so Invokely is the author and the publishers of the inputs are named.

APA 7

Invokely. (n.d.). NHTSA FARS traffic fatalities divided by BEA mid-year population (SAINC1 and CAINC1), per 100,000 residents (Counties in California by traffic fatality rate, 2024) [Data set]. Calculated from data by NHTSA and BEA. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://invokely.ai/docs/methodology#traffic_fatality_rate_per_100k

MLA 9

NHTSA FARS traffic fatalities divided by BEA mid-year population (SAINC1 and CAINC1), per 100,000 residents, Counties in California by traffic fatality rate, 2024. Calculated from data by NHTSA and BEA. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/docs/methodology#traffic_fatality_rate_per_100k. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

Invokely. n.d. NHTSA FARS traffic fatalities divided by BEA mid-year population (SAINC1 and CAINC1), per 100,000 residents. Counties in California by traffic fatality rate, 2024. Dataset. Calculated from data by NHTSA and BEA. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://invokely.ai/docs/methodology#traffic_fatality_rate_per_100k.

Harvard

Invokely (no date) NHTSA FARS traffic fatalities divided by BEA mid-year population (SAINC1 and CAINC1), per 100,000 residents, Counties in California by traffic fatality rate, 2024 [Dataset]. Calculated from data by NHTSA and BEA. Available at: https://invokely.ai/docs/methodology#traffic_fatality_rate_per_100k (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{invokely_counties_in_california_by_2024,
  author = {{Invokely}},
  title = {{NHTSA FARS traffic fatalities divided by BEA mid-year population (SAINC1 and CAINC1), per 100,000 residents: Counties in California by traffic fatality rate, 2024}},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://invokely.ai/docs/methodology#traffic_fatality_rate_per_100k},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Calculated from data by NHTSA and BEA. Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/traffic-fatality-rate/california-counties. Publisher attribution: Invokely calculation from NHTSA FARS traffic fatalities divided by BEA mid-year population (SAINC1 and CAINC1), per 100,000 residents. https://invokely.ai/docs/methodology\#traffic\_fatality\_rate\_per\_100k. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - Invokely
TI  - NHTSA FARS traffic fatalities divided by BEA mid-year population (SAINC1 and CAINC1), per 100,000 residents: Counties in California by traffic fatality rate, 2024
PB  - Invokely
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://invokely.ai/docs/methodology#traffic_fatality_rate_per_100k
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/traffic-fatality-rate/california-counties
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Calculated from data by NHTSA and BEA.
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/traffic-fatality-rate/california-counties.
N1  - Publisher attribution: Invokely calculation from NHTSA FARS traffic fatalities divided by BEA mid-year population (SAINC1 and CAINC1), per 100,000 residents. https://invokely.ai/docs/methodology#traffic_fatality_rate_per_100k. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Rank Counties in California by traffic fatality rate using official data, and cite the source.
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Questions

Which county has the highest traffic fatality rate?

Alpine County, with 91 per 100,000 people in 2024, according to NHTSA and BEA.

Which county has the lowest traffic fatality rate?

San Mateo County, with 4 per 100,000 people in 2024.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: Invokely, NHTSA FARS traffic fatalities divided by BEA mid-year population (SAINC1 and CAINC1), per 100,000 residents. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Traffic fatality rate: other rankings

Counties in California: more rankings