Counties in California by traffic fatality rate

Alpine County had the highest traffic fatality rate of 58 counties in 2013, at 86.2 per 100,000 people. San Francisco County had the lowest, at 4.2 per 100,000 people. The median was 12.9 per 100,000 people and the figure for California was 8.1 per 100,000 people. Source: NHTSA and BEA.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest86.2Alpine County
Median12.958 counties
California8.1History

Map of counties, 2013

Alameda County: 5.4 per 100,000 peopleAlpine County: 86.2 per 100,000 peopleAmador County: 13.6 per 100,000 peopleButte County: 9.5 per 100,000 peopleCalaveras County: 15.8 per 100,000 peopleColusa County: 42.2 per 100,000 peopleContra Costa County: 4.6 per 100,000 peopleDel Norte County: 43.2 per 100,000 peopleEl Dorado County: 14.4 per 100,000 peopleFresno County: 12.5 per 100,000 peopleGlenn County: 17.9 per 100,000 peopleHumboldt County: 20.8 per 100,000 peopleImperial County: 15.9 per 100,000 peopleInyo County: 16.1 per 100,000 peopleKern County: 15.1 per 100,000 peopleKings County: 10.7 per 100,000 peopleLake County: 33.8 per 100,000 peopleLassen County: 27.3 per 100,000 peopleLos Angeles County: 6.2 per 100,000 peopleMadera County: 13.9 per 100,000 peopleMarin County: 5.4 per 100,000 peopleMariposa County: 16.8 per 100,000 peopleMendocino County: 15.8 per 100,000 peopleMerced County: 18.3 per 100,000 peopleModoc County: 32.9 per 100,000 peopleMono County: 7.3 per 100,000 peopleMonterey County: 7.7 per 100,000 peopleNapa County: 11.4 per 100,000 peopleNevada County: 15.2 per 100,000 peopleOrange County: 6 per 100,000 peoplePlacer County: 5.7 per 100,000 peoplePlumas County: 15.7 per 100,000 peopleRiverside County: 10.1 per 100,000 peopleSacramento County: 8.4 per 100,000 peopleSan Benito County: 12.2 per 100,000 peopleSan Bernardino County: 12.6 per 100,000 peopleSan Diego County: 6.2 per 100,000 peopleSan Francisco County: 4.2 per 100,000 peopleSan Joaquin County: 13.2 per 100,000 peopleSan Luis Obispo County: 10.2 per 100,000 peopleSan Mateo County: 7.6 per 100,000 peopleSanta Barbara County: 7.1 per 100,000 peopleSanta Clara County: 5.1 per 100,000 peopleSanta Cruz County: 5.2 per 100,000 peopleShasta County: 13.4 per 100,000 peopleSierra County: 63.9 per 100,000 peopleSiskiyou County: 13.7 per 100,000 peopleSolano County: 9.2 per 100,000 peopleSonoma County: 6.1 per 100,000 peopleStanislaus County: 10.3 per 100,000 peopleSutter County: 14.7 per 100,000 peopleTehama County: 17.4 per 100,000 peopleTrinity County: 27.2 per 100,000 peopleTulare County: 11.9 per 100,000 peopleTuolumne County: 23.9 per 100,000 peopleVentura County: 7.9 per 100,000 peopleYolo County: 10.2 per 100,000 peopleYuba County: 23.1 per 100,000 people
  • Under 6.2
  • 6.2 to 10
  • 10 to 13
  • 13 to 16
  • 16 to 22
  • 22 and over
per 100,000 people, 2013. Source: Invokely calculation with data from NHTSA, BEA. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

All counties, 2013

Alpine County: 86.2 per 100,000 peopleAlpine County86.2Sierra County: 63.9 per 100,000 peopleSierra County63.9Del Norte County: 43.2 per 100,000 peopleDel Norte County43.2Colusa County: 42.2 per 100,000 peopleColusa County42.2Lake County: 33.8 per 100,000 peopleLake County33.8Modoc County: 32.9 per 100,000 peopleModoc County32.9Lassen County: 27.3 per 100,000 peopleLassen County27.3Trinity County: 27.2 per 100,000 peopleTrinity County27.2Tuolumne County: 23.9 per 100,000 peopleTuolumne County23.9Yuba County: 23.1 per 100,000 peopleYuba County23.1Humboldt County: 20.8 per 100,000 peopleHumboldt County20.8Merced County: 18.3 per 100,000 peopleMerced County18.3Glenn County: 17.9 per 100,000 peopleGlenn County17.9Tehama County: 17.4 per 100,000 peopleTehama County17.4Mariposa County: 16.8 per 100,000 peopleMariposa County16.8Inyo County: 16.1 per 100,000 peopleInyo County16.1Imperial County: 15.9 per 100,000 peopleImperial County15.9Calaveras County: 15.8 per 100,000 peopleCalaveras County15.8Mendocino County: 15.8 per 100,000 peopleMendocino County15.8Plumas County: 15.7 per 100,000 peoplePlumas County15.7Nevada County: 15.2 per 100,000 peopleNevada County15.2Kern County: 15.1 per 100,000 peopleKern County15.1Sutter County: 14.7 per 100,000 peopleSutter County14.7El Dorado County: 14.4 per 100,000 peopleEl Dorado County14.4Madera County: 13.9 per 100,000 peopleMadera County13.9Siskiyou County: 13.7 per 100,000 peopleSiskiyou County13.7Amador County: 13.6 per 100,000 peopleAmador County13.6Shasta County: 13.4 per 100,000 peopleShasta County13.4San Joaquin County: 13.2 per 100,000 peopleSan Joaquin County13.2San Bernardino County: 12.6 per 100,000 peopleSan Bernardino County12.6Fresno County: 12.5 per 100,000 peopleFresno County12.5San Benito County: 12.2 per 100,000 peopleSan Benito County12.2Tulare County: 11.9 per 100,000 peopleTulare County11.9Napa County: 11.4 per 100,000 peopleNapa County11.4Kings County: 10.7 per 100,000 peopleKings County10.7Stanislaus County: 10.3 per 100,000 peopleStanislaus County10.3Yolo County: 10.2 per 100,000 peopleYolo County10.2San Luis Obispo County: 10.2 per 100,000 peopleSan Luis Obispo County10.2Riverside County: 10.1 per 100,000 peopleRiverside County10.1Butte County: 9.5 per 100,000 peopleButte County9.5Solano County: 9.2 per 100,000 peopleSolano County9.2Sacramento County: 8.4 per 100,000 peopleSacramento County8.4Ventura County: 7.9 per 100,000 peopleVentura County7.9Monterey County: 7.7 per 100,000 peopleMonterey County7.7San Mateo County: 7.6 per 100,000 peopleSan Mateo County7.6Mono County: 7.3 per 100,000 peopleMono County7.3Santa Barbara County: 7.1 per 100,000 peopleSanta Barbara County7.1Los Angeles County: 6.2 per 100,000 peopleLos Angeles County6.2San Diego County: 6.2 per 100,000 peopleSan Diego County6.2Sonoma County: 6.1 per 100,000 peopleSonoma County6.1Orange County: 6 per 100,000 peopleOrange County6Placer County: 5.7 per 100,000 peoplePlacer County5.7Alameda County: 5.4 per 100,000 peopleAlameda County5.4Marin County: 5.4 per 100,000 peopleMarin County5.4Santa Cruz County: 5.2 per 100,000 peopleSanta Cruz County5.2Santa Clara County: 5.1 per 100,000 peopleSanta Clara County5.1Contra Costa County: 4.6 per 100,000 peopleContra Costa County4.6San Francisco County: 4.2 per 100,000 peopleSan Francisco County4.2Alpine County: 86.2 per 100,000 peopleAlpine County86.2Sierra County: 63.9 per 100,000 peopleSierra County63.9Del Norte County: 43.2 per 100,000 peopleDel Norte County43.2Colusa County: 42.2 per 100,000 peopleColusa County42.2Lake County: 33.8 per 100,000 peopleLake County33.8Modoc County: 32.9 per 100,000 peopleModoc County32.9Lassen County: 27.3 per 100,000 peopleLassen County27.3Trinity County: 27.2 per 100,000 peopleTrinity County27.2Tuolumne County: 23.9 per 100,000 peopleTuolumne County23.9Yuba County: 23.1 per 100,000 peopleYuba County23.1Humboldt County: 20.8 per 100,000 peopleHumboldt County20.8Merced County: 18.3 per 100,000 peopleMerced County18.3Glenn County: 17.9 per 100,000 peopleGlenn County17.9Tehama County: 17.4 per 100,000 peopleTehama County17.4Mariposa County: 16.8 per 100,000 peopleMariposa County16.8Inyo County: 16.1 per 100,000 peopleInyo County16.1Imperial County: 15.9 per 100,000 peopleImperial County15.9Calaveras County: 15.8 per 100,000 peopleCalaveras County15.8Mendocino County: 15.8 per 100,000 peopleMendocino County15.8Plumas County: 15.7 per 100,000 peoplePlumas County15.7Nevada County: 15.2 per 100,000 peopleNevada County15.2Kern County: 15.1 per 100,000 peopleKern County15.1Sutter County: 14.7 per 100,000 peopleSutter County14.7El Dorado County: 14.4 per 100,000 peopleEl Dorado County14.4Madera County: 13.9 per 100,000 peopleMadera County13.9Siskiyou County: 13.7 per 100,000 peopleSiskiyou County13.7Amador County: 13.6 per 100,000 peopleAmador County13.6Shasta County: 13.4 per 100,000 peopleShasta County13.4San Joaquin County: 13.2 per 100,000 peopleSan Joaquin County13.2San Bernardino County: 12.6 per 100,000 peopleSan Bernardino County12.6Fresno County: 12.5 per 100,000 peopleFresno County12.5San Benito County: 12.2 per 100,000 peopleSan Benito County12.2Tulare County: 11.9 per 100,000 peopleTulare County11.9Napa County: 11.4 per 100,000 peopleNapa County11.4Kings County: 10.7 per 100,000 peopleKings County10.7Stanislaus County: 10.3 per 100,000 peopleStanislaus County10.3Yolo County: 10.2 per 100,000 peopleYolo County10.2San Luis Obispo County: 10.2 per 100,000 peopleSan Luis Obispo County10.2Riverside County: 10.1 per 100,000 peopleRiverside County10.1Butte County: 9.5 per 100,000 peopleButte County9.5Solano County: 9.2 per 100,000 peopleSolano County9.2Sacramento County: 8.4 per 100,000 peopleSacramento County8.4Ventura County: 7.9 per 100,000 peopleVentura County7.9Monterey County: 7.7 per 100,000 peopleMonterey County7.7San Mateo County: 7.6 per 100,000 peopleSan Mateo County7.6Mono County: 7.3 per 100,000 peopleMono County7.3Santa Barbara County: 7.1 per 100,000 peopleSanta Barbara County7.1Los Angeles County: 6.2 per 100,000 peopleLos Angeles County6.2San Diego County: 6.2 per 100,000 peopleSan Diego County6.2Sonoma County: 6.1 per 100,000 peopleSonoma County6.1Orange County: 6 per 100,000 peopleOrange County6Placer County: 5.7 per 100,000 peoplePlacer County5.7Alameda County: 5.4 per 100,000 peopleAlameda County5.4Marin County: 5.4 per 100,000 peopleMarin County5.4Santa Cruz County: 5.2 per 100,000 peopleSanta Cruz County5.2Santa Clara County: 5.1 per 100,000 peopleSanta Clara County5.1Contra Costa County: 4.6 per 100,000 peopleContra Costa County4.6San Francisco County: 4.2 per 100,000 peopleSan Francisco County4.2
per 100,000 people. Source: Invokely calculation with data from NHTSA, BEA. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2013
per 100,000 people
Change on 2012
1Alpine County86.2-2.1 pts
2Sierra County63.9-63.6 pts
3Del Norte County43.2+11.3 pts
4Colusa County42.2+14.1 pts
5Lake County33.8+7.6 pts
6Modoc County32.9+22.2 pts
7Lassen County27.3+1 pts
8Trinity County27.2+6.4 pts
9Tuolumne County23.9+12.9 pts
10Yuba County23.1-2.9 pts
11Humboldt County20.8-1.5 pts
12Merced County18.3+1.1 pts
13Glenn County17.9+3.6 pts
14Tehama County17.4+1.6 pts
15Mariposa County16.8-16.7 pts
16Inyo County16.1-21.6 pts
17Imperial County15.9-2.2 pts
18Calaveras County15.8-6.6 pts
19Mendocino County15.8-10.2 pts
20Plumas County15.7-25.2 pts
21Nevada County15.2-1 pts
22Kern County15.1+0.3 pts
23Sutter County14.7+6.2 pts
24El Dorado County14.4+1.6 pts
25Madera County13.9-5.9 pts
26Siskiyou County13.7-17.9 pts
27Amador County13.6-2.5 pts
28Shasta County13.4-2.3 pts
29San Joaquin County13.2+4.2 pts
30San Bernardino County12.6+0.9 pts
31Fresno County12.50 pts
32San Benito County12.2-5.4 pts
33Tulare County11.9-3.4 pts
34Napa County11.4+6.4 pts
35Kings County10.7-3.9 pts
36Stanislaus County10.3+1.7 pts
37Yolo County10.2-1.5 pts
38San Luis Obispo County10.2-0.4 pts
39Riverside County10.1+0.6 pts
40Butte County9.5-0.9 pts
41Solano County9.2+4.4 pts
42Sacramento County8.4+0.8 pts
43Ventura County7.9+2.1 pts
44Monterey County7.7+1.1 pts
45San Mateo County7.6+2.3 pts
46Mono County7.3-28.3 pts
47Santa Barbara County7.1-0.1 pts
48Los Angeles County6.2+0.1 pts
49San Diego County6.2-0.6 pts
50Sonoma County6.1-1.5 pts
51Orange County6+1 pts
52Placer County5.7-1.7 pts
53Alameda County5.4+0.8 pts
54Marin County5.4+1.9 pts
55Santa Cruz County5.2+1.5 pts
56Santa Clara County5.1+0.3 pts
57Contra Costa County4.6-1 pts
58San Francisco County4.2+0.5 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, 2013) [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, 2013. 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, 2013. 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, 2013 [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_2013,
  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, 2013}},
  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?period=2013. 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, 2013
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?period=2013
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?period=2013.
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 86.2 per 100,000 people in 2013, according to NHTSA and BEA.

Which county has the lowest traffic fatality rate?

San Francisco County, with 4.2 per 100,000 people in 2013.

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