Counties in California by traffic fatality rate

Alpine County had the highest traffic fatality rate of 58 counties in 2015, at 88.7 per 100,000 people. Marin County had the lowest, at 3 per 100,000 people. The median was 14.5 per 100,000 people and the figure for California was 8.7 per 100,000 people. Source: NHTSA and BEA.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest88.7Alpine County
Median14.558 counties
California8.7History

Map of counties, 2015

Alameda County: 5.5 per 100,000 peopleAlpine County: 88.7 per 100,000 peopleAmador County: 21.5 per 100,000 peopleButte County: 14.8 per 100,000 peopleCalaveras County: 24.8 per 100,000 peopleColusa County: 23.4 per 100,000 peopleContra Costa County: 6.7 per 100,000 peopleDel Norte County: 55.4 per 100,000 peopleEl Dorado County: 14.2 per 100,000 peopleFresno County: 10.5 per 100,000 peopleGlenn County: 21.4 per 100,000 peopleHumboldt County: 20.6 per 100,000 peopleImperial County: 15.7 per 100,000 peopleInyo County: 32.3 per 100,000 peopleKern County: 15.7 per 100,000 peopleKings County: 23.4 per 100,000 peopleLake County: 25.7 per 100,000 peopleLassen County: 27.6 per 100,000 peopleLos Angeles County: 6.4 per 100,000 peopleMadera County: 19 per 100,000 peopleMarin County: 3 per 100,000 peopleMariposa County: 17 per 100,000 peopleMendocino County: 11.1 per 100,000 peopleMerced County: 20.2 per 100,000 peopleModoc County: 33.3 per 100,000 peopleMono County: 44.8 per 100,000 peopleMonterey County: 11.3 per 100,000 peopleNapa County: 10.6 per 100,000 peopleNevada County: 13 per 100,000 peopleOrange County: 5.8 per 100,000 peoplePlacer County: 5.6 per 100,000 peoplePlumas County: 26.5 per 100,000 peopleRiverside County: 10.5 per 100,000 peopleSacramento County: 9.2 per 100,000 peopleSan Benito County: 15.4 per 100,000 peopleSan Bernardino County: 12.3 per 100,000 peopleSan Diego County: 7.5 per 100,000 peopleSan Francisco County: 4.4 per 100,000 peopleSan Joaquin County: 13.5 per 100,000 peopleSan Luis Obispo County: 12.1 per 100,000 peopleSan Mateo County: 4.3 per 100,000 peopleSanta Barbara County: 7.9 per 100,000 peopleSanta Clara County: 6.9 per 100,000 peopleSanta Cruz County: 6.9 per 100,000 peopleShasta County: 22.2 per 100,000 peopleSierra County: 31.8 per 100,000 peopleSiskiyou County: 27.5 per 100,000 peopleSolano County: 10.3 per 100,000 peopleSonoma County: 9.2 per 100,000 peopleStanislaus County: 9.2 per 100,000 peopleSutter County: 17.6 per 100,000 peopleTehama County: 29.8 per 100,000 peopleTrinity County: 33.1 per 100,000 peopleTulare County: 16.3 per 100,000 peopleTuolumne County: 31.4 per 100,000 peopleVentura County: 6.6 per 100,000 peopleYolo County: 12.4 per 100,000 peopleYuba County: 12 per 100,000 people
  • Under 6.9
  • 6.9 to 11
  • 11 to 14
  • 14 to 21
  • 21 to 28
  • 28 and over
per 100,000 people, 2015. Source: Invokely calculation with data from NHTSA, BEA. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

All counties, 2015

Alpine County: 88.7 per 100,000 peopleAlpine County88.7Del Norte County: 55.4 per 100,000 peopleDel Norte County55.4Mono County: 44.8 per 100,000 peopleMono County44.8Modoc County: 33.3 per 100,000 peopleModoc County33.3Trinity County: 33.1 per 100,000 peopleTrinity County33.1Inyo County: 32.3 per 100,000 peopleInyo County32.3Sierra County: 31.8 per 100,000 peopleSierra County31.8Tuolumne County: 31.4 per 100,000 peopleTuolumne County31.4Tehama County: 29.8 per 100,000 peopleTehama County29.8Lassen County: 27.6 per 100,000 peopleLassen County27.6Siskiyou County: 27.5 per 100,000 peopleSiskiyou County27.5Plumas County: 26.5 per 100,000 peoplePlumas County26.5Lake County: 25.7 per 100,000 peopleLake County25.7Calaveras County: 24.8 per 100,000 peopleCalaveras County24.8Colusa County: 23.4 per 100,000 peopleColusa County23.4Kings County: 23.4 per 100,000 peopleKings County23.4Shasta County: 22.2 per 100,000 peopleShasta County22.2Amador County: 21.5 per 100,000 peopleAmador County21.5Glenn County: 21.4 per 100,000 peopleGlenn County21.4Humboldt County: 20.6 per 100,000 peopleHumboldt County20.6Merced County: 20.2 per 100,000 peopleMerced County20.2Madera County: 19 per 100,000 peopleMadera County19Sutter County: 17.6 per 100,000 peopleSutter County17.6Mariposa County: 17 per 100,000 peopleMariposa County17Tulare County: 16.3 per 100,000 peopleTulare County16.3Imperial County: 15.7 per 100,000 peopleImperial County15.7Kern County: 15.7 per 100,000 peopleKern County15.7San Benito County: 15.4 per 100,000 peopleSan Benito County15.4Butte County: 14.8 per 100,000 peopleButte County14.8El Dorado County: 14.2 per 100,000 peopleEl Dorado County14.2San Joaquin County: 13.5 per 100,000 peopleSan Joaquin County13.5Nevada County: 13 per 100,000 peopleNevada County13Yolo County: 12.4 per 100,000 peopleYolo County12.4San Bernardino County: 12.3 per 100,000 peopleSan Bernardino County12.3San Luis Obispo County: 12.1 per 100,000 peopleSan Luis Obispo County12.1Yuba County: 12 per 100,000 peopleYuba County12Monterey County: 11.3 per 100,000 peopleMonterey County11.3Mendocino County: 11.1 per 100,000 peopleMendocino County11.1Napa County: 10.6 per 100,000 peopleNapa County10.6Fresno County: 10.5 per 100,000 peopleFresno County10.5Riverside County: 10.5 per 100,000 peopleRiverside County10.5Solano County: 10.3 per 100,000 peopleSolano County10.3Sacramento County: 9.2 per 100,000 peopleSacramento County9.2Sonoma County: 9.2 per 100,000 peopleSonoma County9.2Stanislaus County: 9.2 per 100,000 peopleStanislaus County9.2Santa Barbara County: 7.9 per 100,000 peopleSanta Barbara County7.9San Diego County: 7.5 per 100,000 peopleSan Diego County7.5Santa Cruz County: 6.9 per 100,000 peopleSanta Cruz County6.9Santa Clara County: 6.9 per 100,000 peopleSanta Clara County6.9Contra Costa County: 6.7 per 100,000 peopleContra Costa County6.7Ventura County: 6.6 per 100,000 peopleVentura County6.6Los Angeles County: 6.4 per 100,000 peopleLos Angeles County6.4Orange County: 5.8 per 100,000 peopleOrange County5.8Placer County: 5.6 per 100,000 peoplePlacer County5.6Alameda County: 5.5 per 100,000 peopleAlameda County5.5San Francisco County: 4.4 per 100,000 peopleSan Francisco County4.4San Mateo County: 4.3 per 100,000 peopleSan Mateo County4.3Marin County: 3 per 100,000 peopleMarin County3Alpine County: 88.7 per 100,000 peopleAlpine County88.7Del Norte County: 55.4 per 100,000 peopleDel Norte County55.4Mono County: 44.8 per 100,000 peopleMono County44.8Modoc County: 33.3 per 100,000 peopleModoc County33.3Trinity County: 33.1 per 100,000 peopleTrinity County33.1Inyo County: 32.3 per 100,000 peopleInyo County32.3Sierra County: 31.8 per 100,000 peopleSierra County31.8Tuolumne County: 31.4 per 100,000 peopleTuolumne County31.4Tehama County: 29.8 per 100,000 peopleTehama County29.8Lassen County: 27.6 per 100,000 peopleLassen County27.6Siskiyou County: 27.5 per 100,000 peopleSiskiyou County27.5Plumas County: 26.5 per 100,000 peoplePlumas County26.5Lake County: 25.7 per 100,000 peopleLake County25.7Calaveras County: 24.8 per 100,000 peopleCalaveras County24.8Colusa County: 23.4 per 100,000 peopleColusa County23.4Kings County: 23.4 per 100,000 peopleKings County23.4Shasta County: 22.2 per 100,000 peopleShasta County22.2Amador County: 21.5 per 100,000 peopleAmador County21.5Glenn County: 21.4 per 100,000 peopleGlenn County21.4Humboldt County: 20.6 per 100,000 peopleHumboldt County20.6Merced County: 20.2 per 100,000 peopleMerced County20.2Madera County: 19 per 100,000 peopleMadera County19Sutter County: 17.6 per 100,000 peopleSutter County17.6Mariposa County: 17 per 100,000 peopleMariposa County17Tulare County: 16.3 per 100,000 peopleTulare County16.3Imperial County: 15.7 per 100,000 peopleImperial County15.7Kern County: 15.7 per 100,000 peopleKern County15.7San Benito County: 15.4 per 100,000 peopleSan Benito County15.4Butte County: 14.8 per 100,000 peopleButte County14.8El Dorado County: 14.2 per 100,000 peopleEl Dorado County14.2San Joaquin County: 13.5 per 100,000 peopleSan Joaquin County13.5Nevada County: 13 per 100,000 peopleNevada County13Yolo County: 12.4 per 100,000 peopleYolo County12.4San Bernardino County: 12.3 per 100,000 peopleSan Bernardino County12.3San Luis Obispo County: 12.1 per 100,000 peopleSan Luis Obispo County12.1Yuba County: 12 per 100,000 peopleYuba County12Monterey County: 11.3 per 100,000 peopleMonterey County11.3Mendocino County: 11.1 per 100,000 peopleMendocino County11.1Napa County: 10.6 per 100,000 peopleNapa County10.6Fresno County: 10.5 per 100,000 peopleFresno County10.5Riverside County: 10.5 per 100,000 peopleRiverside County10.5Solano County: 10.3 per 100,000 peopleSolano County10.3Sacramento County: 9.2 per 100,000 peopleSacramento County9.2Sonoma County: 9.2 per 100,000 peopleSonoma County9.2Stanislaus County: 9.2 per 100,000 peopleStanislaus County9.2Santa Barbara County: 7.9 per 100,000 peopleSanta Barbara County7.9San Diego County: 7.5 per 100,000 peopleSan Diego County7.5Santa Cruz County: 6.9 per 100,000 peopleSanta Cruz County6.9Santa Clara County: 6.9 per 100,000 peopleSanta Clara County6.9Contra Costa County: 6.7 per 100,000 peopleContra Costa County6.7Ventura County: 6.6 per 100,000 peopleVentura County6.6Los Angeles County: 6.4 per 100,000 peopleLos Angeles County6.4Orange County: 5.8 per 100,000 peopleOrange County5.8Placer County: 5.6 per 100,000 peoplePlacer County5.6Alameda County: 5.5 per 100,000 peopleAlameda County5.5San Francisco County: 4.4 per 100,000 peopleSan Francisco County4.4San Mateo County: 4.3 per 100,000 peopleSan Mateo County4.3Marin County: 3 per 100,000 peopleMarin County3
per 100,000 people. Source: Invokely calculation with data from NHTSA, BEA. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2015
per 100,000 people
Change on 2014
1Alpine County88.7-0.5 pts
2Del Norte County55.4+25.9 pts
3Mono County44.8+8 pts
4Modoc County33.3+0.1 pts
5Trinity County33.1-21.1 pts
6Inyo County32.3+32.3 pts
7Sierra County31.8+31.8 pts
8Tuolumne County31.4+11.1 pts
9Tehama County29.8+7.7 pts
10Lassen County27.6+12.3 pts
11Siskiyou County27.5+6.9 pts
12Plumas County26.5-5.1 pts
13Lake County25.7+15 pts
14Calaveras County24.8+6.7 pts
15Colusa County23.4-9.5 pts
16Kings County23.4+15.3 pts
17Shasta County22.2+10 pts
18Amador County21.5+2.5 pts
19Glenn County21.4-21.4 pts
20Humboldt County20.6-3.8 pts
21Merced County20.2+6.2 pts
22Madera County19-2 pts
23Sutter County17.6+6.1 pts
24Mariposa County17-11.2 pts
25Tulare County16.3+3.2 pts
26Imperial County15.7-10.2 pts
27Kern County15.7+3 pts
28San Benito County15.4-0.1 pts
29Butte County14.8+4 pts
30El Dorado County14.2+1.5 pts
31San Joaquin County13.5+1.9 pts
32Nevada County13+8 pts
33Yolo County12.4+3.2 pts
34San Bernardino County12.3-1.3 pts
35San Luis Obispo County12.1+0.6 pts
36Yuba County12-0.1 pts
37Monterey County11.3+3.9 pts
38Mendocino County11.1-10.1 pts
39Napa County10.6+6.3 pts
40Fresno County10.5-1.7 pts
41Riverside County10.5-0.3 pts
42Solano County10.3-1 pts
43Sacramento County9.2+1.5 pts
44Sonoma County9.2+1.2 pts
45Stanislaus County9.2-2.6 pts
46Santa Barbara County7.9+2.7 pts
47San Diego County7.5+0.3 pts
48Santa Cruz County6.9-0.4 pts
49Santa Clara County6.9+1.3 pts
50Contra Costa County6.7+2.8 pts
51Ventura County6.6+1.2 pts
52Los Angeles County6.4+0.1 pts
53Orange County5.8+0.3 pts
54Placer County5.6+2.1 pts
55Alameda County5.5+0.3 pts
56San Francisco County4.4+0.5 pts
57San Mateo County4.3+1 pts
58Marin County3-0.8 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, 2015) [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, 2015. 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, 2015. 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, 2015 [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_2015,
  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, 2015}},
  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=2015. 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, 2015
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=2015
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=2015.
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 88.7 per 100,000 people in 2015, according to NHTSA and BEA.

Which county has the lowest traffic fatality rate?

Marin County, with 3 per 100,000 people in 2015.

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