Counties in California by traffic fatality rate

Sierra County had the highest traffic fatality rate of 58 counties in 2019, at 92.7 per 100,000 people. San Mateo County had the lowest, at 3.9 per 100,000 people. The median was 15.3 per 100,000 people and the figure for California was 9.4 per 100,000 people. Source: NHTSA and BEA.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest92.7Sierra County
Median15.358 counties
California9.4History

Map of counties, 2019

Alameda County: 5.6 per 100,000 peopleAlpine County: 83.5 per 100,000 peopleAmador County: 37.4 per 100,000 peopleButte County: 15.7 per 100,000 peopleCalaveras County: 24.3 per 100,000 peopleColusa County: 50.6 per 100,000 peopleContra Costa County: 6.6 per 100,000 peopleDel Norte County: 39.7 per 100,000 peopleEl Dorado County: 15.2 per 100,000 peopleFresno County: 13.5 per 100,000 peopleGlenn County: 24.2 per 100,000 peopleHumboldt County: 17.5 per 100,000 peopleImperial County: 17.8 per 100,000 peopleInyo County: 63.6 per 100,000 peopleKern County: 16.9 per 100,000 peopleKings County: 10.5 per 100,000 peopleLake County: 20.6 per 100,000 peopleLassen County: 18.2 per 100,000 peopleLos Angeles County: 7.1 per 100,000 peopleMadera County: 25.1 per 100,000 peopleMarin County: 7.6 per 100,000 peopleMariposa County: 23.4 per 100,000 peopleMendocino County: 25.1 per 100,000 peopleMerced County: 19.3 per 100,000 peopleModoc County: 68.4 per 100,000 peopleMono County: 60.4 per 100,000 peopleMonterey County: 8 per 100,000 peopleNapa County: 12.2 per 100,000 peopleNevada County: 9.8 per 100,000 peopleOrange County: 5.7 per 100,000 peoplePlacer County: 6 per 100,000 peoplePlumas County: 15.2 per 100,000 peopleRiverside County: 12.1 per 100,000 peopleSacramento County: 10.9 per 100,000 peopleSan Benito County: 15.8 per 100,000 peopleSan Bernardino County: 14.8 per 100,000 peopleSan Diego County: 7.7 per 100,000 peopleSan Francisco County: 4.4 per 100,000 peopleSan Joaquin County: 15.4 per 100,000 peopleSan Luis Obispo County: 11.7 per 100,000 peopleSan Mateo County: 3.9 per 100,000 peopleSanta Barbara County: 8.5 per 100,000 peopleSanta Clara County: 6.7 per 100,000 peopleSanta Cruz County: 7.3 per 100,000 peopleShasta County: 19.2 per 100,000 peopleSierra County: 92.7 per 100,000 peopleSiskiyou County: 22.6 per 100,000 peopleSolano County: 10.2 per 100,000 peopleSonoma County: 7.7 per 100,000 peopleStanislaus County: 13.2 per 100,000 peopleSutter County: 29.1 per 100,000 peopleTehama County: 30.2 per 100,000 peopleTrinity County: 56.6 per 100,000 peopleTulare County: 14.9 per 100,000 peopleTuolumne County: 23.5 per 100,000 peopleVentura County: 6 per 100,000 peopleYolo County: 12.9 per 100,000 peopleYuba County: 17.5 per 100,000 people
  • Under 7.5
  • 7.5 to 12
  • 12 to 15
  • 15 to 19
  • 19 to 30
  • 30 and over
per 100,000 people, 2019. Source: Invokely calculation with data from NHTSA, BEA. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

All counties, 2019

Sierra County: 92.7 per 100,000 peopleSierra County92.7Alpine County: 83.5 per 100,000 peopleAlpine County83.5Modoc County: 68.4 per 100,000 peopleModoc County68.4Inyo County: 63.6 per 100,000 peopleInyo County63.6Mono County: 60.4 per 100,000 peopleMono County60.4Trinity County: 56.6 per 100,000 peopleTrinity County56.6Colusa County: 50.6 per 100,000 peopleColusa County50.6Del Norte County: 39.7 per 100,000 peopleDel Norte County39.7Amador County: 37.4 per 100,000 peopleAmador County37.4Tehama County: 30.2 per 100,000 peopleTehama County30.2Sutter County: 29.1 per 100,000 peopleSutter County29.1Madera County: 25.1 per 100,000 peopleMadera County25.1Mendocino County: 25.1 per 100,000 peopleMendocino County25.1Calaveras County: 24.3 per 100,000 peopleCalaveras County24.3Glenn County: 24.2 per 100,000 peopleGlenn County24.2Tuolumne County: 23.5 per 100,000 peopleTuolumne County23.5Mariposa County: 23.4 per 100,000 peopleMariposa County23.4Siskiyou County: 22.6 per 100,000 peopleSiskiyou County22.6Lake County: 20.6 per 100,000 peopleLake County20.6Merced County: 19.3 per 100,000 peopleMerced County19.3Shasta County: 19.2 per 100,000 peopleShasta County19.2Lassen County: 18.2 per 100,000 peopleLassen County18.2Imperial County: 17.8 per 100,000 peopleImperial County17.8Humboldt County: 17.5 per 100,000 peopleHumboldt County17.5Yuba County: 17.5 per 100,000 peopleYuba County17.5Kern County: 16.9 per 100,000 peopleKern County16.9San Benito County: 15.8 per 100,000 peopleSan Benito County15.8Butte County: 15.7 per 100,000 peopleButte County15.7San Joaquin County: 15.4 per 100,000 peopleSan Joaquin County15.4El Dorado County: 15.2 per 100,000 peopleEl Dorado County15.2Plumas County: 15.2 per 100,000 peoplePlumas County15.2Tulare County: 14.9 per 100,000 peopleTulare County14.9San Bernardino County: 14.8 per 100,000 peopleSan Bernardino County14.8Fresno County: 13.5 per 100,000 peopleFresno County13.5Stanislaus County: 13.2 per 100,000 peopleStanislaus County13.2Yolo County: 12.9 per 100,000 peopleYolo County12.9Napa County: 12.2 per 100,000 peopleNapa County12.2Riverside County: 12.1 per 100,000 peopleRiverside County12.1San Luis Obispo County: 11.7 per 100,000 peopleSan Luis Obispo County11.7Sacramento County: 10.9 per 100,000 peopleSacramento County10.9Kings County: 10.5 per 100,000 peopleKings County10.5Solano County: 10.2 per 100,000 peopleSolano County10.2Nevada County: 9.8 per 100,000 peopleNevada County9.8Santa Barbara County: 8.5 per 100,000 peopleSanta Barbara County8.5Monterey County: 8 per 100,000 peopleMonterey County8Sonoma County: 7.7 per 100,000 peopleSonoma County7.7San Diego County: 7.7 per 100,000 peopleSan Diego County7.7Marin County: 7.6 per 100,000 peopleMarin County7.6Santa Cruz County: 7.3 per 100,000 peopleSanta Cruz County7.3Los Angeles County: 7.1 per 100,000 peopleLos Angeles County7.1Santa Clara County: 6.7 per 100,000 peopleSanta Clara County6.7Contra Costa County: 6.6 per 100,000 peopleContra Costa County6.6Ventura County: 6 per 100,000 peopleVentura County6Placer County: 6 per 100,000 peoplePlacer County6Orange County: 5.7 per 100,000 peopleOrange County5.7Alameda County: 5.6 per 100,000 peopleAlameda County5.6San Francisco County: 4.4 per 100,000 peopleSan Francisco County4.4San Mateo County: 3.9 per 100,000 peopleSan Mateo County3.9Sierra County: 92.7 per 100,000 peopleSierra County92.7Alpine County: 83.5 per 100,000 peopleAlpine County83.5Modoc County: 68.4 per 100,000 peopleModoc County68.4Inyo County: 63.6 per 100,000 peopleInyo County63.6Mono County: 60.4 per 100,000 peopleMono County60.4Trinity County: 56.6 per 100,000 peopleTrinity County56.6Colusa County: 50.6 per 100,000 peopleColusa County50.6Del Norte County: 39.7 per 100,000 peopleDel Norte County39.7Amador County: 37.4 per 100,000 peopleAmador County37.4Tehama County: 30.2 per 100,000 peopleTehama County30.2Sutter County: 29.1 per 100,000 peopleSutter County29.1Madera County: 25.1 per 100,000 peopleMadera County25.1Mendocino County: 25.1 per 100,000 peopleMendocino County25.1Calaveras County: 24.3 per 100,000 peopleCalaveras County24.3Glenn County: 24.2 per 100,000 peopleGlenn County24.2Tuolumne County: 23.5 per 100,000 peopleTuolumne County23.5Mariposa County: 23.4 per 100,000 peopleMariposa County23.4Siskiyou County: 22.6 per 100,000 peopleSiskiyou County22.6Lake County: 20.6 per 100,000 peopleLake County20.6Merced County: 19.3 per 100,000 peopleMerced County19.3Shasta County: 19.2 per 100,000 peopleShasta County19.2Lassen County: 18.2 per 100,000 peopleLassen County18.2Imperial County: 17.8 per 100,000 peopleImperial County17.8Humboldt County: 17.5 per 100,000 peopleHumboldt County17.5Yuba County: 17.5 per 100,000 peopleYuba County17.5Kern County: 16.9 per 100,000 peopleKern County16.9San Benito County: 15.8 per 100,000 peopleSan Benito County15.8Butte County: 15.7 per 100,000 peopleButte County15.7San Joaquin County: 15.4 per 100,000 peopleSan Joaquin County15.4El Dorado County: 15.2 per 100,000 peopleEl Dorado County15.2Plumas County: 15.2 per 100,000 peoplePlumas County15.2Tulare County: 14.9 per 100,000 peopleTulare County14.9San Bernardino County: 14.8 per 100,000 peopleSan Bernardino County14.8Fresno County: 13.5 per 100,000 peopleFresno County13.5Stanislaus County: 13.2 per 100,000 peopleStanislaus County13.2Yolo County: 12.9 per 100,000 peopleYolo County12.9Napa County: 12.2 per 100,000 peopleNapa County12.2Riverside County: 12.1 per 100,000 peopleRiverside County12.1San Luis Obispo County: 11.7 per 100,000 peopleSan Luis Obispo County11.7Sacramento County: 10.9 per 100,000 peopleSacramento County10.9Kings County: 10.5 per 100,000 peopleKings County10.5Solano County: 10.2 per 100,000 peopleSolano County10.2Nevada County: 9.8 per 100,000 peopleNevada County9.8Santa Barbara County: 8.5 per 100,000 peopleSanta Barbara County8.5Monterey County: 8 per 100,000 peopleMonterey County8Sonoma County: 7.7 per 100,000 peopleSonoma County7.7San Diego County: 7.7 per 100,000 peopleSan Diego County7.7Marin County: 7.6 per 100,000 peopleMarin County7.6Santa Cruz County: 7.3 per 100,000 peopleSanta Cruz County7.3Los Angeles County: 7.1 per 100,000 peopleLos Angeles County7.1Santa Clara County: 6.7 per 100,000 peopleSanta Clara County6.7Contra Costa County: 6.6 per 100,000 peopleContra Costa County6.6Ventura County: 6 per 100,000 peopleVentura County6Placer County: 6 per 100,000 peoplePlacer County6Orange County: 5.7 per 100,000 peopleOrange County5.7Alameda County: 5.6 per 100,000 peopleAlameda County5.6San Francisco County: 4.4 per 100,000 peopleSan Francisco County4.4San Mateo County: 3.9 per 100,000 peopleSan Mateo County3.9
per 100,000 people. Source: Invokely calculation with data from NHTSA, BEA. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2019
per 100,000 people
Change on 2018
1Sierra County92.7+61.5 pts
2Alpine County83.5-89.4 pts
3Modoc County68.4+45.5 pts
4Inyo County63.6+63.6 pts
5Mono County60.4-14.6 pts
6Trinity County56.6+5.9 pts
7Colusa County50.6-4.9 pts
8Del Norte County39.7+3.5 pts
9Amador County37.4+7.2 pts
10Tehama County30.2-3.7 pts
11Sutter County29.1+4.8 pts
12Madera County25.1+1.9 pts
13Mendocino County25.1-16.3 pts
14Calaveras County24.3-6.8 pts
15Glenn County24.2-7.6 pts
16Tuolumne County23.5+7.2 pts
17Mariposa County23.4+0.3 pts
18Siskiyou County22.6-18.2 pts
19Lake County20.6+4.3 pts
20Merced County19.3-0.6 pts
21Shasta County19.2+1.6 pts
22Lassen County18.2-18.5 pts
23Imperial County17.8-2.7 pts
24Humboldt County17.5+0.1 pts
25Yuba County17.5-10.4 pts
26Kern County16.9-0.3 pts
27San Benito County15.8-3.6 pts
28Butte County15.7-0.1 pts
29San Joaquin County15.4+0.8 pts
30El Dorado County15.2-1.7 pts
31Plumas County15.2-15.6 pts
32Tulare County14.9-0.5 pts
33San Bernardino County14.8-0.1 pts
34Fresno County13.5+1.5 pts
35Stanislaus County13.2-2.2 pts
36Yolo County12.9-1.4 pts
37Napa County12.2+1.5 pts
38Riverside County12.1-1 pts
39San Luis Obispo County11.7-2.8 pts
40Sacramento County10.9+1.8 pts
41Kings County10.5-3.4 pts
42Solano County10.2-2.9 pts
43Nevada County9.8-7.9 pts
44Santa Barbara County8.5+0.7 pts
45Monterey County8-2.7 pts
46Sonoma County7.7-0.3 pts
47San Diego County7.7-0.4 pts
48Marin County7.6+1.5 pts
49Santa Cruz County7.3-0.7 pts
50Los Angeles County7.1-0.1 pts
51Santa Clara County6.7+0.8 pts
52Contra Costa County6.6-0.2 pts
53Ventura County6-0.2 pts
54Placer County6-1.4 pts
55Orange County5.7-0.7 pts
56Alameda County5.6+0.6 pts
57San Francisco County4.4+1.4 pts
58San Mateo County3.90 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, 2019) [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, 2019. 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, 2019. 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, 2019 [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_2019,
  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, 2019}},
  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=2019. 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, 2019
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=2019
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=2019.
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?

Sierra County, with 92.7 per 100,000 people in 2019, according to NHTSA and BEA.

Which county has the lowest traffic fatality rate?

San Mateo County, with 3.9 per 100,000 people in 2019.

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