Counties in California by traffic fatality rate

Alpine County had the highest traffic fatality rate of 58 counties in 2020, at 84.8 per 100,000 people. Marin County had the lowest, at 3.1 per 100,000 people. The median was 15.3 per 100,000 people and the figure for California was 10.1 per 100,000 people. Source: NHTSA and BEA.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest84.8Alpine County
Lowest3.1Marin County
Median15.358 counties
California10.1History

Map of counties, 2020

Alameda County: 6.4 per 100,000 peopleAlpine County: 84.8 per 100,000 peopleAmador County: 39.4 per 100,000 peopleButte County: 22.4 per 100,000 peopleCalaveras County: 19.8 per 100,000 peopleColusa County: 36.6 per 100,000 peopleContra Costa County: 8.9 per 100,000 peopleDel Norte County: 14.5 per 100,000 peopleEl Dorado County: 9.9 per 100,000 peopleFresno County: 18 per 100,000 peopleGlenn County: 17.3 per 100,000 peopleHumboldt County: 15.4 per 100,000 peopleImperial County: 16.1 per 100,000 peopleInyo County: 63.2 per 100,000 peopleKern County: 22.7 per 100,000 peopleKings County: 17.7 per 100,000 peopleLake County: 26.4 per 100,000 peopleLassen County: 34 per 100,000 peopleLos Angeles County: 7.6 per 100,000 peopleMadera County: 19.2 per 100,000 peopleMarin County: 3.1 per 100,000 peopleMariposa County: 5.8 per 100,000 peopleMendocino County: 27.4 per 100,000 peopleMerced County: 16.3 per 100,000 peopleModoc County: 80.7 per 100,000 peopleMono County: 30.2 per 100,000 peopleMonterey County: 11.4 per 100,000 peopleNapa County: 15.3 per 100,000 peopleNevada County: 13.7 per 100,000 peopleOrange County: 6.1 per 100,000 peoplePlacer County: 8.6 per 100,000 peoplePlumas County: 20.2 per 100,000 peopleRiverside County: 12.8 per 100,000 peopleSacramento County: 10 per 100,000 peopleSan Benito County: 18.6 per 100,000 peopleSan Bernardino County: 16.9 per 100,000 peopleSan Diego County: 8.9 per 100,000 peopleSan Francisco County: 3.7 per 100,000 peopleSan Joaquin County: 15.1 per 100,000 peopleSan Luis Obispo County: 7.8 per 100,000 peopleSan Mateo County: 5.1 per 100,000 peopleSanta Barbara County: 6.2 per 100,000 peopleSanta Clara County: 6.1 per 100,000 peopleSanta Cruz County: 6.6 per 100,000 peopleShasta County: 22 per 100,000 peopleSierra County: 31 per 100,000 peopleSiskiyou County: 13.6 per 100,000 peopleSolano County: 9.3 per 100,000 peopleSonoma County: 6.8 per 100,000 peopleStanislaus County: 15.2 per 100,000 peopleSutter County: 16.1 per 100,000 peopleTehama County: 30.4 per 100,000 peopleTrinity County: 43.5 per 100,000 peopleTulare County: 17.5 per 100,000 peopleTuolumne County: 12.6 per 100,000 peopleVentura County: 7 per 100,000 peopleYolo County: 11.9 per 100,000 peopleYuba County: 15.9 per 100,000 people
  • Under 6.9
  • 6.9 to 11
  • 11 to 15
  • 15 to 18
  • 18 to 29
  • 29 and over
per 100,000 people, 2020. Source: Invokely calculation with data from NHTSA, BEA. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

All counties, 2020

Alpine County: 84.8 per 100,000 peopleAlpine County84.8Modoc County: 80.7 per 100,000 peopleModoc County80.7Inyo County: 63.2 per 100,000 peopleInyo County63.2Trinity County: 43.5 per 100,000 peopleTrinity County43.5Amador County: 39.4 per 100,000 peopleAmador County39.4Colusa County: 36.6 per 100,000 peopleColusa County36.6Lassen County: 34 per 100,000 peopleLassen County34Sierra County: 31 per 100,000 peopleSierra County31Tehama County: 30.4 per 100,000 peopleTehama County30.4Mono County: 30.2 per 100,000 peopleMono County30.2Mendocino County: 27.4 per 100,000 peopleMendocino County27.4Lake County: 26.4 per 100,000 peopleLake County26.4Kern County: 22.7 per 100,000 peopleKern County22.7Butte County: 22.4 per 100,000 peopleButte County22.4Shasta County: 22 per 100,000 peopleShasta County22Plumas County: 20.2 per 100,000 peoplePlumas County20.2Calaveras County: 19.8 per 100,000 peopleCalaveras County19.8Madera County: 19.2 per 100,000 peopleMadera County19.2San Benito County: 18.6 per 100,000 peopleSan Benito County18.6Fresno County: 18 per 100,000 peopleFresno County18Kings County: 17.7 per 100,000 peopleKings County17.7Tulare County: 17.5 per 100,000 peopleTulare County17.5Glenn County: 17.3 per 100,000 peopleGlenn County17.3San Bernardino County: 16.9 per 100,000 peopleSan Bernardino County16.9Merced County: 16.3 per 100,000 peopleMerced County16.3Imperial County: 16.1 per 100,000 peopleImperial County16.1Sutter County: 16.1 per 100,000 peopleSutter County16.1Yuba County: 15.9 per 100,000 peopleYuba County15.9Humboldt County: 15.4 per 100,000 peopleHumboldt County15.4Napa County: 15.3 per 100,000 peopleNapa County15.3Stanislaus County: 15.2 per 100,000 peopleStanislaus County15.2San Joaquin County: 15.1 per 100,000 peopleSan Joaquin County15.1Del Norte County: 14.5 per 100,000 peopleDel Norte County14.5Nevada County: 13.7 per 100,000 peopleNevada County13.7Siskiyou County: 13.6 per 100,000 peopleSiskiyou County13.6Riverside County: 12.8 per 100,000 peopleRiverside County12.8Tuolumne County: 12.6 per 100,000 peopleTuolumne County12.6Yolo County: 11.9 per 100,000 peopleYolo County11.9Monterey County: 11.4 per 100,000 peopleMonterey County11.4Sacramento County: 10 per 100,000 peopleSacramento County10El Dorado County: 9.9 per 100,000 peopleEl Dorado County9.9Solano County: 9.3 per 100,000 peopleSolano County9.3Contra Costa County: 8.9 per 100,000 peopleContra Costa County8.9San Diego County: 8.9 per 100,000 peopleSan Diego County8.9Placer County: 8.6 per 100,000 peoplePlacer County8.6San Luis Obispo County: 7.8 per 100,000 peopleSan Luis Obispo County7.8Los Angeles County: 7.6 per 100,000 peopleLos Angeles County7.6Ventura County: 7 per 100,000 peopleVentura County7Sonoma County: 6.8 per 100,000 peopleSonoma County6.8Santa Cruz County: 6.6 per 100,000 peopleSanta Cruz County6.6Alameda County: 6.4 per 100,000 peopleAlameda County6.4Santa Barbara County: 6.2 per 100,000 peopleSanta Barbara County6.2Santa Clara County: 6.1 per 100,000 peopleSanta Clara County6.1Orange County: 6.1 per 100,000 peopleOrange County6.1Mariposa County: 5.8 per 100,000 peopleMariposa County5.8San Mateo County: 5.1 per 100,000 peopleSan Mateo County5.1San Francisco County: 3.7 per 100,000 peopleSan Francisco County3.7Marin County: 3.1 per 100,000 peopleMarin County3.1Alpine County: 84.8 per 100,000 peopleAlpine County84.8Modoc County: 80.7 per 100,000 peopleModoc County80.7Inyo County: 63.2 per 100,000 peopleInyo County63.2Trinity County: 43.5 per 100,000 peopleTrinity County43.5Amador County: 39.4 per 100,000 peopleAmador County39.4Colusa County: 36.6 per 100,000 peopleColusa County36.6Lassen County: 34 per 100,000 peopleLassen County34Sierra County: 31 per 100,000 peopleSierra County31Tehama County: 30.4 per 100,000 peopleTehama County30.4Mono County: 30.2 per 100,000 peopleMono County30.2Mendocino County: 27.4 per 100,000 peopleMendocino County27.4Lake County: 26.4 per 100,000 peopleLake County26.4Kern County: 22.7 per 100,000 peopleKern County22.7Butte County: 22.4 per 100,000 peopleButte County22.4Shasta County: 22 per 100,000 peopleShasta County22Plumas County: 20.2 per 100,000 peoplePlumas County20.2Calaveras County: 19.8 per 100,000 peopleCalaveras County19.8Madera County: 19.2 per 100,000 peopleMadera County19.2San Benito County: 18.6 per 100,000 peopleSan Benito County18.6Fresno County: 18 per 100,000 peopleFresno County18Kings County: 17.7 per 100,000 peopleKings County17.7Tulare County: 17.5 per 100,000 peopleTulare County17.5Glenn County: 17.3 per 100,000 peopleGlenn County17.3San Bernardino County: 16.9 per 100,000 peopleSan Bernardino County16.9Merced County: 16.3 per 100,000 peopleMerced County16.3Imperial County: 16.1 per 100,000 peopleImperial County16.1Sutter County: 16.1 per 100,000 peopleSutter County16.1Yuba County: 15.9 per 100,000 peopleYuba County15.9Humboldt County: 15.4 per 100,000 peopleHumboldt County15.4Napa County: 15.3 per 100,000 peopleNapa County15.3Stanislaus County: 15.2 per 100,000 peopleStanislaus County15.2San Joaquin County: 15.1 per 100,000 peopleSan Joaquin County15.1Del Norte County: 14.5 per 100,000 peopleDel Norte County14.5Nevada County: 13.7 per 100,000 peopleNevada County13.7Siskiyou County: 13.6 per 100,000 peopleSiskiyou County13.6Riverside County: 12.8 per 100,000 peopleRiverside County12.8Tuolumne County: 12.6 per 100,000 peopleTuolumne County12.6Yolo County: 11.9 per 100,000 peopleYolo County11.9Monterey County: 11.4 per 100,000 peopleMonterey County11.4Sacramento County: 10 per 100,000 peopleSacramento County10El Dorado County: 9.9 per 100,000 peopleEl Dorado County9.9Solano County: 9.3 per 100,000 peopleSolano County9.3Contra Costa County: 8.9 per 100,000 peopleContra Costa County8.9San Diego County: 8.9 per 100,000 peopleSan Diego County8.9Placer County: 8.6 per 100,000 peoplePlacer County8.6San Luis Obispo County: 7.8 per 100,000 peopleSan Luis Obispo County7.8Los Angeles County: 7.6 per 100,000 peopleLos Angeles County7.6Ventura County: 7 per 100,000 peopleVentura County7Sonoma County: 6.8 per 100,000 peopleSonoma County6.8Santa Cruz County: 6.6 per 100,000 peopleSanta Cruz County6.6Alameda County: 6.4 per 100,000 peopleAlameda County6.4Santa Barbara County: 6.2 per 100,000 peopleSanta Barbara County6.2Santa Clara County: 6.1 per 100,000 peopleSanta Clara County6.1Orange County: 6.1 per 100,000 peopleOrange County6.1Mariposa County: 5.8 per 100,000 peopleMariposa County5.8San Mateo County: 5.1 per 100,000 peopleSan Mateo County5.1San Francisco County: 3.7 per 100,000 peopleSan Francisco County3.7Marin County: 3.1 per 100,000 peopleMarin County3.1
per 100,000 people. Source: Invokely calculation with data from NHTSA, BEA. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2020
per 100,000 people
Change on 2019
1Alpine County84.8+1.3 pts
2Modoc County80.7+12.3 pts
3Inyo County63.2-0.4 pts
4Trinity County43.5-13.1 pts
5Amador County39.4+2 pts
6Colusa County36.6-14 pts
7Lassen County34+15.9 pts
8Sierra County31-61.7 pts
9Tehama County30.4+0.2 pts
10Mono County30.2-30.2 pts
11Mendocino County27.4+2.3 pts
12Lake County26.4+5.8 pts
13Kern County22.7+5.9 pts
14Butte County22.4+6.6 pts
15Shasta County22+2.8 pts
16Plumas County20.2+5.1 pts
17Calaveras County19.8-4.5 pts
18Madera County19.2-5.9 pts
19San Benito County18.6+2.8 pts
20Fresno County18+4.5 pts
21Kings County17.7+7.2 pts
22Tulare County17.5+2.6 pts
23Glenn County17.3-6.8 pts
24San Bernardino County16.9+2.1 pts
25Merced County16.3-3.1 pts
26Imperial County16.1-1.7 pts
27Sutter County16.1-13 pts
28Yuba County15.9-1.6 pts
29Humboldt County15.4-2.1 pts
30Napa County15.3+3.1 pts
31Stanislaus County15.2+1.9 pts
32San Joaquin County15.1-0.3 pts
33Del Norte County14.5-25.2 pts
34Nevada County13.7+3.9 pts
35Siskiyou County13.6-8.9 pts
36Riverside County12.8+0.8 pts
37Tuolumne County12.6-10.9 pts
38Yolo County11.9-1 pts
39Monterey County11.4+3.4 pts
40Sacramento County10-0.9 pts
41El Dorado County9.9-5.2 pts
42Solano County9.3-0.9 pts
43Contra Costa County8.9+2.3 pts
44San Diego County8.9+1.2 pts
45Placer County8.6+2.6 pts
46San Luis Obispo County7.8-3.9 pts
47Los Angeles County7.6+0.5 pts
48Ventura County7+1 pts
49Sonoma County6.8-1 pts
50Santa Cruz County6.6-0.7 pts
51Alameda County6.4+0.8 pts
52Santa Barbara County6.2-2.2 pts
53Santa Clara County6.1-0.7 pts
54Orange County6.1+0.3 pts
55Mariposa County5.8-17.6 pts
56San Mateo County5.1+1.2 pts
57San Francisco County3.7-0.8 pts
58Marin County3.1-4.5 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, 2020) [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, 2020. 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, 2020. 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, 2020 [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_2020,
  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, 2020}},
  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=2020. 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, 2020
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=2020
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=2020.
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 84.8 per 100,000 people in 2020, according to NHTSA and BEA.

Which county has the lowest traffic fatality rate?

Marin County, with 3.1 per 100,000 people in 2020.

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