Counties in California by traffic fatality rate

Alpine County had the highest traffic fatality rate of 58 counties in 2022, at 171.1 per 100,000 people. San Francisco County had the lowest, at 5.2 per 100,000 people. The median was 17.2 per 100,000 people and the figure for California was 11.6 per 100,000 people. Source: NHTSA and BEA.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest171.1Alpine County
Median17.258 counties
California11.6History

Map of counties, 2022

Alameda County: 6.7 per 100,000 peopleAlpine County: 171.1 per 100,000 peopleAmador County: 16.9 per 100,000 peopleButte County: 15.4 per 100,000 peopleCalaveras County: 34.4 per 100,000 peopleColusa County: 54.7 per 100,000 peopleContra Costa County: 5.9 per 100,000 peopleDel Norte County: 18.7 per 100,000 peopleEl Dorado County: 14.5 per 100,000 peopleFresno County: 20.1 per 100,000 peopleGlenn County: 24.7 per 100,000 peopleHumboldt County: 18.5 per 100,000 peopleImperial County: 22.3 per 100,000 peopleInyo County: 64 per 100,000 peopleKern County: 24 per 100,000 peopleKings County: 26.2 per 100,000 peopleLake County: 26.4 per 100,000 peopleLassen County: 23 per 100,000 peopleLos Angeles County: 8.9 per 100,000 peopleMadera County: 29.9 per 100,000 peopleMarin County: 6.2 per 100,000 peopleMariposa County: 5.9 per 100,000 peopleMendocino County: 18.9 per 100,000 peopleMerced County: 24.3 per 100,000 peopleModoc County: 34.8 per 100,000 peopleMono County: 30.6 per 100,000 peopleMonterey County: 13.1 per 100,000 peopleNapa County: 8.2 per 100,000 peopleNevada County: 17.6 per 100,000 peopleOrange County: 7.9 per 100,000 peoplePlacer County: 9.1 per 100,000 peoplePlumas County: 25.7 per 100,000 peopleRiverside County: 14.4 per 100,000 peopleSacramento County: 13.7 per 100,000 peopleSan Benito County: 32.5 per 100,000 peopleSan Bernardino County: 21 per 100,000 peopleSan Diego County: 8.7 per 100,000 peopleSan Francisco County: 5.2 per 100,000 peopleSan Joaquin County: 16.8 per 100,000 peopleSan Luis Obispo County: 12.4 per 100,000 peopleSan Mateo County: 6.6 per 100,000 peopleSanta Barbara County: 8.8 per 100,000 peopleSanta Clara County: 6 per 100,000 peopleSanta Cruz County: 10.2 per 100,000 peopleShasta County: 17.1 per 100,000 peopleSierra County: 62.2 per 100,000 peopleSiskiyou County: 38.9 per 100,000 peopleSolano County: 16.7 per 100,000 peopleSonoma County: 7.9 per 100,000 peopleStanislaus County: 15.9 per 100,000 peopleSutter County: 15.2 per 100,000 peopleTehama County: 29.1 per 100,000 peopleTrinity County: 38 per 100,000 peopleTulare County: 17.4 per 100,000 peopleTuolumne County: 31.5 per 100,000 peopleVentura County: 6.8 per 100,000 peopleYolo County: 15.2 per 100,000 peopleYuba County: 20.2 per 100,000 people
  • Under 8
  • 8 to 14
  • 14 to 17
  • 17 to 23
  • 23 to 31
  • 31 and over
per 100,000 people, 2022. Source: Invokely calculation with data from NHTSA, BEA. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

All counties, 2022

Alpine County: 171.1 per 100,000 peopleAlpine County171.1Inyo County: 64 per 100,000 peopleInyo County64Sierra County: 62.2 per 100,000 peopleSierra County62.2Colusa County: 54.7 per 100,000 peopleColusa County54.7Siskiyou County: 38.9 per 100,000 peopleSiskiyou County38.9Trinity County: 38 per 100,000 peopleTrinity County38Modoc County: 34.8 per 100,000 peopleModoc County34.8Calaveras County: 34.4 per 100,000 peopleCalaveras County34.4San Benito County: 32.5 per 100,000 peopleSan Benito County32.5Tuolumne County: 31.5 per 100,000 peopleTuolumne County31.5Mono County: 30.6 per 100,000 peopleMono County30.6Madera County: 29.9 per 100,000 peopleMadera County29.9Tehama County: 29.1 per 100,000 peopleTehama County29.1Lake County: 26.4 per 100,000 peopleLake County26.4Kings County: 26.2 per 100,000 peopleKings County26.2Plumas County: 25.7 per 100,000 peoplePlumas County25.7Glenn County: 24.7 per 100,000 peopleGlenn County24.7Merced County: 24.3 per 100,000 peopleMerced County24.3Kern County: 24 per 100,000 peopleKern County24Lassen County: 23 per 100,000 peopleLassen County23Imperial County: 22.3 per 100,000 peopleImperial County22.3San Bernardino County: 21 per 100,000 peopleSan Bernardino County21Yuba County: 20.2 per 100,000 peopleYuba County20.2Fresno County: 20.1 per 100,000 peopleFresno County20.1Mendocino County: 18.9 per 100,000 peopleMendocino County18.9Del Norte County: 18.7 per 100,000 peopleDel Norte County18.7Humboldt County: 18.5 per 100,000 peopleHumboldt County18.5Nevada County: 17.6 per 100,000 peopleNevada County17.6Tulare County: 17.4 per 100,000 peopleTulare County17.4Shasta County: 17.1 per 100,000 peopleShasta County17.1Amador County: 16.9 per 100,000 peopleAmador County16.9San Joaquin County: 16.8 per 100,000 peopleSan Joaquin County16.8Solano County: 16.7 per 100,000 peopleSolano County16.7Stanislaus County: 15.9 per 100,000 peopleStanislaus County15.9Butte County: 15.4 per 100,000 peopleButte County15.4Yolo County: 15.2 per 100,000 peopleYolo County15.2Sutter County: 15.2 per 100,000 peopleSutter County15.2El Dorado County: 14.5 per 100,000 peopleEl Dorado County14.5Riverside County: 14.4 per 100,000 peopleRiverside County14.4Sacramento County: 13.7 per 100,000 peopleSacramento County13.7Monterey County: 13.1 per 100,000 peopleMonterey County13.1San Luis Obispo County: 12.4 per 100,000 peopleSan Luis Obispo County12.4Santa Cruz County: 10.2 per 100,000 peopleSanta Cruz County10.2Placer County: 9.1 per 100,000 peoplePlacer County9.1Los Angeles County: 8.9 per 100,000 peopleLos Angeles County8.9Santa Barbara County: 8.8 per 100,000 peopleSanta Barbara County8.8San Diego County: 8.7 per 100,000 peopleSan Diego County8.7Napa County: 8.2 per 100,000 peopleNapa County8.2Orange County: 7.9 per 100,000 peopleOrange County7.9Sonoma County: 7.9 per 100,000 peopleSonoma County7.9Ventura County: 6.8 per 100,000 peopleVentura County6.8Alameda County: 6.7 per 100,000 peopleAlameda County6.7San Mateo County: 6.6 per 100,000 peopleSan Mateo County6.6Marin County: 6.2 per 100,000 peopleMarin County6.2Santa Clara County: 6 per 100,000 peopleSanta Clara County6Contra Costa County: 5.9 per 100,000 peopleContra Costa County5.9Mariposa County: 5.9 per 100,000 peopleMariposa County5.9San Francisco County: 5.2 per 100,000 peopleSan Francisco County5.2Alpine County: 171.1 per 100,000 peopleAlpine County171.1Inyo County: 64 per 100,000 peopleInyo County64Sierra County: 62.2 per 100,000 peopleSierra County62.2Colusa County: 54.7 per 100,000 peopleColusa County54.7Siskiyou County: 38.9 per 100,000 peopleSiskiyou County38.9Trinity County: 38 per 100,000 peopleTrinity County38Modoc County: 34.8 per 100,000 peopleModoc County34.8Calaveras County: 34.4 per 100,000 peopleCalaveras County34.4San Benito County: 32.5 per 100,000 peopleSan Benito County32.5Tuolumne County: 31.5 per 100,000 peopleTuolumne County31.5Mono County: 30.6 per 100,000 peopleMono County30.6Madera County: 29.9 per 100,000 peopleMadera County29.9Tehama County: 29.1 per 100,000 peopleTehama County29.1Lake County: 26.4 per 100,000 peopleLake County26.4Kings County: 26.2 per 100,000 peopleKings County26.2Plumas County: 25.7 per 100,000 peoplePlumas County25.7Glenn County: 24.7 per 100,000 peopleGlenn County24.7Merced County: 24.3 per 100,000 peopleMerced County24.3Kern County: 24 per 100,000 peopleKern County24Lassen County: 23 per 100,000 peopleLassen County23Imperial County: 22.3 per 100,000 peopleImperial County22.3San Bernardino County: 21 per 100,000 peopleSan Bernardino County21Yuba County: 20.2 per 100,000 peopleYuba County20.2Fresno County: 20.1 per 100,000 peopleFresno County20.1Mendocino County: 18.9 per 100,000 peopleMendocino County18.9Del Norte County: 18.7 per 100,000 peopleDel Norte County18.7Humboldt County: 18.5 per 100,000 peopleHumboldt County18.5Nevada County: 17.6 per 100,000 peopleNevada County17.6Tulare County: 17.4 per 100,000 peopleTulare County17.4Shasta County: 17.1 per 100,000 peopleShasta County17.1Amador County: 16.9 per 100,000 peopleAmador County16.9San Joaquin County: 16.8 per 100,000 peopleSan Joaquin County16.8Solano County: 16.7 per 100,000 peopleSolano County16.7Stanislaus County: 15.9 per 100,000 peopleStanislaus County15.9Butte County: 15.4 per 100,000 peopleButte County15.4Yolo County: 15.2 per 100,000 peopleYolo County15.2Sutter County: 15.2 per 100,000 peopleSutter County15.2El Dorado County: 14.5 per 100,000 peopleEl Dorado County14.5Riverside County: 14.4 per 100,000 peopleRiverside County14.4Sacramento County: 13.7 per 100,000 peopleSacramento County13.7Monterey County: 13.1 per 100,000 peopleMonterey County13.1San Luis Obispo County: 12.4 per 100,000 peopleSan Luis Obispo County12.4Santa Cruz County: 10.2 per 100,000 peopleSanta Cruz County10.2Placer County: 9.1 per 100,000 peoplePlacer County9.1Los Angeles County: 8.9 per 100,000 peopleLos Angeles County8.9Santa Barbara County: 8.8 per 100,000 peopleSanta Barbara County8.8San Diego County: 8.7 per 100,000 peopleSan Diego County8.7Napa County: 8.2 per 100,000 peopleNapa County8.2Orange County: 7.9 per 100,000 peopleOrange County7.9Sonoma County: 7.9 per 100,000 peopleSonoma County7.9Ventura County: 6.8 per 100,000 peopleVentura County6.8Alameda County: 6.7 per 100,000 peopleAlameda County6.7San Mateo County: 6.6 per 100,000 peopleSan Mateo County6.6Marin County: 6.2 per 100,000 peopleMarin County6.2Santa Clara County: 6 per 100,000 peopleSanta Clara County6Contra Costa County: 5.9 per 100,000 peopleContra Costa County5.9Mariposa County: 5.9 per 100,000 peopleMariposa County5.9San Francisco County: 5.2 per 100,000 peopleSan Francisco County5.2
per 100,000 people. Source: Invokely calculation with data from NHTSA, BEA. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2022
per 100,000 people
Change on 2021
1Alpine County171.1+171.1 pts
2Inyo County64+48.2 pts
3Sierra County62.2+62.2 pts
4Colusa County54.7+31.9 pts
5Siskiyou County38.9-6.4 pts
6Trinity County38-42.7 pts
7Modoc County34.8+11.6 pts
8Calaveras County34.4+4.1 pts
9San Benito County32.5+17.5 pts
10Tuolumne County31.5+9.7 pts
11Mono County30.6+8 pts
12Madera County29.9+4.8 pts
13Tehama County29.1+9.3 pts
14Lake County26.4-4.2 pts
15Kings County26.2+9.8 pts
16Plumas County25.7-9.3 pts
17Glenn County24.7+0.3 pts
18Merced County24.3+0.8 pts
19Kern County24-0.7 pts
20Lassen County23-30.3 pts
21Imperial County22.3-8.4 pts
22San Bernardino County21+1.7 pts
23Yuba County20.2-12.4 pts
24Fresno County20.1+0.3 pts
25Mendocino County18.9-3 pts
26Del Norte County18.7-3.1 pts
27Humboldt County18.5+7.4 pts
28Nevada County17.6-6.6 pts
29Tulare County17.4-1.7 pts
30Shasta County17.1-4.3 pts
31Amador County16.9-19.5 pts
32San Joaquin County16.8-1.3 pts
33Solano County16.7+7.1 pts
34Stanislaus County15.9-5.6 pts
35Butte County15.4-11.2 pts
36Yolo County15.2+0.2 pts
37Sutter County15.2+0.1 pts
38El Dorado County14.5+1.1 pts
39Riverside County14.4+1.1 pts
40Sacramento County13.7-0.3 pts
41Monterey County13.1+2.4 pts
42San Luis Obispo County12.4+2.7 pts
43Santa Cruz County10.2-0.6 pts
44Placer County9.1+0.8 pts
45Los Angeles County8.9+0.2 pts
46Santa Barbara County8.8-2.9 pts
47San Diego County8.7-0.9 pts
48Napa County8.2-4.3 pts
49Orange County7.9+0.6 pts
50Sonoma County7.9-2.5 pts
51Ventura County6.8-0.4 pts
52Alameda County6.7+0.6 pts
53San Mateo County6.6+1.7 pts
54Marin County6.2+3.9 pts
55Santa Clara County6-0.9 pts
56Contra Costa County5.9-2.2 pts
57Mariposa County5.90 pts
58San Francisco County5.2+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, 2022) [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, 2022. 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, 2022. 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, 2022 [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_2022,
  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, 2022}},
  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=2022. 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, 2022
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=2022
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=2022.
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 171.1 per 100,000 people in 2022, according to NHTSA and BEA.

Which county has the lowest traffic fatality rate?

San Francisco County, with 5.2 per 100,000 people in 2022.

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