Counties in North Carolina by traffic fatality rate

Columbus County had the highest traffic fatality rate of 100 counties in 2017, at 56.8 per 100,000 people. Tyrrell County had the lowest, at 0 per 100,000 people. The median was 17.5 per 100,000 people and the figure for North Carolina was 13.9 per 100,000 people. Source: NHTSA and BEA.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest56.8Columbus County
Median17.5100 counties
North Carolina13.9History

Map of counties, 2017

Alamance County: 15.9 per 100,000 peopleAlexander County: 2.8 per 100,000 peopleAlleghany County: 18.6 per 100,000 peopleAnson County: 25.6 per 100,000 peopleAshe County: 7.6 per 100,000 peopleAvery County: 11.3 per 100,000 peopleBeaufort County: 24.3 per 100,000 peopleBertie County: 43 per 100,000 peopleBladen County: 32.2 per 100,000 peopleBrunswick County: 24.4 per 100,000 peopleBuncombe County: 12.2 per 100,000 peopleBurke County: 19.3 per 100,000 peopleCabarrus County: 8.1 per 100,000 peopleCaldwell County: 7.4 per 100,000 peopleCamden County: 19.8 per 100,000 peopleCarteret County: 4.4 per 100,000 peopleCaswell County: 26.3 per 100,000 peopleCatawba County: 12 per 100,000 peopleChatham County: 18.1 per 100,000 peopleCherokee County: 39.5 per 100,000 peopleChowan County: 21.6 per 100,000 peopleClay County: 27.9 per 100,000 peopleCleveland County: 10.2 per 100,000 peopleColumbus County: 56.8 per 100,000 peopleCraven County: 8.8 per 100,000 peopleCumberland County: 13 per 100,000 peopleCurrituck County: 19.4 per 100,000 peopleDare County: 5.6 per 100,000 peopleDavidson County: 13.9 per 100,000 peopleDavie County: 21.4 per 100,000 peopleDuplin County: 17.4 per 100,000 peopleDurham County: 10 per 100,000 peopleEdgecombe County: 27.3 per 100,000 peopleForsyth County: 11.2 per 100,000 peopleFranklin County: 21.8 per 100,000 peopleGaston County: 10.4 per 100,000 peopleGates County: 18.6 per 100,000 peopleGraham County: 24.4 per 100,000 peopleGranville County: 20.1 per 100,000 peopleGreene County: 24.3 per 100,000 peopleGuilford County: 12.5 per 100,000 peopleHalifax County: 23.7 per 100,000 peopleHarnett County: 26.1 per 100,000 peopleHaywood County: 16.5 per 100,000 peopleHenderson County: 10.5 per 100,000 peopleHertford County: 35.3 per 100,000 peopleHoke County: 34.9 per 100,000 peopleHyde County: 19.9 per 100,000 peopleIredell County: 17.5 per 100,000 peopleJackson County: 9.4 per 100,000 peopleJohnston County: 16.2 per 100,000 peopleJones County: 31.7 per 100,000 peopleLee County: 31.1 per 100,000 peopleLenoir County: 5.3 per 100,000 peopleLincoln County: 17.1 per 100,000 peopleMcDowell County: 11.3 per 100,000 peopleMacon County: 19.8 per 100,000 peopleMadison County: 28.3 per 100,000 peopleMartin County: 17.7 per 100,000 peopleMecklenburg County: 10.6 per 100,000 peopleMitchell County: 0 per 100,000 peopleMontgomery County: 49.6 per 100,000 peopleMoore County: 20 per 100,000 peopleNash County: 18 per 100,000 peopleNew Hanover County: 8.1 per 100,000 peopleNorthampton County: 48.3 per 100,000 peopleOnslow County: 9.2 per 100,000 peopleOrange County: 7 per 100,000 peoplePamlico County: 0 per 100,000 peoplePasquotank County: 5 per 100,000 peoplePender County: 29.4 per 100,000 peoplePerquimans County: 0 per 100,000 peoplePerson County: 23.2 per 100,000 peoplePitt County: 12.4 per 100,000 peoplePolk County: 15.5 per 100,000 peopleRandolph County: 17.5 per 100,000 peopleRichmond County: 20.6 per 100,000 peopleRobeson County: 43.2 per 100,000 peopleRockingham County: 8.8 per 100,000 peopleRowan County: 9.8 per 100,000 peopleRutherford County: 17 per 100,000 peopleSampson County: 30 per 100,000 peopleScotland County: 28.7 per 100,000 peopleStanly County: 19.7 per 100,000 peopleStokes County: 15.6 per 100,000 peopleSurry County: 11.1 per 100,000 peopleSwain County: 7 per 100,000 peopleTransylvania County: 21.4 per 100,000 peopleTyrrell County: 0 per 100,000 peopleUnion County: 12.3 per 100,000 peopleVance County: 21 per 100,000 peopleWake County: 4.9 per 100,000 peopleWarren County: 31.3 per 100,000 peopleWashington County: 25.9 per 100,000 peopleWatauga County: 7.5 per 100,000 peopleWayne County: 11 per 100,000 peopleWilkes County: 17.9 per 100,000 peopleWilson County: 25.3 per 100,000 peopleYadkin County: 16.1 per 100,000 peopleYancey County: 5.6 per 100,000 people
  • Under 8.1
  • 8.1 to 12
  • 12 to 18
  • 18 to 21
  • 21 to 28
  • 28 and over
per 100,000 people, 2017. Source: Invokely calculation with data from NHTSA, BEA. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2017

Columbus County: 56.8 per 100,000 peopleColumbus County56.8Montgomery County: 49.6 per 100,000 peopleMontgomery County49.6Northampton County: 48.3 per 100,000 peopleNorthampton County48.3Robeson County: 43.2 per 100,000 peopleRobeson County43.2Bertie County: 43 per 100,000 peopleBertie County43Cherokee County: 39.5 per 100,000 peopleCherokee County39.5Hertford County: 35.3 per 100,000 peopleHertford County35.3Hoke County: 34.9 per 100,000 peopleHoke County34.9Bladen County: 32.2 per 100,000 peopleBladen County32.2Jones County: 31.7 per 100,000 peopleJones County31.7Warren County: 31.3 per 100,000 peopleWarren County31.3Lee County: 31.1 per 100,000 peopleLee County31.1Sampson County: 30 per 100,000 peopleSampson County30Pender County: 29.4 per 100,000 peoplePender County29.4Scotland County: 28.7 per 100,000 peopleScotland County28.7Madison County: 28.3 per 100,000 peopleMadison County28.3Clay County: 27.9 per 100,000 peopleClay County27.9Edgecombe County: 27.3 per 100,000 peopleEdgecombe County27.3Caswell County: 26.3 per 100,000 peopleCaswell County26.3Harnett County: 26.1 per 100,000 peopleHarnett County26.1Washington County: 25.9 per 100,000 peopleWashington County25.9Anson County: 25.6 per 100,000 peopleAnson County25.6Wilson County: 25.3 per 100,000 peopleWilson County25.3Brunswick County: 24.4 per 100,000 peopleBrunswick County24.4Graham County: 24.4 per 100,000 peopleGraham County24.4Beaufort County: 24.3 per 100,000 peopleBeaufort County24.3Greene County: 24.3 per 100,000 peopleGreene County24.3Halifax County: 23.7 per 100,000 peopleHalifax County23.7Person County: 23.2 per 100,000 peoplePerson County23.2Franklin County: 21.8 per 100,000 peopleFranklin County21.8Chowan County: 21.6 per 100,000 peopleChowan County21.6Davie County: 21.4 per 100,000 peopleDavie County21.4Transylvania County: 21.4 per 100,000 peopleTransylvania County21.4Vance County: 21 per 100,000 peopleVance County21Richmond County: 20.6 per 100,000 peopleRichmond County20.6Granville County: 20.1 per 100,000 peopleGranville County20.1Moore County: 20 per 100,000 peopleMoore County20Hyde County: 19.9 per 100,000 peopleHyde County19.9Camden County: 19.8 per 100,000 peopleCamden County19.8Macon County: 19.8 per 100,000 peopleMacon County19.8Columbus County: 56.8 per 100,000 peopleColumbus County56.8Montgomery County: 49.6 per 100,000 peopleMontgomery County49.6Northampton County: 48.3 per 100,000 peopleNorthampton County48.3Robeson County: 43.2 per 100,000 peopleRobeson County43.2Bertie County: 43 per 100,000 peopleBertie County43Cherokee County: 39.5 per 100,000 peopleCherokee County39.5Hertford County: 35.3 per 100,000 peopleHertford County35.3Hoke County: 34.9 per 100,000 peopleHoke County34.9Bladen County: 32.2 per 100,000 peopleBladen County32.2Jones County: 31.7 per 100,000 peopleJones County31.7Warren County: 31.3 per 100,000 peopleWarren County31.3Lee County: 31.1 per 100,000 peopleLee County31.1Sampson County: 30 per 100,000 peopleSampson County30Pender County: 29.4 per 100,000 peoplePender County29.4Scotland County: 28.7 per 100,000 peopleScotland County28.7Madison County: 28.3 per 100,000 peopleMadison County28.3Clay County: 27.9 per 100,000 peopleClay County27.9Edgecombe County: 27.3 per 100,000 peopleEdgecombe County27.3Caswell County: 26.3 per 100,000 peopleCaswell County26.3Harnett County: 26.1 per 100,000 peopleHarnett County26.1Washington County: 25.9 per 100,000 peopleWashington County25.9Anson County: 25.6 per 100,000 peopleAnson County25.6Wilson County: 25.3 per 100,000 peopleWilson County25.3Brunswick County: 24.4 per 100,000 peopleBrunswick County24.4Graham County: 24.4 per 100,000 peopleGraham County24.4Beaufort County: 24.3 per 100,000 peopleBeaufort County24.3Greene County: 24.3 per 100,000 peopleGreene County24.3Halifax County: 23.7 per 100,000 peopleHalifax County23.7Person County: 23.2 per 100,000 peoplePerson County23.2Franklin County: 21.8 per 100,000 peopleFranklin County21.8Chowan County: 21.6 per 100,000 peopleChowan County21.6Davie County: 21.4 per 100,000 peopleDavie County21.4Transylvania County: 21.4 per 100,000 peopleTransylvania County21.4Vance County: 21 per 100,000 peopleVance County21Richmond County: 20.6 per 100,000 peopleRichmond County20.6Granville County: 20.1 per 100,000 peopleGranville County20.1Moore County: 20 per 100,000 peopleMoore County20Hyde County: 19.9 per 100,000 peopleHyde County19.9Camden County: 19.8 per 100,000 peopleCamden County19.8Macon County: 19.8 per 100,000 peopleMacon County19.8
per 100,000 people. Source: Invokely calculation with data from NHTSA, BEA. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2017
per 100,000 people
Change on 2016
1Columbus County56.8+8.3 pts
2Montgomery County49.6+19.3 pts
3Northampton County48.3+37.8 pts
4Robeson County43.2+12.7 pts
5Bertie County43+5.9 pts
6Cherokee County39.5+17.9 pts
7Hertford County35.3+5 pts
8Hoke County34.9+5.4 pts
9Bladen County32.2-18.4 pts
10Jones County31.7+0.1 pts
11Warren County31.3-20.5 pts
12Lee County31.1+17.8 pts
13Sampson County30-9.7 pts
14Pender County29.4+1 pts
15Scotland County28.7+14.4 pts
16Madison County28.3+14 pts
17Clay County27.9+8.9 pts
18Edgecombe County27.3+13.8 pts
19Caswell County26.3-4.3 pts
20Harnett County26.1+9 pts
21Washington County25.9+8.9 pts
22Anson County25.6+21.4 pts
23Wilson County25.3+2.6 pts
24Brunswick County24.4+11.8 pts
25Graham County24.4-36.2 pts
26Beaufort County24.3+11.2 pts
27Greene County24.3+19.4 pts
28Halifax County23.7+4.2 pts
29Person County23.2+15.4 pts
30Franklin County21.8-8.4 pts
31Chowan County21.6+7.4 pts
32Davie County21.4+4.6 pts
33Transylvania County21.4+18.3 pts
34Vance County21+0.2 pts
35Richmond County20.6-18 pts
36Granville County20.1-0.3 pts
37Moore County20-0.3 pts
38Hyde County19.9+19.9 pts
39Camden County19.8+19.8 pts
40Macon County19.8-3.1 pts
41Stanly County19.7-1.8 pts
42Currituck County19.4-16.3 pts
43Burke County19.3+1.1 pts
44Gates County18.6-8.9 pts
45Alleghany County18.6+9.2 pts
46Chatham County18.1-3.3 pts
47Nash County18-10.6 pts
48Wilkes County17.9+1.6 pts
49Martin County17.7-12.8 pts
50Iredell County17.5+4.3 pts
51Randolph County17.5+5.6 pts
52Duplin County17.4+2.3 pts
53Lincoln County17.1-0.3 pts
54Rutherford County17+7.7 pts
55Haywood County16.5-6.8 pts
56Johnston County16.2-1.5 pts
57Yadkin County16.1-5.3 pts
58Alamance County15.9+6.5 pts
59Stokes County15.6-4.3 pts
60Polk County15.5+5.2 pts
61Davidson County13.9-6.8 pts
62Cumberland County13+0.1 pts
63Guilford County12.5+1.2 pts
64Pitt County12.4-0.6 pts
65Union County12.3+0.2 pts
66Buncombe County12.2+2.6 pts
67Catawba County12+2.4 pts
68McDowell County11.3-6.8 pts
69Avery County11.3-5.7 pts
70Forsyth County11.2-0.1 pts
71Surry County11.1-13.9 pts
72Wayne County11-9 pts
73Mecklenburg County10.6+0.8 pts
74Henderson County10.5-1.9 pts
75Gaston County10.4-2.9 pts
76Cleveland County10.2-23.6 pts
77Durham County10+2.8 pts
78Rowan County9.8-4.3 pts
79Jackson County9.4-14.4 pts
80Onslow County9.2-1.2 pts
81Rockingham County8.8-13.1 pts
82Craven County8.8-9.8 pts
83New Hanover County8.1-1 pts
84Cabarrus County8.1-3.2 pts
85Ashe County7.6-19.1 pts
86Watauga County7.5-2 pts
87Caldwell County7.4-4.9 pts
88Swain County7-7.1 pts
89Orange County7-1.4 pts
90Dare County5.6-5.7 pts
91Yancey County5.6-22.5 pts
92Lenoir County5.3-10.5 pts
93Pasquotank County5-5.1 pts
94Wake County4.9-2.8 pts
95Carteret County4.4-8.9 pts
96Alexander County2.8-8.2 pts
97Mitchell County0-13.3 pts
97Pamlico County0-24 pts
97Perquimans County0-7.7 pts
97Tyrrell County00 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 North Carolina by traffic fatality rate, 2017) [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 North Carolina by traffic fatality rate, 2017. 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 North Carolina by traffic fatality rate, 2017. 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 North Carolina by traffic fatality rate, 2017 [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_north_carolina_2017,
  author = {{Invokely}},
  title = {{NHTSA FARS traffic fatalities divided by BEA mid-year population (SAINC1 and CAINC1), per 100,000 residents: Counties in North Carolina by traffic fatality rate, 2017}},
  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/north-carolina-counties?period=2017. 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 North Carolina by traffic fatality rate, 2017
PB  - Invokely
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://invokely.ai/docs/methodology#traffic_fatality_rate_per_100k
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/traffic-fatality-rate/north-carolina-counties?period=2017
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Calculated from data by NHTSA and BEA.
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/traffic-fatality-rate/north-carolina-counties?period=2017.
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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Questions

Which county has the highest traffic fatality rate?

Columbus County, with 56.8 per 100,000 people in 2017, according to NHTSA and BEA.

Which county has the lowest traffic fatality rate?

Tyrrell County, with 0 per 100,000 people in 2017.

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 North Carolina: more rankings