Data / Rankings / Traffic fatality rate / Counties in North Carolina

Counties in North Carolina by traffic fatality rate

Scotland County had the highest traffic fatality rate of 100 counties in 2021, at 83.8 per 100,000 people. Yancey County had the lowest, at 0 per 100,000 people. The median was 18.7 per 100,000 people and the figure for North Carolina was 16 per 100,000 people. Source: NHTSA and BEA.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest83.8Scotland County
Lowest0Yancey County
Median18.7100 counties
North Carolina16History

Map of counties, 2021

Alamance County: 10.4 per 100,000 peopleAlexander County: 19.3 per 100,000 peopleAlleghany County: 18.1 per 100,000 peopleAnson County: 22.5 per 100,000 peopleAshe County: 22.4 per 100,000 peopleAvery County: 5.7 per 100,000 peopleBeaufort County: 11.2 per 100,000 peopleBertie County: 46.4 per 100,000 peopleBladen County: 40.6 per 100,000 peopleBrunswick County: 15.9 per 100,000 peopleBuncombe County: 11.4 per 100,000 peopleBurke County: 11.5 per 100,000 peopleCabarrus County: 10.4 per 100,000 peopleCaldwell County: 13.7 per 100,000 peopleCamden County: 9.2 per 100,000 peopleCarteret County: 11.6 per 100,000 peopleCaswell County: 8.9 per 100,000 peopleCatawba County: 22.9 per 100,000 peopleChatham County: 21.8 per 100,000 peopleCherokee County: 10.3 per 100,000 peopleChowan County: 0 per 100,000 peopleClay County: 26.4 per 100,000 peopleCleveland County: 13.9 per 100,000 peopleColumbus County: 46 per 100,000 peopleCraven County: 14.8 per 100,000 peopleCumberland County: 17.4 per 100,000 peopleCurrituck County: 20.2 per 100,000 peopleDare County: 13.2 per 100,000 peopleDavidson County: 22.9 per 100,000 peopleDavie County: 11.5 per 100,000 peopleDuplin County: 59.7 per 100,000 peopleDurham County: 6.7 per 100,000 peopleEdgecombe County: 29 per 100,000 peopleForsyth County: 12.2 per 100,000 peopleFranklin County: 16.7 per 100,000 peopleGaston County: 9.5 per 100,000 peopleGates County: 19.2 per 100,000 peopleGraham County: 49.9 per 100,000 peopleGranville County: 29.8 per 100,000 peopleGreene County: 29.6 per 100,000 peopleGuilford County: 16.2 per 100,000 peopleHalifax County: 35.2 per 100,000 peopleHarnett County: 27.3 per 100,000 peopleHaywood County: 16 per 100,000 peopleHenderson County: 13.7 per 100,000 peopleHertford County: 45.4 per 100,000 peopleHoke County: 30.1 per 100,000 peopleHyde County: 0 per 100,000 peopleIredell County: 11.4 per 100,000 peopleJackson County: 21.2 per 100,000 peopleJohnston County: 17.2 per 100,000 peopleJones County: 32.6 per 100,000 peopleLee County: 21.9 per 100,000 peopleLenoir County: 47.5 per 100,000 peopleLincoln County: 14.5 per 100,000 peopleMcDowell County: 18 per 100,000 peopleMacon County: 8 per 100,000 peopleMadison County: 13.8 per 100,000 peopleMartin County: 13.8 per 100,000 peopleMecklenburg County: 10.5 per 100,000 peopleMitchell County: 13.4 per 100,000 peopleMontgomery County: 31 per 100,000 peopleMoore County: 22.3 per 100,000 peopleNash County: 22.1 per 100,000 peopleNew Hanover County: 11.7 per 100,000 peopleNorthampton County: 35 per 100,000 peopleOnslow County: 13.3 per 100,000 peopleOrange County: 12.8 per 100,000 peoplePamlico County: 16.2 per 100,000 peoplePasquotank County: 27.2 per 100,000 peoplePender County: 22.2 per 100,000 peoplePerquimans County: 22.9 per 100,000 peoplePerson County: 17.9 per 100,000 peoplePitt County: 15.4 per 100,000 peoplePolk County: 20.3 per 100,000 peopleRandolph County: 22 per 100,000 peopleRichmond County: 28.1 per 100,000 peopleRobeson County: 53.5 per 100,000 peopleRockingham County: 19.7 per 100,000 peopleRowan County: 21 per 100,000 peopleRutherford County: 20.2 per 100,000 peopleSampson County: 30.5 per 100,000 peopleScotland County: 83.8 per 100,000 peopleStanly County: 19 per 100,000 peopleStokes County: 11.2 per 100,000 peopleSurry County: 22.5 per 100,000 peopleSwain County: 28.3 per 100,000 peopleTransylvania County: 9 per 100,000 peopleTyrrell County: 29.6 per 100,000 peopleUnion County: 9.8 per 100,000 peopleVance County: 40.4 per 100,000 peopleWake County: 7.5 per 100,000 peopleWarren County: 53.1 per 100,000 peopleWashington County: 18.4 per 100,000 peopleWatauga County: 14.5 per 100,000 peopleWayne County: 13.6 per 100,000 peopleWilkes County: 27.4 per 100,000 peopleWilson County: 20.3 per 100,000 peopleYadkin County: 26.8 per 100,000 peopleYancey County: 0 per 100,000 people
  • Under 11
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per 100,000 people, 2021. Source: Invokely calculation with data from NHTSA, BEA. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2021

Scotland County: 83.8 per 100,000 peopleScotland County83.8Duplin County: 59.7 per 100,000 peopleDuplin County59.7Robeson County: 53.5 per 100,000 peopleRobeson County53.5Warren County: 53.1 per 100,000 peopleWarren County53.1Graham County: 49.9 per 100,000 peopleGraham County49.9Lenoir County: 47.5 per 100,000 peopleLenoir County47.5Bertie County: 46.4 per 100,000 peopleBertie County46.4Columbus County: 46 per 100,000 peopleColumbus County46Hertford County: 45.4 per 100,000 peopleHertford County45.4Bladen County: 40.6 per 100,000 peopleBladen County40.6Vance County: 40.4 per 100,000 peopleVance County40.4Halifax County: 35.2 per 100,000 peopleHalifax County35.2Northampton County: 35 per 100,000 peopleNorthampton County35Jones County: 32.6 per 100,000 peopleJones County32.6Montgomery County: 31 per 100,000 peopleMontgomery County31Sampson County: 30.5 per 100,000 peopleSampson County30.5Hoke County: 30.1 per 100,000 peopleHoke County30.1Granville County: 29.8 per 100,000 peopleGranville County29.8Tyrrell County: 29.6 per 100,000 peopleTyrrell County29.6Greene County: 29.6 per 100,000 peopleGreene County29.6Edgecombe County: 29 per 100,000 peopleEdgecombe County29Swain County: 28.3 per 100,000 peopleSwain County28.3Richmond County: 28.1 per 100,000 peopleRichmond County28.1Wilkes County: 27.4 per 100,000 peopleWilkes County27.4Harnett County: 27.3 per 100,000 peopleHarnett County27.3Pasquotank County: 27.2 per 100,000 peoplePasquotank County27.2Yadkin County: 26.8 per 100,000 peopleYadkin County26.8Clay County: 26.4 per 100,000 peopleClay County26.4Catawba County: 22.9 per 100,000 peopleCatawba County22.9Davidson County: 22.9 per 100,000 peopleDavidson County22.9Perquimans County: 22.9 per 100,000 peoplePerquimans County22.9Anson County: 22.5 per 100,000 peopleAnson County22.5Surry County: 22.5 per 100,000 peopleSurry County22.5Ashe County: 22.4 per 100,000 peopleAshe County22.4Moore County: 22.3 per 100,000 peopleMoore County22.3Pender County: 22.2 per 100,000 peoplePender County22.2Nash County: 22.1 per 100,000 peopleNash County22.1Randolph County: 22 per 100,000 peopleRandolph County22Lee County: 21.9 per 100,000 peopleLee County21.9Chatham County: 21.8 per 100,000 peopleChatham County21.8Scotland County: 83.8 per 100,000 peopleScotland County83.8Duplin County: 59.7 per 100,000 peopleDuplin County59.7Robeson County: 53.5 per 100,000 peopleRobeson County53.5Warren County: 53.1 per 100,000 peopleWarren County53.1Graham County: 49.9 per 100,000 peopleGraham County49.9Lenoir County: 47.5 per 100,000 peopleLenoir County47.5Bertie County: 46.4 per 100,000 peopleBertie County46.4Columbus County: 46 per 100,000 peopleColumbus County46Hertford County: 45.4 per 100,000 peopleHertford County45.4Bladen County: 40.6 per 100,000 peopleBladen County40.6Vance County: 40.4 per 100,000 peopleVance County40.4Halifax County: 35.2 per 100,000 peopleHalifax County35.2Northampton County: 35 per 100,000 peopleNorthampton County35Jones County: 32.6 per 100,000 peopleJones County32.6Montgomery County: 31 per 100,000 peopleMontgomery County31Sampson County: 30.5 per 100,000 peopleSampson County30.5Hoke County: 30.1 per 100,000 peopleHoke County30.1Granville County: 29.8 per 100,000 peopleGranville County29.8Tyrrell County: 29.6 per 100,000 peopleTyrrell County29.6Greene County: 29.6 per 100,000 peopleGreene County29.6Edgecombe County: 29 per 100,000 peopleEdgecombe County29Swain County: 28.3 per 100,000 peopleSwain County28.3Richmond County: 28.1 per 100,000 peopleRichmond County28.1Wilkes County: 27.4 per 100,000 peopleWilkes County27.4Harnett County: 27.3 per 100,000 peopleHarnett County27.3Pasquotank County: 27.2 per 100,000 peoplePasquotank County27.2Yadkin County: 26.8 per 100,000 peopleYadkin County26.8Clay County: 26.4 per 100,000 peopleClay County26.4Catawba County: 22.9 per 100,000 peopleCatawba County22.9Davidson County: 22.9 per 100,000 peopleDavidson County22.9Perquimans County: 22.9 per 100,000 peoplePerquimans County22.9Anson County: 22.5 per 100,000 peopleAnson County22.5Surry County: 22.5 per 100,000 peopleSurry County22.5Ashe County: 22.4 per 100,000 peopleAshe County22.4Moore County: 22.3 per 100,000 peopleMoore County22.3Pender County: 22.2 per 100,000 peoplePender County22.2Nash County: 22.1 per 100,000 peopleNash County22.1Randolph County: 22 per 100,000 peopleRandolph County22Lee County: 21.9 per 100,000 peopleLee County21.9Chatham County: 21.8 per 100,000 peopleChatham County21.8
per 100,000 people. Source: Invokely calculation with data from NHTSA, BEA. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2021
per 100,000 people		Change on 2020
1Scotland County83.8+53.9 pts
2Duplin County59.7+24.8 pts
3Robeson County53.5+6.1 pts
4Warren County53.1+10.1 pts
5Graham County49.9+25.1 pts
6Lenoir County47.5+29.4 pts
7Bertie County46.4+29.5 pts
8Columbus County46+6.4 pts
9Hertford County45.4-0.5 pts
10Bladen County40.6-3.3 pts
11Vance County40.4+16.9 pts
12Halifax County35.2-8.2 pts
13Northampton County35-22.3 pts
14Jones County32.6-0.2 pts
15Montgomery County31-23.5 pts
16Sampson County30.5+10.2 pts
17Hoke County30.1-6.3 pts
18Granville County29.8+1.5 pts
19Tyrrell County29.6-1.3 pts
20Greene County29.6+10 pts
21Edgecombe County29+8.5 pts
22Swain County28.3+21.2 pts
23Richmond County28.1+9.4 pts
24Wilkes County27.4+7.6 pts
25Harnett County27.3+1.1 pts
26Pasquotank County27.2+12.3 pts
27Yadkin County26.8-2.7 pts
28Clay County26.4+17.4 pts
29Catawba County22.9+6.7 pts
30Davidson County22.9+4.5 pts
31Perquimans County22.9-7.9 pts
32Anson County22.5-13.8 pts
33Surry County22.5+2.8 pts
34Ashe County22.4+14.9 pts
35Moore County22.3+1.4 pts
36Pender County22.2-0.9 pts
37Nash County22.1-6.3 pts
38Randolph County22+4.7 pts
39Lee County21.9+4.5 pts
40Chatham County21.8+6.1 pts
41Jackson County21.2+4.6 pts
42Rowan County21+1.9 pts
43Wilson County20.3-3.6 pts
44Polk County20.3-5.5 pts
45Currituck County20.2+6.1 pts
46Rutherford County20.2-17.1 pts
47Rockingham County19.7-5.5 pts
48Alexander County19.3+5.6 pts
49Gates County19.2-19.1 pts
50Stanly County19+7.8 pts
51Washington County18.4+18.4 pts
52Alleghany County18.1-0.3 pts
53McDowell County18+6.7 pts
54Person County17.9-2.5 pts
55Cumberland County17.4+0.8 pts
56Johnston County17.2-0.8 pts
57Franklin County16.7-6.4 pts
58Guilford County16.2+4.4 pts
59Pamlico County16.2-16.3 pts
60Haywood County16+3.1 pts
61Brunswick County15.9-0 pts
62Pitt County15.4-7.7 pts
63Craven County14.8+4.9 pts
64Watauga County14.5+9 pts
65Lincoln County14.5+4.1 pts
66Cleveland County13.9-5.1 pts
67Madison County13.8-14.4 pts
68Martin County13.8-13.5 pts
69Caldwell County13.7+3.7 pts
70Henderson County13.7+3.4 pts
71Wayne County13.6-13.5 pts
72Mitchell County13.4-13.5 pts
73Onslow County13.3+4.5 pts
74Dare County13.2+13.2 pts
75Orange County12.8+3.7 pts
76Forsyth County12.2+1.2 pts
77New Hanover County11.7+6.4 pts
78Carteret County11.6-3.1 pts
79Burke County11.5-4.6 pts
79Davie County11.5+4.5 pts
81Iredell County11.4-1.3 pts
82Buncombe County11.4-0.5 pts
83Beaufort County11.2+0.1 pts
84Stokes County11.2+6.7 pts
85Mecklenburg County10.5+0.8 pts
86Alamance County10.4-7.1 pts
87Cabarrus County10.4+1.1 pts
88Cherokee County10.3-7 pts
89Union County9.8+2.7 pts
90Gaston County9.5-2.7 pts
91Camden County9.2-10 pts
92Transylvania County9+6 pts
93Caswell County8.9-13.4 pts
94Macon County8+5.3 pts
95Wake County7.5+1.7 pts
96Durham County6.7-3.5 pts
97Avery County5.7-16.7 pts
98Chowan County0-14.6 pts
98Hyde County0-22.2 pts
98Yancey County0-10.8 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 North Carolina by traffic fatality rate, 2021) [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, 2021. 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, 2021. 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, 2021 [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_2021,
  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, 2021}},
  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=2021. 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, 2021
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=2021
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=2021.
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?

Scotland County, with 83.8 per 100,000 people in 2021, according to NHTSA and BEA.

Which county has the lowest traffic fatality rate?

Yancey County, with 0 per 100,000 people in 2021.

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