Counties in South Dakota by traffic fatality rate

Harding County had the highest traffic fatality rate of 66 counties in 2018, at 240.8 per 100,000 people. Ziebach County had the lowest, at 0 per 100,000 people. The median was 10.4 per 100,000 people and the figure for South Dakota was 14.9 per 100,000 people. Source: NHTSA and BEA.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest240.8Harding County
Median10.466 counties
South Dakota14.9History

Map of counties, 2018

Aurora County: 35.9 per 100,000 peopleBeadle County: 5.3 per 100,000 peopleBennett County: 57.9 per 100,000 peopleBon Homme County: 14.2 per 100,000 peopleBrookings County: 8.8 per 100,000 peopleBrown County: 10.3 per 100,000 peopleBrule County: 19.3 per 100,000 peopleBuffalo County: 49.5 per 100,000 peopleButte County: 0 per 100,000 peopleCampbell County: 0 per 100,000 peopleCharles Mix County: 10.7 per 100,000 peopleClark County: 0 per 100,000 peopleClay County: 13.7 per 100,000 peopleCodington County: 7.1 per 100,000 peopleCorson County: 25 per 100,000 peopleCuster County: 84.9 per 100,000 peopleDavison County: 0 per 100,000 peopleDay County: 0 per 100,000 peopleDeuel County: 46.8 per 100,000 peopleDewey County: 0 per 100,000 peopleDouglas County: 35 per 100,000 peopleEdmunds County: 0 per 100,000 peopleFall River County: 28.8 per 100,000 peopleFaulk County: 46.1 per 100,000 peopleGrant County: 52.9 per 100,000 peopleGregory County: 49.7 per 100,000 peopleHaakon County: 0 per 100,000 peopleHamlin County: 16.5 per 100,000 peopleHand County: 61.5 per 100,000 peopleHanson County: 119.5 per 100,000 peopleHarding County: 240.8 per 100,000 peopleHughes County: 5.6 per 100,000 peopleHutchinson County: 40.5 per 100,000 peopleHyde County: 0 per 100,000 peopleJackson County: 70.3 per 100,000 peopleJerauld County: 0 per 100,000 peopleJones County: 0 per 100,000 peopleKingsbury County: 0 per 100,000 peopleLake County: 8.5 per 100,000 peopleLawrence County: 11.8 per 100,000 peopleLincoln County: 8.2 per 100,000 peopleLyman County: 134 per 100,000 peopleMcCook County: 17.6 per 100,000 peopleMcPherson County: 81.9 per 100,000 peopleMarshall County: 0 per 100,000 peopleMeade County: 17 per 100,000 peopleMellette County: 0 per 100,000 peopleMiner County: 0 per 100,000 peopleMinnehaha County: 6.8 per 100,000 peopleMoody County: 0 per 100,000 peopleOglala Lakota County: 78.6 per 100,000 peoplePennington County: 10.3 per 100,000 peoplePerkins County: 0 per 100,000 peoplePotter County: 0 per 100,000 peopleRoberts County: 29.1 per 100,000 peopleSanborn County: 0 per 100,000 peopleSpink County: 0 per 100,000 peopleStanley County: 34.1 per 100,000 peopleSully County: 0 per 100,000 peopleTodd County: 10.5 per 100,000 peopleTripp County: 17.5 per 100,000 peopleTurner County: 46.2 per 100,000 peopleUnion County: 6.2 per 100,000 peopleWalworth County: 0 per 100,000 peopleYankton County: 30.1 per 100,000 peopleZiebach County: 0 per 100,000 people
  • Under 10
  • 10 to 26
  • 26 to 50
  • 50 and over
per 100,000 people, 2018. Source: Invokely calculation with data from NHTSA, BEA. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2018

Harding County: 240.8 per 100,000 peopleHarding County240.8Lyman County: 134 per 100,000 peopleLyman County134Hanson County: 119.5 per 100,000 peopleHanson County119.5Custer County: 84.9 per 100,000 peopleCuster County84.9McPherson County: 81.9 per 100,000 peopleMcPherson County81.9Oglala Lakota County: 78.6 per 100,000 peopleOglala Lakota County78.6Jackson County: 70.3 per 100,000 peopleJackson County70.3Hand County: 61.5 per 100,000 peopleHand County61.5Bennett County: 57.9 per 100,000 peopleBennett County57.9Grant County: 52.9 per 100,000 peopleGrant County52.9Gregory County: 49.7 per 100,000 peopleGregory County49.7Buffalo County: 49.5 per 100,000 peopleBuffalo County49.5Deuel County: 46.8 per 100,000 peopleDeuel County46.8Turner County: 46.2 per 100,000 peopleTurner County46.2Faulk County: 46.1 per 100,000 peopleFaulk County46.1Hutchinson County: 40.5 per 100,000 peopleHutchinson County40.5Aurora County: 35.9 per 100,000 peopleAurora County35.9Douglas County: 35 per 100,000 peopleDouglas County35Stanley County: 34.1 per 100,000 peopleStanley County34.1Yankton County: 30.1 per 100,000 peopleYankton County30.1Roberts County: 29.1 per 100,000 peopleRoberts County29.1Fall River County: 28.8 per 100,000 peopleFall River County28.8Corson County: 25 per 100,000 peopleCorson County25Brule County: 19.3 per 100,000 peopleBrule County19.3McCook County: 17.6 per 100,000 peopleMcCook County17.6Tripp County: 17.5 per 100,000 peopleTripp County17.5Meade County: 17 per 100,000 peopleMeade County17Hamlin County: 16.5 per 100,000 peopleHamlin County16.5Bon Homme County: 14.2 per 100,000 peopleBon Homme County14.2Clay County: 13.7 per 100,000 peopleClay County13.7Lawrence County: 11.8 per 100,000 peopleLawrence County11.8Charles Mix County: 10.7 per 100,000 peopleCharles Mix County10.7Todd County: 10.5 per 100,000 peopleTodd County10.5Brown County: 10.3 per 100,000 peopleBrown County10.3Pennington County: 10.3 per 100,000 peoplePennington County10.3Brookings County: 8.8 per 100,000 peopleBrookings County8.8Lake County: 8.5 per 100,000 peopleLake County8.5Lincoln County: 8.2 per 100,000 peopleLincoln County8.2Codington County: 7.1 per 100,000 peopleCodington County7.1Minnehaha County: 6.8 per 100,000 peopleMinnehaha County6.8Harding County: 240.8 per 100,000 peopleHarding County240.8Lyman County: 134 per 100,000 peopleLyman County134Hanson County: 119.5 per 100,000 peopleHanson County119.5Custer County: 84.9 per 100,000 peopleCuster County84.9McPherson County: 81.9 per 100,000 peopleMcPherson County81.9Oglala Lakota County: 78.6 per 100,000 peopleOglala Lakota County78.6Jackson County: 70.3 per 100,000 peopleJackson County70.3Hand County: 61.5 per 100,000 peopleHand County61.5Bennett County: 57.9 per 100,000 peopleBennett County57.9Grant County: 52.9 per 100,000 peopleGrant County52.9Gregory County: 49.7 per 100,000 peopleGregory County49.7Buffalo County: 49.5 per 100,000 peopleBuffalo County49.5Deuel County: 46.8 per 100,000 peopleDeuel County46.8Turner County: 46.2 per 100,000 peopleTurner County46.2Faulk County: 46.1 per 100,000 peopleFaulk County46.1Hutchinson County: 40.5 per 100,000 peopleHutchinson County40.5Aurora County: 35.9 per 100,000 peopleAurora County35.9Douglas County: 35 per 100,000 peopleDouglas County35Stanley County: 34.1 per 100,000 peopleStanley County34.1Yankton County: 30.1 per 100,000 peopleYankton County30.1Roberts County: 29.1 per 100,000 peopleRoberts County29.1Fall River County: 28.8 per 100,000 peopleFall River County28.8Corson County: 25 per 100,000 peopleCorson County25Brule County: 19.3 per 100,000 peopleBrule County19.3McCook County: 17.6 per 100,000 peopleMcCook County17.6Tripp County: 17.5 per 100,000 peopleTripp County17.5Meade County: 17 per 100,000 peopleMeade County17Hamlin County: 16.5 per 100,000 peopleHamlin County16.5Bon Homme County: 14.2 per 100,000 peopleBon Homme County14.2Clay County: 13.7 per 100,000 peopleClay County13.7Lawrence County: 11.8 per 100,000 peopleLawrence County11.8Charles Mix County: 10.7 per 100,000 peopleCharles Mix County10.7Todd County: 10.5 per 100,000 peopleTodd County10.5Brown County: 10.3 per 100,000 peopleBrown County10.3Pennington County: 10.3 per 100,000 peoplePennington County10.3Brookings County: 8.8 per 100,000 peopleBrookings County8.8Lake County: 8.5 per 100,000 peopleLake County8.5Lincoln County: 8.2 per 100,000 peopleLincoln County8.2Codington County: 7.1 per 100,000 peopleCodington County7.1Minnehaha County: 6.8 per 100,000 peopleMinnehaha County6.8
per 100,000 people. Source: Invokely calculation with data from NHTSA, BEA. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2018
per 100,000 people
Change on 2017
1Harding County240.8+79.1 pts
2Lyman County134+134 pts
3Hanson County119.5+90 pts
4Custer County84.9+72.8 pts
5McPherson County81.9+81.9 pts
6Oglala Lakota County78.6+0.6 pts
7Jackson County70.3-136.9 pts
8Hand County61.5+61.5 pts
9Bennett County57.9+57.9 pts
10Grant County52.9+13.2 pts
11Gregory County49.7+49.7 pts
12Buffalo County49.5+49.5 pts
13Deuel County46.8+46.8 pts
14Turner County46.2+22.7 pts
15Faulk County46.1+46.1 pts
16Hutchinson County40.5+40.5 pts
17Aurora County35.9+35.9 pts
18Douglas County35+35 pts
19Stanley County34.1+34.1 pts
20Yankton County30.1+4.1 pts
21Roberts County29.1-19.8 pts
22Fall River County28.8-0.2 pts
23Corson County25-24.1 pts
24Brule County19.3+19.3 pts
25McCook County17.6-17.8 pts
26Tripp County17.5+17.5 pts
27Meade County17+6.7 pts
28Hamlin County16.5+16.5 pts
29Bon Homme County14.2+14.2 pts
30Clay County13.7+13.7 pts
31Lawrence County11.8-19.6 pts
32Charles Mix County10.7-21 pts
33Todd County10.5+0.1 pts
34Brown County10.3+7.8 pts
35Pennington County10.3-5.7 pts
36Brookings County8.8-0.1 pts
37Lake County8.5-8.6 pts
38Lincoln County8.2-2 pts
39Codington County7.10 pts
40Minnehaha County6.8+0.5 pts
41Union County6.2-0.1 pts
42Hughes County5.6-11.1 pts
43Beadle County5.3-5.3 pts
44Butte County0-30.3 pts
44Campbell County00 pts
44Clark County00 pts
44Davison County0-5 pts
44Day County0-18.1 pts
44Dewey County0-18.4 pts
44Edmunds County0-49.7 pts
44Haakon County00 pts
44Hyde County00 pts
44Jerauld County0-112 pts
44Jones County0-220.8 pts
44Kingsbury County0-39.5 pts
44Marshall County0-22.3 pts
44Mellette County00 pts
44Miner County00 pts
44Moody County0-15.8 pts
44Perkins County0-33.7 pts
44Potter County0-40.9 pts
44Sanborn County0-40.9 pts
44Spink County0-30.6 pts
44Sully County0-69.4 pts
44Walworth County00 pts
44Ziebach 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 South Dakota by traffic fatality rate, 2018) [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 South Dakota by traffic fatality rate, 2018. 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 South Dakota by traffic fatality rate, 2018. 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 South Dakota by traffic fatality rate, 2018 [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_south_dakota_2018,
  author = {{Invokely}},
  title = {{NHTSA FARS traffic fatalities divided by BEA mid-year population (SAINC1 and CAINC1), per 100,000 residents: Counties in South Dakota by traffic fatality rate, 2018}},
  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/south-dakota-counties?period=2018. 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 South Dakota by traffic fatality rate, 2018
PB  - Invokely
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://invokely.ai/docs/methodology#traffic_fatality_rate_per_100k
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/traffic-fatality-rate/south-dakota-counties?period=2018
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Calculated from data by NHTSA and BEA.
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/traffic-fatality-rate/south-dakota-counties?period=2018.
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?

Harding County, with 240.8 per 100,000 people in 2018, according to NHTSA and BEA.

Which county has the lowest traffic fatality rate?

Ziebach County, with 0 per 100,000 people in 2018.

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 South Dakota: more rankings