Counties in South Dakota by traffic fatality rate

Jones County had the highest traffic fatality rate of 66 counties in 2020, at 216.7 per 100,000 people. Ziebach County had the lowest, at 0 per 100,000 people. The median was 18.5 per 100,000 people and the figure for South Dakota was 15.9 per 100,000 people. Source: NHTSA and BEA.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest216.7Jones County
Median18.566 counties
South Dakota15.9History

Map of counties, 2020

Aurora County: 36.5 per 100,000 peopleBeadle County: 0 per 100,000 peopleBennett County: 29.5 per 100,000 peopleBon Homme County: 43 per 100,000 peopleBrookings County: 5.8 per 100,000 peopleBrown County: 10.5 per 100,000 peopleBrule County: 38.1 per 100,000 peopleBuffalo County: 51.6 per 100,000 peopleButte County: 19.4 per 100,000 peopleCampbell County: 0 per 100,000 peopleCharles Mix County: 0 per 100,000 peopleClark County: 26 per 100,000 peopleClay County: 6.7 per 100,000 peopleCodington County: 17.6 per 100,000 peopleCorson County: 51.4 per 100,000 peopleCuster County: 48 per 100,000 peopleDavison County: 5 per 100,000 peopleDay County: 36.8 per 100,000 peopleDeuel County: 46.5 per 100,000 peopleDewey County: 38.3 per 100,000 peopleDouglas County: 70.6 per 100,000 peopleEdmunds County: 25 per 100,000 peopleFall River County: 57.4 per 100,000 peopleFaulk County: 0 per 100,000 peopleGrant County: 26.5 per 100,000 peopleGregory County: 25 per 100,000 peopleHaakon County: 53.5 per 100,000 peopleHamlin County: 16.2 per 100,000 peopleHand County: 31.8 per 100,000 peopleHanson County: 0 per 100,000 peopleHarding County: 76.5 per 100,000 peopleHughes County: 11.3 per 100,000 peopleHutchinson County: 40.4 per 100,000 peopleHyde County: 79.9 per 100,000 peopleJackson County: 0 per 100,000 peopleJerauld County: 0 per 100,000 peopleJones County: 216.7 per 100,000 peopleKingsbury County: 0 per 100,000 peopleLake County: 0 per 100,000 peopleLawrence County: 46.4 per 100,000 peopleLincoln County: 9.1 per 100,000 peopleLyman County: 0 per 100,000 peopleMcCook County: 0 per 100,000 peopleMcPherson County: 0 per 100,000 peopleMarshall County: 23.3 per 100,000 peopleMeade County: 13.4 per 100,000 peopleMellette County: 52 per 100,000 peopleMiner County: 0 per 100,000 peopleMinnehaha County: 11.6 per 100,000 peopleMoody County: 31.6 per 100,000 peopleOglala Lakota County: 29.3 per 100,000 peoplePennington County: 10 per 100,000 peoplePerkins County: 0 per 100,000 peoplePotter County: 80.8 per 100,000 peopleRoberts County: 19.5 per 100,000 peopleSanborn County: 0 per 100,000 peopleSpink County: 15.8 per 100,000 peopleStanley County: 0 per 100,000 peopleSully County: 0 per 100,000 peopleTodd County: 0 per 100,000 peopleTripp County: 35.7 per 100,000 peopleTurner County: 69.1 per 100,000 peopleUnion County: 11.9 per 100,000 peopleWalworth County: 37.8 per 100,000 peopleYankton County: 8.6 per 100,000 peopleZiebach County: 0 per 100,000 people
  • Under 8
  • 8 to 19
  • 19 to 33
  • 33 to 49
  • 49 and over
per 100,000 people, 2020. Source: Invokely calculation with data from NHTSA, BEA. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2020

Jones County: 216.7 per 100,000 peopleJones County216.7Potter County: 80.8 per 100,000 peoplePotter County80.8Hyde County: 79.9 per 100,000 peopleHyde County79.9Harding County: 76.5 per 100,000 peopleHarding County76.5Douglas County: 70.6 per 100,000 peopleDouglas County70.6Turner County: 69.1 per 100,000 peopleTurner County69.1Fall River County: 57.4 per 100,000 peopleFall River County57.4Haakon County: 53.5 per 100,000 peopleHaakon County53.5Mellette County: 52 per 100,000 peopleMellette County52Buffalo County: 51.6 per 100,000 peopleBuffalo County51.6Corson County: 51.4 per 100,000 peopleCorson County51.4Custer County: 48 per 100,000 peopleCuster County48Deuel County: 46.5 per 100,000 peopleDeuel County46.5Lawrence County: 46.4 per 100,000 peopleLawrence County46.4Bon Homme County: 43 per 100,000 peopleBon Homme County43Hutchinson County: 40.4 per 100,000 peopleHutchinson County40.4Dewey County: 38.3 per 100,000 peopleDewey County38.3Brule County: 38.1 per 100,000 peopleBrule County38.1Walworth County: 37.8 per 100,000 peopleWalworth County37.8Day County: 36.8 per 100,000 peopleDay County36.8Aurora County: 36.5 per 100,000 peopleAurora County36.5Tripp County: 35.7 per 100,000 peopleTripp County35.7Hand County: 31.8 per 100,000 peopleHand County31.8Moody County: 31.6 per 100,000 peopleMoody County31.6Bennett County: 29.5 per 100,000 peopleBennett County29.5Oglala Lakota County: 29.3 per 100,000 peopleOglala Lakota County29.3Grant County: 26.5 per 100,000 peopleGrant County26.5Clark County: 26 per 100,000 peopleClark County26Edmunds County: 25 per 100,000 peopleEdmunds County25Gregory County: 25 per 100,000 peopleGregory County25Marshall County: 23.3 per 100,000 peopleMarshall County23.3Roberts County: 19.5 per 100,000 peopleRoberts County19.5Butte County: 19.4 per 100,000 peopleButte County19.4Codington County: 17.6 per 100,000 peopleCodington County17.6Hamlin County: 16.2 per 100,000 peopleHamlin County16.2Spink County: 15.8 per 100,000 peopleSpink County15.8Meade County: 13.4 per 100,000 peopleMeade County13.4Union County: 11.9 per 100,000 peopleUnion County11.9Minnehaha County: 11.6 per 100,000 peopleMinnehaha County11.6Hughes County: 11.3 per 100,000 peopleHughes County11.3Jones County: 216.7 per 100,000 peopleJones County216.7Potter County: 80.8 per 100,000 peoplePotter County80.8Hyde County: 79.9 per 100,000 peopleHyde County79.9Harding County: 76.5 per 100,000 peopleHarding County76.5Douglas County: 70.6 per 100,000 peopleDouglas County70.6Turner County: 69.1 per 100,000 peopleTurner County69.1Fall River County: 57.4 per 100,000 peopleFall River County57.4Haakon County: 53.5 per 100,000 peopleHaakon County53.5Mellette County: 52 per 100,000 peopleMellette County52Buffalo County: 51.6 per 100,000 peopleBuffalo County51.6Corson County: 51.4 per 100,000 peopleCorson County51.4Custer County: 48 per 100,000 peopleCuster County48Deuel County: 46.5 per 100,000 peopleDeuel County46.5Lawrence County: 46.4 per 100,000 peopleLawrence County46.4Bon Homme County: 43 per 100,000 peopleBon Homme County43Hutchinson County: 40.4 per 100,000 peopleHutchinson County40.4Dewey County: 38.3 per 100,000 peopleDewey County38.3Brule County: 38.1 per 100,000 peopleBrule County38.1Walworth County: 37.8 per 100,000 peopleWalworth County37.8Day County: 36.8 per 100,000 peopleDay County36.8Aurora County: 36.5 per 100,000 peopleAurora County36.5Tripp County: 35.7 per 100,000 peopleTripp County35.7Hand County: 31.8 per 100,000 peopleHand County31.8Moody County: 31.6 per 100,000 peopleMoody County31.6Bennett County: 29.5 per 100,000 peopleBennett County29.5Oglala Lakota County: 29.3 per 100,000 peopleOglala Lakota County29.3Grant County: 26.5 per 100,000 peopleGrant County26.5Clark County: 26 per 100,000 peopleClark County26Edmunds County: 25 per 100,000 peopleEdmunds County25Gregory County: 25 per 100,000 peopleGregory County25Marshall County: 23.3 per 100,000 peopleMarshall County23.3Roberts County: 19.5 per 100,000 peopleRoberts County19.5Butte County: 19.4 per 100,000 peopleButte County19.4Codington County: 17.6 per 100,000 peopleCodington County17.6Hamlin County: 16.2 per 100,000 peopleHamlin County16.2Spink County: 15.8 per 100,000 peopleSpink County15.8Meade County: 13.4 per 100,000 peopleMeade County13.4Union County: 11.9 per 100,000 peopleUnion County11.9Minnehaha County: 11.6 per 100,000 peopleMinnehaha County11.6Hughes County: 11.3 per 100,000 peopleHughes County11.3
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
1Jones County216.7+216.7 pts
2Potter County80.8+80.8 pts
3Hyde County79.9+79.9 pts
4Harding County76.5-0.5 pts
5Douglas County70.6+70.6 pts
6Turner County69.1+69.1 pts
7Fall River County57.4-0.4 pts
8Haakon County53.50 pts
9Mellette County52+52 pts
10Buffalo County51.6+0.6 pts
11Corson County51.4+26 pts
12Custer County48+48 pts
13Deuel County46.5+46.5 pts
14Lawrence County46.4+30.8 pts
15Bon Homme County43-13.9 pts
16Hutchinson County40.4+26.9 pts
17Dewey County38.3+19.5 pts
18Brule County38.1+38.1 pts
19Walworth County37.8+19.3 pts
20Day County36.8+36.8 pts
21Aurora County36.5+0.2 pts
22Tripp County35.7+18 pts
23Hand County31.8+31.8 pts
24Moody County31.6+15.9 pts
25Bennett County29.5+29.5 pts
26Oglala Lakota County29.3+29.3 pts
27Grant County26.5+26.5 pts
28Clark County26-0.5 pts
29Edmunds County25+25 pts
30Gregory County25+25 pts
31Marshall County23.3-22.3 pts
32Roberts County19.5+9.8 pts
33Butte County19.4+9.6 pts
34Codington County17.6+7 pts
35Hamlin County16.20 pts
36Spink County15.8+15.8 pts
37Meade County13.4+6.6 pts
38Union County11.9+11.9 pts
39Minnehaha County11.6+2.9 pts
40Hughes County11.3+11.3 pts
41Brown County10.5+2.7 pts
42Pennington County10+0.8 pts
43Lincoln County9.1+6 pts
44Yankton County8.60 pts
45Clay County6.7-6.9 pts
46Brookings County5.8-0 pts
47Davison County5-5 pts
48Beadle County0-26.4 pts
48Campbell County0-72.9 pts
48Charles Mix County0-10.7 pts
48Faulk County0-46.8 pts
48Hanson County0-58.1 pts
48Jackson County0-105.3 pts
48Jerauld County00 pts
48Kingsbury County0-39.3 pts
48Lake County0-8.8 pts
48Lyman County0-107.7 pts
48McCook County0-17.6 pts
48McPherson County00 pts
48Miner County0-86.5 pts
48Perkins County00 pts
48Sanborn County0-212 pts
48Stanley County0-33.2 pts
48Sully County00 pts
48Todd County00 pts
48Ziebach 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, 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 South Dakota 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 South Dakota 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 South Dakota 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_south_dakota_2020,
  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, 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/south-dakota-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 South Dakota 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/south-dakota-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/south-dakota-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 South Dakota by traffic fatality rate using official data, and cite the source.
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Questions

Which county has the highest traffic fatality rate?

Jones County, with 216.7 per 100,000 people in 2020, according to NHTSA and BEA.

Which county has the lowest traffic fatality rate?

Ziebach County, with 0 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 South Dakota: more rankings