COUNTY FATALITY DATA
Berkshire County: lower-rate fatality band
Berkshire County (MA) is in the lower per-capita third: 7.1/100k (#2,030 of 2,328). Data period: 2016-2023.
- 97
- Total Fatalities (2016-2023)
- 9
- Latest Year Deaths
- Near average count
- 7.1
- Per 100k Residents
- Well below average
- Increasing
- Trend
Lower per-capita fatality band
Berkshire County ranks #2,030 of 2,328 by deaths per 100,000 residents (7.1/100k) - bottom-third rate among rated U.S. counties.
Berkshire County in the lower-rate third
According to NHTSA FARS, Berkshire County sits in the lower-rate third at 7.1 per 100k (#2,030 of 2,328), #4 of 13 in MA.
- #2,030 of 2,328
- lower-rate third
- #736 of 3,137
- larger-book third
- #4 of 13
- in MA by rate
- Increasing
- fatality trend
NHTSA FARS milepost
Milepost BERKSHIRE-3 · Berkshire 7.1/100k · #2,030 of 2,328
Berkshire County · 7.1/100k · increasing
- POST 7.1/100k
- BAND #2,030 of 2,328
- VOL 97 book
- AVG Increasing
- YOY 94 crash
- RATE +21.4% vs MA
Stamps derive from this county's NHTSA FARS row (per-100k or book, corpus rank, trend, nationwide peer NAME, vs-state gap), not a trip-risk forecast. PlainRoadSafety is informational only. See our disclaimer. Verify with NHTSA FARS → · Read with methodology → · Understanding road fatality data → · Massachusetts state profile →
How does Berkshire County compare?
2023 road deaths per 100,000 residents. Choose any comparison from the menu.
Berkshire County is 22% deadlier than the comparison
2023 road deaths from the NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System over population from the U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (Vintage 2023). Rates shown for counties with 10,000+ residents and a 2023 FARS record.
Among the 13 rated counties in Massachusetts, Berkshire County ranks 4 for per-capita risk, above the state's own per-capita average of 5.8 per 100,000 -- nationally, this rate leaves it safer than most U.S. counties by that per-capita measure. The gap between Berkshire County's rate and the state average is 1.3 per 100,000. Its closest per-capita peer statewide is Bristol County, at 7.2 per 100,000 (a difference of 0.1). Its peer counties, highest to lowest per 100,000 residents: Franklin County (9.9), Hampden County (9.1), Bristol County (7.2), Plymouth County (6.7), Hampshire County (5.5), Barnstable County (5.2), Worcester County (5.2), Norfolk County (5.1), Dukes County (4.8), Essex County (4.7), Suffolk County (2.9), Middlesex County (2.6).
Berkshire County's rate vs. every rated U.S. county
Deaths per 100,000 residents -- counties with 10,000+ people, NHTSA FARS over Census population
7 Among the safer counties a lower per-capita rate than 87% of 2,328 rated counties
rated U.S. counties, bucketed by value
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more rated counties. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source NHTSA FARS over U.S. Census Bureau population estimates · 2026-09-03
More road safety data related to Berkshire County
Contextual links from this profile to rankings, tools, research, and peer geographies on PlainRoadSafety.
- Berkshire County vs other counties by ratePer-100k fatality comparison
- Massachusetts statewide fatality dataAll counties in this state
- Deadliest states for drivingContext for MA
- State fatality changesYear-over-year state trends
- Browse all U.S. countiesAlphabetical county index
- All state profiles51 state dashboards
- State vs U.S. safety comparisonRoute-level lookup tool
- National statistics downloadFARS CSV + findings
- How to read FARS fatality dataMethodology primer
- Per-mile vs per-capita road riskRate denominator explained
- Counties starting with BLetter index including MA counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How many traffic fatalities occurred in Berkshire County, Massachusetts?
Berkshire County recorded 97 total traffic fatalities across 94 reported crashes over the data period (2016-2023). The most recent year saw 9 fatalities. The county averages approximately 10.8 fatalities per year.
What is the leading cause of road fatalities in Berkshire County?
Despite a comparatively active crash history (94 recorded crashes), individual cause-code breakdowns are not published for Berkshire County in the current FARS release. Statewide data for Massachusetts may provide additional context.
Is the trend of road fatalities in Berkshire County increasing or decreasing?
The trend in Berkshire County is increasing. This indicates that traffic fatalities have risen over the data period, warranting attention to road safety initiatives.
What is the fatality rate per capita in Berkshire County?
Berkshire County has a fatality rate of 7.1 per 100,000 residents, which leaves it safer than most U.S. counties by that per-capita measure among the 3,137 U.S. counties in this dataset.
Where does Berkshire County rank for road fatality rate?
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Fatality Analysis Reporting System, Berkshire County ranks #2,030 of 2,328 U.S. counties by road-fatality rate per 100,000 residents (highest first) and #4 of 13 rated counties in MA, the same sort used on the deadliest-states and county rate listings. See /methodology#corpus-placement.
How does Berkshire County compare to the rest of Massachusetts?
Berkshire County's per-capita rate of 7.1 per 100,000 residents is above the Massachusetts county average of 5.8. Visit the Massachusetts state page for the full county-by-county breakdown.
Where does the road fatality data for Berkshire County come from?
All road fatality data comes from the NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), a census of fatal motor vehicle crashes on public roads in the United States. FARS data covers the period 2016-2023 and includes all crashes resulting in at least one fatality within 30 days.