COUNTY FATALITY DATA
Breathitt County: higher-rate fatality band
Breathitt County (KY) is in the higher per-capita third: 54.0/100k (#69 of 2,328). Data period: 2016-2023.
- 43
- Total Fatalities (2016-2023)
- 7
- Latest Year Deaths
- Near average count
- 54.0
- Per 100k Residents
- Well above average
- Stable
- Trend
Higher per-capita fatality band
Breathitt County ranks #69 of 2,328 by deaths per 100,000 residents (54.0/100k) - top-third rate among rated U.S. counties.
Breathitt County in the higher-rate third
According to NHTSA FARS, Breathitt County sits in the higher-rate third at 54.0 per 100k (#69 of 2,328), #1 of 98 in KY.
- #69 of 2,328
- higher-rate third
- #1,568 of 3,137
- by total FARS fatalities
- #1 of 98
- in KY by rate
- Stable
- fatality trend
Highway fatality milepost
Milepost BREATHITT-25 · Breathitt 54.0/100k · #69 of 2,328
Breathitt County · 54.0/100k · stable
- YOY 54.0/100k
- RATE #69 of 2,328
- RANK 43 book
- BOOK Stable
- TREND 39 crash
- CAUSE +152.2% vs KY
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 → · Kentucky state profile →
How does Breathitt County compare?
2023 road deaths per 100,000 residents. Choose any comparison from the menu.
Breathitt County is 2.5× 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 15 rated counties in Kentucky, Breathitt County ranks 1 for per-capita risk, above the state's own per-capita average of 21.4 per 100,000 -- nationally, this rate puts it among the most dangerous one in ten U.S. counties by that per-capita measure. The gap between Breathitt County's rate and the state average is 32.6 per 100,000. Its closest per-capita peer statewide is Breckinridge County, at 52.1 per 100,000 (a difference of 1.9). Its peer counties, highest to lowest per 100,000 residents: Breckinridge County (52.1), Todd County (48.0), Caldwell County (47.8), Webster County (47.1), Floyd County (46.5), Carroll County (45.5), Butler County (40.4), Simpson County (39.6), Logan County (38.9), Powell County (38.5), Jackson County (38.2), Ohio County (38.1), Pike County (37.5), Clay County (35.6).
Breathitt County's rate vs. every rated U.S. county
Deaths per 100,000 residents -- counties with 10,000+ people, NHTSA FARS over Census population
54 Higher than most a lower per-capita rate than 3% 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 Breathitt County
Contextual links from this profile to rankings, tools, research, and peer geographies on PlainRoadSafety.
- Breathitt County vs other counties by ratePer-100k fatality comparison
- Kentucky statewide fatality dataAll counties in this state
- Deadliest states for drivingContext for KY
- 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 KY counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How many traffic fatalities occurred in Breathitt County, Kentucky?
Breathitt County recorded 43 total traffic fatalities across 39 reported crashes over the data period (2016-2023). The most recent year saw 7 fatalities. The county averages approximately 4.8 fatalities per year.
What is the leading cause of road fatalities in Breathitt County?
Cause-code breakdowns are not individually published for Breathitt County in the current FARS release. Statewide data for Kentucky may provide additional context.
Is the trend of road fatalities in Breathitt County increasing or decreasing?
The trend in Breathitt County is stable. Fatality counts have remained relatively consistent over the data period.
What is the fatality rate per capita in Breathitt County?
Breathitt County has a fatality rate of 54.0 per 100,000 residents, which puts it among the most dangerous one in ten U.S. counties by that per-capita measure among the 3,137 U.S. counties in this dataset.
Where does Breathitt County rank for road fatality rate?
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Fatality Analysis Reporting System, Breathitt County ranks #69 of 2,328 U.S. counties by road-fatality rate per 100,000 residents (highest first) and #1 of 98 rated counties in KY, the same sort used on the deadliest-states and county rate listings. See /methodology#corpus-placement.
How does Breathitt County compare to the rest of Kentucky?
Breathitt County's per-capita rate of 54.0 per 100,000 residents is above the Kentucky county average of 21.4. Visit the Kentucky state page for the full county-by-county breakdown.
Where does the road fatality data for Breathitt 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.