COUNTY FATALITY DATA
Buncombe County: larger FARS fatality book
Buncombe County (NC) holds a larger FARS book (267, #227 of 3,137) with 47 latest-year deaths.
- 267
- Total Fatalities (2016-2023)
- 47
- Latest Year Deaths
- Very high count
- 17.0
- Per 100k Residents
- Below average
- Increasing
- Trend
Larger fatality book
Buncombe County ranks #227 of 3,137 by total FARS fatalities (267 across 2016-2023) - top-third book size.
Buncombe County in the larger-book third
According to NHTSA FARS, Buncombe County carries a top-third fatality book (267 across 2016-2023, #227 of 3,137) at 17.0/100k.
- #1,068 of 2,328
- among rated U.S. counties by rate
- #227 of 3,137
- larger-book third
- #42 of 94
- in NC by rate
- Increasing
- fatality trend
Highway fatality milepost
Milepost BUNCOMBE-21 · Buncombe 17.0/100k · #1,068 of 2,328
Buncombe County · 17.0/100k · increasing
- VOL 17.0/100k
- AVG #1,068 of 2,328
- YOY 267 book
- RATE Increasing
- RANK near San Joaquin
- BOOK -9.4% vs NC
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 → · North Carolina state profile →
Buncombe County rate neighbourhood
Deaths per 100,000 residents vs nearest nationwide rate peers (pop ≥250k).
- Jefferson
Jefferson County
17 per 100k
- Buncombe
Buncombe County
17 per 100k
- San Joaquin
San Joaquin County
17 per 100k
- Bernalillo
Bernalillo County
17 per 100k
- Tulare
Tulare County
17 per 100k
What this shows Buncombe County sits among nearest nationwide per-capita peers.
How does Buncombe County compare?
2023 road deaths per 100,000 residents. Choose any comparison from the menu.
Buncombe County is About the same as 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 North Carolina, Buncombe County ranks 15 for per-capita risk, below the state's own per-capita average of 18.8 per 100,000 -- nationally, this rate places it close to the national middle by that per-capita measure. The gap between Buncombe County's rate and the state average is 1.8 per 100,000. Its closest per-capita peer statewide is Edgecombe County, at 28.7 per 100,000 (a difference of 11.7). Its peer counties, highest to lowest per 100,000 residents: Robeson County (55.4), Scotland County (52.4), Montgomery County (49.8), Bertie County (47.3), Halifax County (44.4), Sampson County (41.9), Duplin County (38.4), Warren County (37.2), Alexander County (32.9), Anson County (32.0), Columbus County (31.9), Bladen County (30.5), Gates County (29.0, limited data), Edgecombe County (28.7).
Buncombe County's rate vs. every rated U.S. county
Deaths per 100,000 residents -- counties with 10,000+ people, NHTSA FARS over Census population
17 Around the middle a lower per-capita rate than 46% 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
Counties with similar FARS profiles
Two cross-state peer sets for Buncombe County. Same-state rate comparisons stay in the chart above; these neighborhoods are nearest other-state counties with population at least 250,000.
Similar per-capita fatality rate
Nearest counties by deaths per 100,000 residents (17.0 here), outside North Carolina.
Similar fatality volume
Nearest counties by recorded FARS deaths (267 here), excluding the rate-peer set.
More road safety data related to Buncombe County
Contextual links from this profile to rankings, tools, research, and peer geographies on PlainRoadSafety.
- Buncombe County vs other counties by ratePer-100k fatality comparison
- North Carolina statewide fatality dataAll counties in this state
- Deadliest states for drivingContext for NC
- 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 NC counties
- SAN JOAQUIN County, CA fatalitiesSimilar nationwide FARS profile
- BERNALILLO County, NM fatalitiesSimilar nationwide FARS profile
- JEFFERSON County, AL fatalitiesSimilar nationwide FARS profile
- TULARE County, CA fatalitiesSimilar nationwide FARS profile
Frequently Asked Questions
How many traffic fatalities occurred in Buncombe County, North Carolina?
Buncombe County recorded 267 total traffic fatalities across 253 reported crashes over the data period (2016-2023). The most recent year saw 47 fatalities. The county averages approximately 29.7 fatalities per year.
What is the leading cause of road fatalities in Buncombe County?
Despite a comparatively active crash history (253 recorded crashes), individual cause-code breakdowns are not published for Buncombe County in the current FARS release. Statewide data for North Carolina may provide additional context.
Is the trend of road fatalities in Buncombe County increasing or decreasing?
The trend in Buncombe 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 Buncombe County?
Buncombe County has a fatality rate of 17.0 per 100,000 residents, which places it close to the national middle by that per-capita measure among the 3,137 U.S. counties in this dataset.
Where does Buncombe County rank for road fatality rate?
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Fatality Analysis Reporting System, Buncombe County ranks #1,068 of 2,328 U.S. counties by road-fatality rate per 100,000 residents (highest first) and #42 of 94 rated counties in NC, the same sort used on the deadliest-states and county rate listings. See /methodology#corpus-placement.
How does Buncombe County compare to the rest of North Carolina?
Buncombe County's per-capita rate of 17.0 per 100,000 residents is below the North Carolina county average of 18.8. Visit the North Carolina state page for the full county-by-county breakdown.
Where does the road fatality data for Buncombe 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.