COUNTY FATALITY DATA
Chatham County, North Carolina
Road fatality data for Chatham County (NC). Data period: 2016-2023.
- 112
- Total Fatalities (2016-2023)
- 17
- Latest Year Deaths
- High count
- 20.8
- Per 100k Residents
- Near average
- Increasing
- Trend
Rising fatality trend
Chatham County's FARS series is labeled Increasing with 17 deaths in the latest year.
Chatham County on a rising FARS trend
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Fatality Analysis Reporting System, Chatham County ranks #786 of 2,328 U.S. counties by road-fatality rate per 100,000 residents (highest first) and #30 of 94 rated counties in NC. Chatham County's fatality rate of 20.8 per 100,000 residents places it close to the national middle by that per-capita measure.
- #786 of 2,328
- among rated U.S. counties by rate
- #623 of 3,137
- larger-book third
- #30 of 94
- in NC by rate
- Increasing
- fatality trend
FARS milepost strip
Milepost CHATHAM-37 · Chatham 20.8/100k · #786 of 2,328
Chatham County · 20.8/100k · increasing
- YOY 20.8/100k
- RATE #786 of 2,328
- RANK 112 book
- BOOK Increasing
- TREND 100 crash
- CAUSE +10.8% 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 →
How does Chatham County compare?
2023 road deaths per 100,000 residents. Choose any comparison from the menu.
Chatham 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, Chatham County ranks 15 for per-capita risk, above 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 Chatham County's rate and the state average is 2.0 per 100,000. Its closest per-capita peer statewide is Edgecombe County, at 28.7 per 100,000 (a difference of 7.9). 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), Edgecombe County (28.7).
Chatham County's rate vs. every rated U.S. county
Deaths per 100,000 residents -- counties with 10,000+ people, NHTSA FARS over Census population
21 Around the middle a lower per-capita rate than 34% 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 Chatham County
Contextual links from this profile to rankings, tools, research, and peer geographies on PlainRoadSafety.
- Chatham 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 CLetter index including NC counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How many traffic fatalities occurred in Chatham County, North Carolina?
Chatham County recorded 112 total traffic fatalities across 100 reported crashes over the data period (2016-2023). The most recent year saw 17 fatalities. The county averages approximately 12.4 fatalities per year.
What is the leading cause of road fatalities in Chatham County?
Despite a comparatively active crash history (100 recorded crashes), individual cause-code breakdowns are not published for Chatham County in the current FARS release. Statewide data for North Carolina may provide additional context.
Is the trend of road fatalities in Chatham County increasing or decreasing?
The trend in Chatham 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 Chatham County?
Chatham County has a fatality rate of 20.8 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 Chatham County rank for road fatality rate?
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Fatality Analysis Reporting System, Chatham County ranks #786 of 2,328 U.S. counties by road-fatality rate per 100,000 residents (highest first) and #30 of 94 rated counties in NC, the same sort used on the deadliest-states and county rate listings. See /methodology#corpus-placement.
How does Chatham County compare to the rest of North Carolina?
Chatham County's per-capita rate of 20.8 per 100,000 residents is above 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 Chatham 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.