COUNTY FATALITY DATA
Cleveland County: larger FARS fatality book
Cleveland County (NC) holds a larger FARS book (169, #393 of 3,137) with 21 latest-year deaths.
- 169
- Total Fatalities (2016-2023)
- 21
- Latest Year Deaths
- High count
- 20.7
- Per 100k Residents
- Near average
- Increasing
- Trend
Larger fatality book
Cleveland County ranks #393 of 3,137 by total FARS fatalities (169 across 2016-2023) - top-third book size.
Cleveland County in the larger-book third
According to NHTSA FARS, Cleveland County carries a top-third fatality book (169 across 2016-2023, #393 of 3,137) at 20.7/100k.
- #790 of 2,328
- among rated U.S. counties by rate
- #393 of 3,137
- larger-book third
- #32 of 94
- in NC by rate
- Increasing
- fatality trend
FARS milepost strip
Milepost CLEVELAND-45 · Cleveland 20.7/100k · #790 of 2,328
Cleveland County · 20.7/100k · increasing
- AVG 20.7/100k
- YOY #790 of 2,328
- RATE 169 book
- RANK Increasing
- BOOK 156 crash
- TREND +10.3% 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 Cleveland County compare?
2023 road deaths per 100,000 residents. Choose any comparison from the menu.
Cleveland 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, Cleveland 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 Cleveland County's rate and the state average is 1.9 per 100,000. Its closest per-capita peer statewide is Edgecombe County, at 28.7 per 100,000 (a difference of 8.0). 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).
Cleveland 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 Cleveland County
Contextual links from this profile to rankings, tools, research, and peer geographies on PlainRoadSafety.
- Cleveland 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 Cleveland County, North Carolina?
Cleveland County recorded 169 total traffic fatalities across 156 reported crashes over the data period (2016-2023). The most recent year saw 21 fatalities. The county averages approximately 18.8 fatalities per year.
What is the leading cause of road fatalities in Cleveland County?
Despite a comparatively active crash history (156 recorded crashes), individual cause-code breakdowns are not published for Cleveland County in the current FARS release. Statewide data for North Carolina may provide additional context.
Is the trend of road fatalities in Cleveland County increasing or decreasing?
The trend in Cleveland 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 Cleveland County?
Cleveland County has a fatality rate of 20.7 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 Cleveland County rank for road fatality rate?
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Fatality Analysis Reporting System, Cleveland County ranks #790 of 2,328 U.S. counties by road-fatality rate per 100,000 residents (highest first) and #32 of 94 rated counties in NC, the same sort used on the deadliest-states and county rate listings. See /methodology#corpus-placement.
How does Cleveland County compare to the rest of North Carolina?
Cleveland County's per-capita rate of 20.7 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 Cleveland 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.