COUNTY FATALITY DATA
Cole County: lower-rate fatality band
Cole County (MO) is in the lower per-capita third: 6.5/100k (#2,088 of 2,328). Data period: 2016-2023.
- 60
- Total Fatalities (2016-2023)
- 5
- Latest Year Deaths
- Low count
- 6.5
- Per 100k Residents
- Well below average
- Increasing
- Trend
Lower per-capita fatality band
Cole County ranks #2,088 of 2,328 by deaths per 100,000 residents (6.5/100k) - bottom-third rate among rated U.S. counties.
Cole County in the lower-rate third
According to NHTSA FARS, Cole County sits in the lower-rate third at 6.5 per 100k (#2,088 of 2,328), #79 of 84 in MO.
- #2,088 of 2,328
- lower-rate third
- #1,170 of 3,137
- by total FARS fatalities
- #79 of 84
- in MO by rate
- Increasing
- fatality trend
FARS milepost strip
Milepost COLE-51 · Cole 6.5/100k · #2,088 of 2,328
Cole County · 6.5/100k · increasing
- BOOK 6.5/100k
- TREND #2,088 of 2,328
- CAUSE 60 book
- PHOTO Increasing
- VS-ST 55 crash
- CRASH -70.2% vs MO
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 → · Missouri state profile →
How does Cole County compare?
2023 road deaths per 100,000 residents. Choose any comparison from the menu.
Cole County is 70% safer 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 Missouri, Cole County ranks 15 for per-capita risk, below the state's own per-capita average of 21.8 per 100,000 -- nationally, this rate puts it among the safest one in ten U.S. counties by that per-capita measure. The gap between Cole County's rate and the state average is 15.3 per 100,000. Its closest per-capita peer statewide is Lafayette County, at 30.1 per 100,000 (a difference of 23.6). Its peer counties, highest to lowest per 100,000 residents: Ripley County (74.0), Pemiscot County (54.7), Morgan County (54.6), Barry County (53.9), Lawrence County (51.5), Douglas County (49.1), Ralls County (47.7), Bates County (43.1), New Madrid County (38.9), Bollinger County (37.9), Saline County (34.7), Stone County (33.7), Wright County (30.9), Lafayette County (30.1).
Cole 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 90% 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 Cole County
Contextual links from this profile to rankings, tools, research, and peer geographies on PlainRoadSafety.
- Cole County vs other counties by ratePer-100k fatality comparison
- Missouri statewide fatality dataAll counties in this state
- Deadliest states for drivingContext for MO
- 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 MO counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How many traffic fatalities occurred in Cole County, Missouri?
Cole County recorded 60 total traffic fatalities across 55 reported crashes over the data period (2016-2023). The most recent year saw 5 fatalities. The county averages approximately 6.7 fatalities per year.
What is the leading cause of road fatalities in Cole County?
Despite a comparatively active crash history (55 recorded crashes), individual cause-code breakdowns are not published for Cole County in the current FARS release. Statewide data for Missouri may provide additional context.
Is the trend of road fatalities in Cole County increasing or decreasing?
The trend in Cole 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 Cole County?
Cole County has a fatality rate of 6.5 per 100,000 residents, which puts it among the safest one in ten U.S. counties by that per-capita measure among the 3,137 U.S. counties in this dataset.
Where does Cole County rank for road fatality rate?
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Fatality Analysis Reporting System, Cole County ranks #2,088 of 2,328 U.S. counties by road-fatality rate per 100,000 residents (highest first) and #79 of 84 rated counties in MO, the same sort used on the deadliest-states and county rate listings. See /methodology#corpus-placement.
How does Cole County compare to the rest of Missouri?
Cole County's per-capita rate of 6.5 per 100,000 residents is below the Missouri county average of 21.8. Visit the Missouri state page for the full county-by-county breakdown.
Where does the road fatality data for Cole 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.