COUNTY FATALITY DATA
Columbia County, New York
Road fatality data for Columbia County (NY). Data period: 2016-2023.
- 69
- Total Fatalities (2016-2023)
- 17
- Latest Year Deaths
- High count
- 28.1
- Per 100k Residents
- Above average
- Increasing
- Trend
Rising fatality trend
Columbia County's FARS series is labeled Increasing with 17 deaths in the latest year.
Columbia County on a rising FARS trend
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Fatality Analysis Reporting System, Columbia County ranks #459 of 2,328 U.S. counties by road-fatality rate per 100,000 residents (highest first) and #1 of 61 rated counties in NY. Columbia County's fatality rate of 28.1 per 100,000 residents leaves it more dangerous than most U.S. counties by that per-capita measure.
- #459 of 2,328
- higher-rate third
- #1,045 of 3,137
- larger-book third
- #1 of 61
- in NY by rate
- Increasing
- fatality trend
FARS milepost strip
Milepost COLUMBIA-21 · Columbia 28.1/100k · #459 of 2,328
Columbia County · 28.1/100k · increasing
- BAND 28.1/100k
- VOL #459 of 2,328
- AVG 69 book
- YOY Increasing
- RATE 64 crash
- RANK +185.5% vs NY
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 → · New York state profile →
How does Columbia County compare?
2023 road deaths per 100,000 residents. Choose any comparison from the menu.
Columbia County is 2.9× 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 New York, Columbia County ranks 1 for per-capita risk, above the state's own per-capita average of 9.8 per 100,000 -- nationally, this rate leaves it more dangerous than most U.S. counties by that per-capita measure. The gap between Columbia County's rate and the state average is 18.3 per 100,000. Its closest per-capita peer statewide is Orleans County, at 20.4 per 100,000 (a difference of 7.7). Its peer counties, highest to lowest per 100,000 residents: Orleans County (20.4), Ontario County (18.7), Seneca County (18.5), Cattaraugus County (17.2), Washington County (16.7), Essex County (16.3), Yates County (16.3), Genesee County (15.6), St Lawrence County (15.0), Allegany County (15.0), Tioga County (14.7), Wayne County (14.3), Oswego County (13.5), Schoharie County (13.3).
Columbia County's rate vs. every rated U.S. county
Deaths per 100,000 residents -- counties with 10,000+ people, NHTSA FARS over Census population
28 Higher than most a lower per-capita rate than 20% 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 Columbia County
Contextual links from this profile to rankings, tools, research, and peer geographies on PlainRoadSafety.
- Columbia County vs other counties by ratePer-100k fatality comparison
- New York statewide fatality dataAll counties in this state
- Deadliest states for drivingContext for NY
- 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 NY counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How many traffic fatalities occurred in Columbia County, New York?
Columbia County recorded 69 total traffic fatalities across 64 reported crashes over the data period (2016-2023). The most recent year saw 17 fatalities. The county averages approximately 7.7 fatalities per year.
What is the leading cause of road fatalities in Columbia County?
Despite a comparatively active crash history (64 recorded crashes), individual cause-code breakdowns are not published for Columbia County in the current FARS release. Statewide data for New York may provide additional context.
Is the trend of road fatalities in Columbia County increasing or decreasing?
The trend in Columbia 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 Columbia County?
Columbia County has a fatality rate of 28.1 per 100,000 residents, which leaves it more dangerous than most U.S. counties by that per-capita measure among the 3,137 U.S. counties in this dataset.
Where does Columbia County rank for road fatality rate?
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Fatality Analysis Reporting System, Columbia County ranks #459 of 2,328 U.S. counties by road-fatality rate per 100,000 residents (highest first) and #1 of 61 rated counties in NY, the same sort used on the deadliest-states and county rate listings. See /methodology#corpus-placement.
How does Columbia County compare to the rest of New York?
Columbia County's per-capita rate of 28.1 per 100,000 residents is above the New York county average of 9.8. Visit the New York state page for the full county-by-county breakdown.
Where does the road fatality data for Columbia 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.