COUNTY FATALITY DATA
Cowlitz County, Washington
Road fatality data for Cowlitz County (WA). Data period: 2016-2023.
- 95
- Total Fatalities (2016-2023)
- 16
- Latest Year Deaths
- High count
- 14.2
- Per 100k Residents
- Below average
- Increasing
- Trend
Rising fatality trend
Cowlitz County's FARS series is labeled Increasing with 16 deaths in the latest year.
Cowlitz County on a rising FARS trend
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Fatality Analysis Reporting System, Cowlitz County ranks #1,337 of 2,328 U.S. counties by road-fatality rate per 100,000 residents (highest first) and #14 of 35 rated counties in WA. Cowlitz County's fatality rate of 14.2 per 100,000 residents places it close to the national middle by that per-capita measure.
- #1,337 of 2,328
- among rated U.S. counties by rate
- #755 of 3,137
- larger-book third
- #14 of 35
- in WA by rate
- Increasing
- fatality trend
NHTSA county milepost
Milepost COWLITZ-15 · Cowlitz 14.2/100k · #1,337 of 2,328
Cowlitz County · 14.2/100k · increasing
- VOL 14.2/100k
- AVG #1,337 of 2,328
- YOY 95 book
- RATE Increasing
- RANK 85 crash
- BOOK -14.0% vs WA
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 → · Washington state profile →
How does Cowlitz County compare?
2023 road deaths per 100,000 residents. Choose any comparison from the menu.
Cowlitz 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 Washington, Cowlitz County ranks 14 for per-capita risk, below the state's own per-capita average of 16.5 per 100,000 -- nationally, this rate places it close to the national middle by that per-capita measure. The gap between Cowlitz County's rate and the state average is 2.3 per 100,000. Its closest per-capita peer statewide is Benton County, at 13.9 per 100,000 (a difference of 0.3). Its peer counties, highest to lowest per 100,000 residents: Lincoln County (59.6), Adams County (48.0), Kittitas County (35.2), Mason County (29.2), Jefferson County (23.7), Grant County (23.4), Pend Oreille County (20.9), Pacific County (20.7), Lewis County (19.7), Stevens County (18.4), Yakima County (18.3), Klickitat County (17.0), Skamania County (15.8), Benton County (13.9).
Cowlitz County's rate vs. every rated U.S. county
Deaths per 100,000 residents -- counties with 10,000+ people, NHTSA FARS over Census population
14 Lower than most a lower per-capita rate than 57% 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 Cowlitz County
Contextual links from this profile to rankings, tools, research, and peer geographies on PlainRoadSafety.
- Cowlitz County vs other counties by ratePer-100k fatality comparison
- Washington statewide fatality dataAll counties in this state
- Deadliest states for drivingContext for WA
- 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 WA counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How many traffic fatalities occurred in Cowlitz County, Washington?
Cowlitz County recorded 95 total traffic fatalities across 85 reported crashes over the data period (2016-2023). The most recent year saw 16 fatalities. The county averages approximately 10.6 fatalities per year.
What is the leading cause of road fatalities in Cowlitz County?
Despite a comparatively active crash history (85 recorded crashes), individual cause-code breakdowns are not published for Cowlitz County in the current FARS release. Statewide data for Washington may provide additional context.
Is the trend of road fatalities in Cowlitz County increasing or decreasing?
The trend in Cowlitz 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 Cowlitz County?
Cowlitz County has a fatality rate of 14.2 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 Cowlitz County rank for road fatality rate?
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Fatality Analysis Reporting System, Cowlitz County ranks #1,337 of 2,328 U.S. counties by road-fatality rate per 100,000 residents (highest first) and #14 of 35 rated counties in WA, the same sort used on the deadliest-states and county rate listings. See /methodology#corpus-placement.
How does Cowlitz County compare to the rest of Washington?
Cowlitz County's per-capita rate of 14.2 per 100,000 residents is below the Washington county average of 16.5. Visit the Washington state page for the full county-by-county breakdown.
Where does the road fatality data for Cowlitz 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.