COUNTY FATALITY DATA
Dakota County: higher-rate fatality band
Dakota County (NE) is in the higher per-capita third: 28.2/100k (#454 of 2,328). Data period: 2016-2023.
- 19
- Total Fatalities (2016-2023)
- 6
- Latest Year Deaths
- Low count
- 28.2
- Per 100k Residents
- Above average
- Stable
- Trend
Higher per-capita fatality band
Dakota County ranks #454 of 2,328 by deaths per 100,000 residents (28.2/100k) - top-third rate among rated U.S. counties.
Dakota County in the higher-rate third
According to NHTSA FARS, Dakota County sits in the higher-rate third at 28.2 per 100k (#454 of 2,328), #7 of 25 in NE.
- #454 of 2,328
- higher-rate third
- #2,411 of 3,137
- smaller-book third
- #7 of 25
- in NE by rate
- Stable
- fatality trend
NHTSA county milepost
Milepost DAKOTA-43 · Dakota 28.2/100k · #454 of 2,328
Dakota County · 28.2/100k · stable
- FARS 28.2/100k
- NHTSA #454 of 2,328
- MILE 19 book
- POST Stable
- BAND 15 crash
- VOL +59.5% vs NE
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 → · Nebraska state profile →
How does Dakota County compare?
2023 road deaths per 100,000 residents. Choose any comparison from the menu.
Dakota County is 59% 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 Nebraska, Dakota County ranks 7 for per-capita risk, above the state's own per-capita average of 17.7 per 100,000 -- nationally, this rate leaves it more dangerous than most U.S. counties by that per-capita measure. The gap between Dakota County's rate and the state average is 10.5 per 100,000. Its closest per-capita peer statewide is Washington County, at 28.4 per 100,000 (a difference of 0.2). Its peer counties, highest to lowest per 100,000 residents: Box Butte County (65.5), Colfax County (37.9), Custer County (37.8), Cass County (32.8), Saunders County (29.8), Washington County (28.4), Lincoln County (21.0), Buffalo County (15.8), Hall County (14.5), York County (13.9), Dawson County (12.5), Otoe County (12.2), Madison County (11.2), Holt County (9.9).
Dakota 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 19% 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 Dakota County
Contextual links from this profile to rankings, tools, research, and peer geographies on PlainRoadSafety.
- Dakota County vs other counties by ratePer-100k fatality comparison
- Nebraska statewide fatality dataAll counties in this state
- Deadliest states for drivingContext for NE
- 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 DLetter index including NE counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How many traffic fatalities occurred in Dakota County, Nebraska?
Dakota County recorded 19 total traffic fatalities across 15 reported crashes over the data period (2016-2023). The most recent year saw 6 fatalities. The county averages approximately 2.1 fatalities per year.
What is the leading cause of road fatalities in Dakota County?
Cause-code breakdowns are not individually published for Dakota County in the current FARS release. Statewide data for Nebraska may provide additional context.
Is the trend of road fatalities in Dakota County increasing or decreasing?
The trend in Dakota County is stable. Fatality counts have remained relatively consistent over the data period.
What is the fatality rate per capita in Dakota County?
Dakota County has a fatality rate of 28.2 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 Dakota County rank for road fatality rate?
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Fatality Analysis Reporting System, Dakota County ranks #454 of 2,328 U.S. counties by road-fatality rate per 100,000 residents (highest first) and #7 of 25 rated counties in NE, the same sort used on the deadliest-states and county rate listings. See /methodology#corpus-placement.
How does Dakota County compare to the rest of Nebraska?
Dakota County's per-capita rate of 28.2 per 100,000 residents is above the Nebraska county average of 17.7. Visit the Nebraska state page for the full county-by-county breakdown.
Where does the road fatality data for Dakota 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.