COUNTY FATALITY DATA
De Soto County: larger FARS fatality book
De Soto County (MS) holds a larger FARS book (178, #364 of 3,137) with 20 latest-year deaths.
- 178
- Total Fatalities (2016-2023)
- 20
- Latest Year Deaths
- High count
- 10.3
- Per 100k Residents
- Below average
- Increasing
- Trend
Larger fatality book
De Soto County ranks #364 of 3,137 by total FARS fatalities (178 across 2016-2023) - top-third book size.
De Soto County in the larger-book third
According to NHTSA FARS, De Soto County carries a top-third fatality book (178 across 2016-2023, #364 of 3,137) at 10.3/100k.
- #1,733 of 2,328
- lower-rate third
- #364 of 3,137
- larger-book third
- #64 of 64
- in MS by rate
- Increasing
- fatality trend
NHTSA FARS milepost
Milepost DE-SOTO-33 · De Soto 10.3/100k · #1,733 of 2,328
De Soto County · 10.3/100k · increasing
- BAND 10.3/100k
- VOL #1,733 of 2,328
- AVG 178 book
- YOY Increasing
- RATE 166 crash
- RANK -64.7% vs MS
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 → · Mississippi state profile →
How does De Soto County compare?
2023 road deaths per 100,000 residents. Choose any comparison from the menu.
De Soto County is 65% 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 Mississippi, De Soto County ranks 15 for per-capita risk, below the state's own per-capita average of 29.2 per 100,000 -- nationally, this rate leaves it safer than most U.S. counties by that per-capita measure. The gap between De Soto County's rate and the state average is 18.9 per 100,000. Its closest per-capita peer statewide is Yalobusha County, at 40.4 per 100,000 (a difference of 30.1). Its peer counties, highest to lowest per 100,000 residents: Scott County (69.1), Covington County (66.4), Holmes County (63.4), Stone County (58.6), Grenada County (57.0), Panola County (55.1), Copiah County (47.0), Washington County (45.3), Marshall County (44.0), Warren County (42.6), Yazoo County (42.6), Leake County (42.3), Chickasaw County (41.5), Yalobusha County (40.4).
De Soto County's rate vs. every rated U.S. county
Deaths per 100,000 residents -- counties with 10,000+ people, NHTSA FARS over Census population
10 Lower than most a lower per-capita rate than 74% 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 De Soto County
Contextual links from this profile to rankings, tools, research, and peer geographies on PlainRoadSafety.
- De Soto County vs other counties by ratePer-100k fatality comparison
- Mississippi statewide fatality dataAll counties in this state
- Deadliest states for drivingContext for MS
- 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 MS counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How many traffic fatalities occurred in De Soto County, Mississippi?
De Soto County recorded 178 total traffic fatalities across 166 reported crashes over the data period (2016-2023). The most recent year saw 20 fatalities. The county averages approximately 19.8 fatalities per year.
What is the leading cause of road fatalities in De Soto County?
Despite a comparatively active crash history (166 recorded crashes), individual cause-code breakdowns are not published for De Soto County in the current FARS release. Statewide data for Mississippi may provide additional context.
Is the trend of road fatalities in De Soto County increasing or decreasing?
The trend in De Soto 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 De Soto County?
De Soto County has a fatality rate of 10.3 per 100,000 residents, which leaves it safer than most U.S. counties by that per-capita measure among the 3,137 U.S. counties in this dataset.
Where does De Soto County rank for road fatality rate?
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Fatality Analysis Reporting System, De Soto County ranks #1,733 of 2,328 U.S. counties by road-fatality rate per 100,000 residents (highest first) and #64 of 64 rated counties in MS, the same sort used on the deadliest-states and county rate listings. See /methodology#corpus-placement.
How does De Soto County compare to the rest of Mississippi?
De Soto County's per-capita rate of 10.3 per 100,000 residents is below the Mississippi county average of 29.2. Visit the Mississippi state page for the full county-by-county breakdown.
Where does the road fatality data for De Soto 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.