COUNTY FATALITY DATA
Durham County: larger FARS fatality book
Durham County (NC) holds a larger FARS book (240, #255 of 3,137) with 38 latest-year deaths.
- 240
- Total Fatalities (2016-2023)
- 38
- Latest Year Deaths
- Very high count
- 11.3
- Per 100k Residents
- Below average
- Increasing
- Trend
Larger fatality book
Durham County ranks #255 of 3,137 by total FARS fatalities (240 across 2016-2023) - top-third book size.
Durham County in the larger-book third
According to NHTSA FARS, Durham County carries a top-third fatality book (240 across 2016-2023, #255 of 3,137) at 11.3/100k.
- #1,619 of 2,328
- lower-rate third
- #255 of 3,137
- larger-book third
- #67 of 94
- in NC by rate
- Increasing
- fatality trend
FARS milepost strip
Milepost DURHAM-63 · Durham 11.3/100k · #1,619 of 2,328
Durham County · 11.3/100k · increasing
- YOY 11.3/100k
- RATE #1,619 of 2,328
- RANK 240 book
- BOOK Increasing
- TREND near Larimer
- CAUSE -39.8% vs NC
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 → · North Carolina state profile →
Durham County rate neighbourhood
Deaths per 100,000 residents vs nearest nationwide rate peers (pop ≥250k).
- Durham
Durham County
11 per 100k
- Larimer
Larimer County
11 per 100k
- Multnomah
Multnomah County
11 per 100k
- St Joseph
St Joseph County
11 per 100k
- Wayne
Wayne County
11 per 100k
What this shows Durham County sits among nearest nationwide per-capita peers.
How does Durham County compare?
2023 road deaths per 100,000 residents. Choose any comparison from the menu.
Durham County is 40% 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 North Carolina, Durham County ranks 15 for per-capita risk, below the state's own per-capita average of 18.8 per 100,000 -- nationally, this rate places it close to the national middle by that per-capita measure. The gap between Durham County's rate and the state average is 7.5 per 100,000. Its closest per-capita peer statewide is Edgecombe County, at 28.7 per 100,000 (a difference of 17.4). Its peer counties, highest to lowest per 100,000 residents: Robeson County (55.4), Scotland County (52.4), Montgomery County (49.8), Bertie County (47.3), Halifax County (44.4), Sampson County (41.9), Duplin County (38.4), Warren County (37.2), Alexander County (32.9), Anson County (32.0), Columbus County (31.9), Bladen County (30.5), Gates County (29.0, limited data), Edgecombe County (28.7).
Durham County's rate vs. every rated U.S. county
Deaths per 100,000 residents -- counties with 10,000+ people, NHTSA FARS over Census population
11 Lower than most a lower per-capita rate than 69% 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
Counties with similar FARS profiles
Two cross-state peer sets for Durham County. Same-state rate comparisons stay in the chart above; these neighborhoods are nearest other-state counties with population at least 250,000.
Similar per-capita fatality rate
Nearest counties by deaths per 100,000 residents (11.3 here), outside North Carolina.
Similar fatality volume
Nearest counties by recorded FARS deaths (240 here), excluding the rate-peer set.
More road safety data related to Durham County
Contextual links from this profile to rankings, tools, research, and peer geographies on PlainRoadSafety.
- Durham County vs other counties by ratePer-100k fatality comparison
- North Carolina statewide fatality dataAll counties in this state
- Deadliest states for drivingContext for NC
- 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 NC counties
- LARIMER County, CO fatalitiesSimilar nationwide FARS profile
- MULTNOMAH County, OR fatalitiesSimilar nationwide FARS profile
- ST JOSEPH County, IN fatalitiesSimilar nationwide FARS profile
- WAYNE County, MI fatalitiesSimilar nationwide FARS profile
Frequently Asked Questions
How many traffic fatalities occurred in Durham County, North Carolina?
Durham County recorded 240 total traffic fatalities across 230 reported crashes over the data period (2016-2023). The most recent year saw 38 fatalities. The county averages approximately 26.7 fatalities per year.
What is the leading cause of road fatalities in Durham County?
Despite a comparatively active crash history (230 recorded crashes), individual cause-code breakdowns are not published for Durham County in the current FARS release. Statewide data for North Carolina may provide additional context.
Is the trend of road fatalities in Durham County increasing or decreasing?
The trend in Durham 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 Durham County?
Durham County has a fatality rate of 11.3 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 Durham County rank for road fatality rate?
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Fatality Analysis Reporting System, Durham County ranks #1,619 of 2,328 U.S. counties by road-fatality rate per 100,000 residents (highest first) and #67 of 94 rated counties in NC, the same sort used on the deadliest-states and county rate listings. See /methodology#corpus-placement.
How does Durham County compare to the rest of North Carolina?
Durham County's per-capita rate of 11.3 per 100,000 residents is below the North Carolina county average of 18.8. Visit the North Carolina state page for the full county-by-county breakdown.
Where does the road fatality data for Durham 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.