COUNTY FATALITY DATA
Fayette County: larger FARS fatality book
Fayette County (KY) holds a larger FARS book (305, #189 of 3,137) with 49 latest-year deaths.
- 305
- Total Fatalities (2016-2023)
- 49
- Latest Year Deaths
- Very high count
- 15.3
- Per 100k Residents
- Below average
- Increasing
- Trend
Larger fatality book
Fayette County ranks #189 of 3,137 by total FARS fatalities (305 across 2016-2023) - top-third book size.
Fayette County in the larger-book third
According to NHTSA FARS, Fayette County carries a top-third fatality book (305 across 2016-2023, #189 of 3,137) at 15.3/100k.
- #1,234 of 2,328
- among rated U.S. counties by rate
- #189 of 3,137
- larger-book third
- #59 of 98
- in KY by rate
- Increasing
- fatality trend
FARS county milepost
Milepost FAYETTE-67 · Fayette 15.3/100k · #1,234 of 2,328
Fayette County · 15.3/100k · increasing
- MILE 15.3/100k
- POST #1,234 of 2,328
- BAND 305 book
- VOL Increasing
- AVG near Cumberland
- YOY -28.5% vs KY
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 → · Kentucky state profile →
Fayette County rate neighbourhood
Deaths per 100,000 residents vs nearest nationwide rate peers (pop ≥250k).
- Lexington
Lexington County
15 per 100k
- Fayette
Fayette County
15 per 100k
- Cumberland
Cumberland County
15 per 100k
- Tulsa
Tulsa County
15 per 100k
- Stanislaus
Stanislaus County
16 per 100k
What this shows Fayette County sits among nearest nationwide per-capita peers.
How does Fayette County compare?
2023 road deaths per 100,000 residents. Choose any comparison from the menu.
Fayette County is 29% 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 Kentucky, Fayette County ranks 15 for per-capita risk, below the state's own per-capita average of 21.4 per 100,000 -- nationally, this rate places it close to the national middle by that per-capita measure. The gap between Fayette County's rate and the state average is 6.1 per 100,000. Its closest per-capita peer statewide is Pike County, at 37.5 per 100,000 (a difference of 22.2). Its peer counties, highest to lowest per 100,000 residents: Breathitt County (54.0), Breckinridge County (52.1), Todd County (48.0), Caldwell County (47.8), Webster County (47.1), Floyd County (46.5), Carroll County (45.5), Butler County (40.4), Simpson County (39.6), Logan County (38.9), Powell County (38.5), Jackson County (38.2), Ohio County (38.1), Pike County (37.5).
Fayette County's rate vs. every rated U.S. county
Deaths per 100,000 residents -- counties with 10,000+ people, NHTSA FARS over Census population
15 Lower than most a lower per-capita rate than 53% 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 Fayette 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 (15.3 here), outside Kentucky.
Similar fatality volume
Nearest counties by recorded FARS deaths (305 here), excluding the rate-peer set.
More road safety data related to Fayette County
Contextual links from this profile to rankings, tools, research, and peer geographies on PlainRoadSafety.
- Fayette County vs other counties by ratePer-100k fatality comparison
- Kentucky statewide fatality dataAll counties in this state
- Deadliest states for drivingContext for KY
- 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 FLetter index including KY counties
- CUMBERLAND County, NC fatalitiesSimilar nationwide FARS profile
- TULSA County, OK fatalitiesSimilar nationwide FARS profile
- LEXINGTON County, SC fatalitiesSimilar nationwide FARS profile
- STANISLAUS County, CA fatalitiesSimilar nationwide FARS profile
Frequently Asked Questions
How many traffic fatalities occurred in Fayette County, Kentucky?
Fayette County recorded 305 total traffic fatalities across 282 reported crashes over the data period (2016-2023). The most recent year saw 49 fatalities. The county averages approximately 33.9 fatalities per year.
What is the leading cause of road fatalities in Fayette County?
Despite a comparatively active crash history (282 recorded crashes), individual cause-code breakdowns are not published for Fayette County in the current FARS release. Statewide data for Kentucky may provide additional context.
Is the trend of road fatalities in Fayette County increasing or decreasing?
The trend in Fayette 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 Fayette County?
Fayette County has a fatality rate of 15.3 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 Fayette County rank for road fatality rate?
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Fatality Analysis Reporting System, Fayette County ranks #1,234 of 2,328 U.S. counties by road-fatality rate per 100,000 residents (highest first) and #59 of 98 rated counties in KY, the same sort used on the deadliest-states and county rate listings. See /methodology#corpus-placement.
How does Fayette County compare to the rest of Kentucky?
Fayette County's per-capita rate of 15.3 per 100,000 residents is below the Kentucky county average of 21.4. Visit the Kentucky state page for the full county-by-county breakdown.
Where does the road fatality data for Fayette 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.