COUNTY FATALITY DATA
Flathead County, Montana
Road fatality data for Flathead County (MT). Data period: 2016-2023.
- 143
- Total Fatalities (2016-2023)
- 23
- Latest Year Deaths
- High count
- 20.2
- Per 100k Residents
- Near average
- Increasing
- Trend
Rising fatality trend
Flathead County's FARS series is labeled Increasing with 23 deaths in the latest year.
Flathead County on a rising FARS trend
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Fatality Analysis Reporting System, Flathead County ranks #821 of 2,328 U.S. counties by road-fatality rate per 100,000 residents (highest first) and #10 of 19 rated counties in MT. Flathead County's fatality rate of 20.2 per 100,000 residents places it close to the national middle by that per-capita measure.
- #821 of 2,328
- among rated U.S. counties by rate
- #480 of 3,137
- larger-book third
- #10 of 19
- in MT by rate
- Increasing
- fatality trend
Highway fatality milepost
Milepost FLATHEAD-29 · Flathead 20.2/100k · #821 of 2,328
Flathead County · 20.2/100k · increasing
- PHOTO 20.2/100k
- VS-ST #821 of 2,328
- CRASH 143 book
- FARS Increasing
- NHTSA 129 crash
- MILE -17.1% vs MT
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 → · Montana state profile →
How does Flathead County compare?
2023 road deaths per 100,000 residents. Choose any comparison from the menu.
Flathead County is 17% 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 Montana, Flathead County ranks 10 for per-capita risk, below the state's own per-capita average of 24.4 per 100,000 -- nationally, this rate places it close to the national middle by that per-capita measure. The gap between Flathead County's rate and the state average is 4.2 per 100,000. Its closest per-capita peer statewide is Missoula County, at 18.9 per 100,000 (a difference of 1.3). Its peer counties, highest to lowest per 100,000 residents: Big Horn County (70.6), Carbon County (61.3), Lincoln County (41.1), Park County (33.5), Sanders County (29.2), Roosevelt County (29.1), Lake County (24.0), Jefferson County (23.0), Glacier County (22.0), Missoula County (18.9), Yellowstone County (15.8), Ravalli County (14.7), Gallatin County (13.4), Hill County (12.3).
Flathead County's rate vs. every rated U.S. county
Deaths per 100,000 residents -- counties with 10,000+ people, NHTSA FARS over Census population
20 Around the middle a lower per-capita rate than 35% 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 Flathead County
Contextual links from this profile to rankings, tools, research, and peer geographies on PlainRoadSafety.
- Flathead County vs other counties by ratePer-100k fatality comparison
- Montana statewide fatality dataAll counties in this state
- Deadliest states for drivingContext for MT
- 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 MT counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How many traffic fatalities occurred in Flathead County, Montana?
Flathead County recorded 143 total traffic fatalities across 129 reported crashes over the data period (2016-2023). The most recent year saw 23 fatalities. The county averages approximately 15.9 fatalities per year.
What is the leading cause of road fatalities in Flathead County?
Despite a comparatively active crash history (129 recorded crashes), individual cause-code breakdowns are not published for Flathead County in the current FARS release. Statewide data for Montana may provide additional context.
Is the trend of road fatalities in Flathead County increasing or decreasing?
The trend in Flathead 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 Flathead County?
Flathead County has a fatality rate of 20.2 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 Flathead County rank for road fatality rate?
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Fatality Analysis Reporting System, Flathead County ranks #821 of 2,328 U.S. counties by road-fatality rate per 100,000 residents (highest first) and #10 of 19 rated counties in MT, the same sort used on the deadliest-states and county rate listings. See /methodology#corpus-placement.
How does Flathead County compare to the rest of Montana?
Flathead County's per-capita rate of 20.2 per 100,000 residents is below the Montana county average of 24.4. Visit the Montana state page for the full county-by-county breakdown.
Where does the road fatality data for Flathead 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.