COUNTY FATALITY DATA
Franklin County, Massachusetts
Road fatality data for Franklin County (MA). Data period: 2016-2023.
- 52
- Total Fatalities (2016-2023)
- 7
- Latest Year Deaths
- Near average count
- 9.9
- Per 100k Residents
- Below average
- Increasing
- Trend
Rising fatality trend
Franklin County's FARS series is labeled Increasing with 7 deaths in the latest year.
Franklin County on a rising FARS trend
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Fatality Analysis Reporting System, Franklin County ranks #1,772 of 2,328 U.S. counties by road-fatality rate per 100,000 residents (highest first) and #1 of 13 rated counties in MA. Franklin County's fatality rate of 9.9 per 100,000 residents leaves it safer than most U.S. counties by that per-capita measure.
- #1,772 of 2,328
- lower-rate third
- #1,349 of 3,137
- by total FARS fatalities
- #1 of 13
- in MA by rate
- Increasing
- fatality trend
NHTSA county milepost
Milepost FRANKLIN-11 · Franklin 9.9/100k · #1,772 of 2,328
Franklin County · 9.9/100k · increasing
- FARS 9.9/100k
- NHTSA #1,772 of 2,328
- MILE 52 book
- POST Increasing
- BAND 51 crash
- VOL +69.3% vs MA
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 → · Massachusetts state profile →
How does Franklin County compare?
2023 road deaths per 100,000 residents. Choose any comparison from the menu.
Franklin County is 71% 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 13 rated counties in Massachusetts, Franklin County ranks 1 for per-capita risk, above the state's own per-capita average of 5.8 per 100,000 -- nationally, this rate leaves it safer than most U.S. counties by that per-capita measure. The gap between Franklin County's rate and the state average is 4.1 per 100,000. Its closest per-capita peer statewide is Hampden County, at 9.1 per 100,000 (a difference of 0.8). Its peer counties, highest to lowest per 100,000 residents: Hampden County (9.1), Bristol County (7.2), Berkshire County (7.1), Plymouth County (6.7), Hampshire County (5.5), Barnstable County (5.2), Worcester County (5.2), Norfolk County (5.1), Dukes County (4.8), Essex County (4.7), Suffolk County (2.9), Middlesex County (2.6).
Franklin 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 Among the safer counties a lower per-capita rate than 76% 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 Franklin County
Contextual links from this profile to rankings, tools, research, and peer geographies on PlainRoadSafety.
- Franklin County vs other counties by ratePer-100k fatality comparison
- Massachusetts statewide fatality dataAll counties in this state
- Deadliest states for drivingContext for MA
- 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 MA counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How many traffic fatalities occurred in Franklin County, Massachusetts?
Franklin County recorded 52 total traffic fatalities across 51 reported crashes over the data period (2016-2023). The most recent year saw 7 fatalities. The county averages approximately 5.8 fatalities per year.
What is the leading cause of road fatalities in Franklin County?
Despite a comparatively active crash history (51 recorded crashes), individual cause-code breakdowns are not published for Franklin County in the current FARS release. Statewide data for Massachusetts may provide additional context.
Is the trend of road fatalities in Franklin County increasing or decreasing?
The trend in Franklin 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 Franklin County?
Franklin County has a fatality rate of 9.9 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 Franklin County rank for road fatality rate?
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Fatality Analysis Reporting System, Franklin County ranks #1,772 of 2,328 U.S. counties by road-fatality rate per 100,000 residents (highest first) and #1 of 13 rated counties in MA, the same sort used on the deadliest-states and county rate listings. See /methodology#corpus-placement.
How does Franklin County compare to the rest of Massachusetts?
Franklin County's per-capita rate of 9.9 per 100,000 residents is above the Massachusetts county average of 5.8. Visit the Massachusetts state page for the full county-by-county breakdown.
Where does the road fatality data for Franklin 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.