COUNTY FATALITY DATA
Hays County: larger FARS fatality book
Hays County (TX) holds a larger FARS book (257, #238 of 3,137) with 36 latest-year deaths.
- 257
- Total Fatalities (2016-2023)
- 36
- Latest Year Deaths
- Very high count
- 12.8
- Per 100k Residents
- Below average
- Increasing
- Trend
Larger fatality book
Hays County ranks #238 of 3,137 by total FARS fatalities (257 across 2016-2023) - top-third book size.
Hays County in the larger-book third
According to NHTSA FARS, Hays County carries a top-third fatality book (257 across 2016-2023, #238 of 3,137) at 12.8/100k.
- #1,471 of 2,328
- among rated U.S. counties by rate
- #238 of 3,137
- larger-book third
- #120 of 160
- in TX by rate
- Increasing
- fatality trend
NHTSA county milepost
Milepost HAYS-209 · Hays 12.8/100k · #1,471 of 2,328
Hays County · 12.8/100k · increasing
- POST 12.8/100k
- BAND #1,471 of 2,328
- VOL 257 book
- AVG Increasing
- YOY near Chatham
- RATE -53.1% vs TX
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 → · Texas state profile →
Hays County rate neighbourhood
Deaths per 100,000 residents vs nearest nationwide rate peers (pop ≥250k).
- Hays
Hays County
13 per 100k
- Chatham
Chatham County
13 per 100k
- Leon
Leon County
13 per 100k
- Sarasota
Sarasota County
13 per 100k
- St Johns
St Johns County
13 per 100k
What this shows Hays County sits among nearest nationwide per-capita peers.
How does Hays County compare?
2023 road deaths per 100,000 residents. Choose any comparison from the menu.
Hays County is 53% 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 Texas, Hays County ranks 15 for per-capita risk, below the state's own per-capita average of 27.3 per 100,000 -- nationally, this rate places it close to the national middle by that per-capita measure. The gap between Hays County's rate and the state average is 14.5 per 100,000. Its closest per-capita peer statewide is Nolan County, at 55.9 per 100,000 (a difference of 43.1). Its peer counties, highest to lowest per 100,000 residents: Leon County (96.7), Wilbarger County (79.9), Ward County (73.0), Eastland County (72.1), Milam County (69.4), Karnes County (66.6), Dawson County (66.6), Comanche County (64.1), Falls County (63.6), Freestone County (63.6), Panola County (61.3), Blanco County (61.3), Live Oak County (60.4), Nolan County (55.9).
Hays County's rate vs. every rated U.S. county
Deaths per 100,000 residents -- counties with 10,000+ people, NHTSA FARS over Census population
13 Lower than most a lower per-capita rate than 63% 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 Hays 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 (12.8 here), outside Texas.
Similar fatality volume
Nearest counties by recorded FARS deaths (257 here), excluding the rate-peer set.
More road safety data related to Hays County
Contextual links from this profile to rankings, tools, research, and peer geographies on PlainRoadSafety.
- Hays County vs other counties by ratePer-100k fatality comparison
- Texas statewide fatality dataAll counties in this state
- Deadliest states for drivingContext for TX
- 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 HLetter index including TX counties
- CHATHAM County, GA fatalitiesSimilar nationwide FARS profile
- LEON County, FL fatalitiesSimilar nationwide FARS profile
- SARASOTA County, FL fatalitiesSimilar nationwide FARS profile
- ST JOHNS County, FL fatalitiesSimilar nationwide FARS profile
Frequently Asked Questions
How many traffic fatalities occurred in Hays County, Texas?
Hays County recorded 257 total traffic fatalities across 225 reported crashes over the data period (2016-2023). The most recent year saw 36 fatalities. The county averages approximately 28.6 fatalities per year.
What is the leading cause of road fatalities in Hays County?
Despite a comparatively active crash history (225 recorded crashes), individual cause-code breakdowns are not published for Hays County in the current FARS release. Statewide data for Texas may provide additional context.
Is the trend of road fatalities in Hays County increasing or decreasing?
The trend in Hays 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 Hays County?
Hays County has a fatality rate of 12.8 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 Hays County rank for road fatality rate?
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Fatality Analysis Reporting System, Hays County ranks #1,471 of 2,328 U.S. counties by road-fatality rate per 100,000 residents (highest first) and #120 of 160 rated counties in TX, the same sort used on the deadliest-states and county rate listings. See /methodology#corpus-placement.
How does Hays County compare to the rest of Texas?
Hays County's per-capita rate of 12.8 per 100,000 residents is below the Texas county average of 27.3. Visit the Texas state page for the full county-by-county breakdown.
Where does the road fatality data for Hays 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.