COUNTY FATALITY DATA
Maricopa County: larger FARS fatality book
Maricopa County (AZ) holds a larger FARS book (4,327, #2 of 3,137) with 678 latest-year deaths.
- 4,327
- Total Fatalities (2016-2023)
- 678
- Latest Year Deaths
- Very high count
- 14.8
- Per 100k Residents
- Below average
- Increasing
- Trend
Larger fatality book
Maricopa County ranks #2 of 3,137 by total FARS fatalities (4,327 across 2016-2023) - top-third book size.
Maricopa County in the larger-book third
According to NHTSA FARS, Maricopa County carries a top-third fatality book (4,327 across 2016-2023, #2 of 3,137) at 14.8/100k.
- #1,288 of 2,328
- among rated U.S. counties by rate
- #2 of 3,137
- larger-book third
- #13 of 14
- in AZ by rate
- Increasing
- fatality trend
Highway fatality milepost
Milepost MARICOPA-13 · Maricopa 14.8/100k · #1,288 of 2,328
Maricopa County · 14.8/100k · increasing
- RANK 14.8/100k
- BOOK #1,288 of 2,328
- TREND 4,327 book
- CAUSE Increasing
- PHOTO near Bell
- VS-ST -54.5% vs AZ
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 → · Arizona state profile →
Maricopa County rate neighbourhood
Deaths per 100,000 residents vs nearest nationwide rate peers (pop ≥250k).
- Maricopa
Maricopa County
15 per 100k
- Bell
Bell County
15 per 100k
- Fresno
Fresno County
15 per 100k
- Madison
Madison County
15 per 100k
- Prince Geo…
Prince George`S County
15 per 100k
What this shows Maricopa County sits among nearest nationwide per-capita peers.
How does Maricopa County compare?
2023 road deaths per 100,000 residents. Choose any comparison from the menu.
Maricopa County is 55% 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 14 rated counties in Arizona, Maricopa County ranks 13 for per-capita risk, below the state's own per-capita average of 32.5 per 100,000 -- nationally, this rate places it close to the national middle by that per-capita measure. The gap between Maricopa County's rate and the state average is 17.7 per 100,000. Its closest per-capita peer statewide is Pinal County, at 16.3 per 100,000 (a difference of 1.5). Its peer counties, highest to lowest per 100,000 residents: La Paz County (131.7), Coconino County (38.8), Navajo County (35.7), Apache County (35.4), Mohave County (34.0), Gila County (29.6), Graham County (27.8), Cochise County (24.1), Yavapai County (18.9), Santa Cruz County (18.3), Pima County (17.2), Pinal County (16.3), Yuma County (13.1).
Maricopa 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 55% 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 Maricopa 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 (14.8 here), outside Arizona.
Similar fatality volume
Nearest counties by recorded FARS deaths (4,327 here), excluding the rate-peer set.
More road safety data related to Maricopa County
Contextual links from this profile to rankings, tools, research, and peer geographies on PlainRoadSafety.
- Maricopa County vs other counties by ratePer-100k fatality comparison
- Arizona statewide fatality dataAll counties in this state
- Deadliest states for drivingContext for AZ
- 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 MLetter index including AZ counties
- BELL County, TX fatalitiesSimilar nationwide FARS profile
- FRESNO County, CA fatalitiesSimilar nationwide FARS profile
- MADISON County, IL fatalitiesSimilar nationwide FARS profile
- PRINCE GEORGE`S County, MD fatalitiesSimilar nationwide FARS profile
Frequently Asked Questions
How many traffic fatalities occurred in Maricopa County, Arizona?
Maricopa County recorded 4,327 total traffic fatalities across 4,068 reported crashes over the data period (2016-2023). The most recent year saw 678 fatalities. The county averages approximately 480.8 fatalities per year.
What is the leading cause of road fatalities in Maricopa County?
Despite a comparatively active crash history (4,068 recorded crashes), individual cause-code breakdowns are not published for Maricopa County in the current FARS release. Statewide data for Arizona may provide additional context.
Is the trend of road fatalities in Maricopa County increasing or decreasing?
The trend in Maricopa 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 Maricopa County?
Maricopa County has a fatality rate of 14.8 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 Maricopa County rank for road fatality rate?
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Fatality Analysis Reporting System, Maricopa County ranks #1,288 of 2,328 U.S. counties by road-fatality rate per 100,000 residents (highest first) and #13 of 14 rated counties in AZ, the same sort used on the deadliest-states and county rate listings. See /methodology#corpus-placement.
How does Maricopa County compare to the rest of Arizona?
Maricopa County's per-capita rate of 14.8 per 100,000 residents is below the Arizona county average of 32.5. Visit the Arizona state page for the full county-by-county breakdown.
Where does the road fatality data for Maricopa 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.