COUNTY FATALITY DATA
McDowell County, North Carolina
Road fatality data for McDowell County (NC). Data period: 2016-2023.
- 59
- Total Fatalities (2016-2023)
- 8
- Latest Year Deaths
- Near average count
- 17.8
- Per 100k Residents
- Near average
- Increasing
- Trend
Rising fatality trend
McDowell County's FARS series is labeled Increasing with 8 deaths in the latest year.
McDowell County on a rising FARS trend
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Fatality Analysis Reporting System, McDowell County ranks #1,010 of 2,328 U.S. counties by road-fatality rate per 100,000 residents (highest first) and #41 of 94 rated counties in NC. McDowell County's fatality rate of 17.8 per 100,000 residents places it close to the national middle by that per-capita measure.
- #1,010 of 2,328
- among rated U.S. counties by rate
- #1,198 of 3,137
- by total FARS fatalities
- #41 of 94
- in NC by rate
- Increasing
- fatality trend
FARS milepost strip
Milepost MCDOWELL-111 · McDowell 17.8/100k · #1,010 of 2,328
McDowell County · 17.8/100k · increasing
- VOL 17.8/100k
- AVG #1,010 of 2,328
- YOY 59 book
- RATE Increasing
- RANK 50 crash
- BOOK -5.2% vs NC
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 → · North Carolina state profile →
How does McDowell County compare?
2023 road deaths per 100,000 residents. Choose any comparison from the menu.
McDowell County is About the same as 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 North Carolina, McDowell County ranks 15 for per-capita risk, below the state's own per-capita average of 18.8 per 100,000 -- nationally, this rate places it close to the national middle by that per-capita measure. The gap between McDowell County's rate and the state average is 1.0 per 100,000. Its closest per-capita peer statewide is Edgecombe County, at 28.7 per 100,000 (a difference of 10.9). Its peer counties, highest to lowest per 100,000 residents: Robeson County (55.4), Scotland County (52.4), Montgomery County (49.8), Bertie County (47.3), Halifax County (44.4), Sampson County (41.9), Duplin County (38.4), Warren County (37.2), Alexander County (32.9), Anson County (32.0), Columbus County (31.9), Bladen County (30.5), Gates County (29.0), Edgecombe County (28.7).
McDowell County's rate vs. every rated U.S. county
Deaths per 100,000 residents -- counties with 10,000+ people, NHTSA FARS over Census population
18 Around the middle a lower per-capita rate than 43% 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 McDowell County
Contextual links from this profile to rankings, tools, research, and peer geographies on PlainRoadSafety.
- McDowell County vs other counties by ratePer-100k fatality comparison
- North Carolina statewide fatality dataAll counties in this state
- Deadliest states for drivingContext for NC
- 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 NC counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How many traffic fatalities occurred in McDowell County, North Carolina?
McDowell County recorded 59 total traffic fatalities across 50 reported crashes over the data period (2016-2023). The most recent year saw 8 fatalities. The county averages approximately 6.6 fatalities per year.
What is the leading cause of road fatalities in McDowell County?
Despite a comparatively active crash history (50 recorded crashes), individual cause-code breakdowns are not published for McDowell County in the current FARS release. Statewide data for North Carolina may provide additional context.
Is the trend of road fatalities in McDowell County increasing or decreasing?
The trend in McDowell 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 McDowell County?
McDowell County has a fatality rate of 17.8 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 McDowell County rank for road fatality rate?
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Fatality Analysis Reporting System, McDowell County ranks #1,010 of 2,328 U.S. counties by road-fatality rate per 100,000 residents (highest first) and #41 of 94 rated counties in NC, the same sort used on the deadliest-states and county rate listings. See /methodology#corpus-placement.
How does McDowell County compare to the rest of North Carolina?
McDowell County's per-capita rate of 17.8 per 100,000 residents is below the North Carolina county average of 18.8. Visit the North Carolina state page for the full county-by-county breakdown.
Where does the road fatality data for McDowell 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.