COUNTY FATALITY DATA
McDowell County: lower-rate fatality band
McDowell County (WV) is in the lower per-capita third: 5.7/100k (#2,162 of 2,328). Data period: 2016-2023.
- 37
- Total Fatalities (2016-2023)
- 1
- Latest Year Deaths
- Low count
- 5.7
- Per 100k Residents
- Well below average
- Decreasing
- Trend
Lower per-capita fatality band
McDowell County ranks #2,162 of 2,328 by deaths per 100,000 residents (5.7/100k) - bottom-third rate among rated U.S. counties.
McDowell County in the lower-rate third
According to NHTSA FARS, McDowell County sits in the lower-rate third at 5.7 per 100k (#2,162 of 2,328), #37 of 40 in WV.
- #2,162 of 2,328
- lower-rate third
- #1,759 of 3,137
- by total FARS fatalities
- #37 of 40
- in WV by rate
- Decreasing
- fatality trend
FARS county milepost
Milepost MCDOWELL-47 · McDowell 5.7/100k · #2,162 of 2,328
McDowell County · 5.7/100k · decreasing
- POST 5.7/100k
- BAND #2,162 of 2,328
- VOL 37 book
- AVG Decreasing
- YOY 37 crash
- RATE -68.9% vs WV
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 → · West Virginia state profile →
How does McDowell County compare?
2023 road deaths per 100,000 residents. Choose any comparison from the menu.
McDowell County is 69% 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 West Virginia, McDowell County ranks 15 for per-capita risk, below the state's own per-capita average of 18.4 per 100,000 -- nationally, this rate puts it among the safest one in ten U.S. counties by that per-capita measure. The gap between McDowell County's rate and the state average is 12.7 per 100,000. Its closest per-capita peer statewide is Wyoming County, at 19.7 per 100,000 (a difference of 14.0). Its peer counties, highest to lowest per 100,000 residents: Hampshire County (50.7), Taylor County (36.6), Hardy County (35.1), Summers County (34.5), Boone County (34.0), Monroe County (32.3), Nicholas County (29.0), Grant County (27.5), Logan County (26.0), Mason County (24.2), Wayne County (23.9), Mineral County (22.3), Greenbrier County (21.8), Wyoming County (19.7).
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
6 Among the safer counties a lower per-capita rate than 93% 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
- West Virginia statewide fatality dataAll counties in this state
- Deadliest states for drivingContext for WV
- 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 WV counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How many traffic fatalities occurred in McDowell County, West Virginia?
McDowell County recorded 37 total traffic fatalities across 37 reported crashes over the data period (2016-2023). The most recent year saw 1 fatalities. The county averages approximately 4.1 fatalities per year.
What is the leading cause of road fatalities in McDowell County?
Cause-code breakdowns are not individually published for McDowell County in the current FARS release. Statewide data for West Virginia may provide additional context.
Is the trend of road fatalities in McDowell County increasing or decreasing?
The trend in McDowell County is decreasing. This suggests road safety improvements are having a positive effect in the county.
What is the fatality rate per capita in McDowell County?
McDowell County has a fatality rate of 5.7 per 100,000 residents, which puts it among the safest one in ten U.S. counties 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 #2,162 of 2,328 U.S. counties by road-fatality rate per 100,000 residents (highest first) and #37 of 40 rated counties in WV, 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 West Virginia?
McDowell County's per-capita rate of 5.7 per 100,000 residents is below the West Virginia county average of 18.4. Visit the West Virginia 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.