COUNTY FATALITY DATA
Mercer County: larger FARS fatality book
Mercer County (NJ) holds a larger FARS book (212, #296 of 3,137) with 29 latest-year deaths.
- 212
- Total Fatalities (2016-2023)
- 29
- Latest Year Deaths
- Very high count
- 7.6
- Per 100k Residents
- Well below average
- Increasing
- Trend
Larger fatality book
Mercer County ranks #296 of 3,137 by total FARS fatalities (212 across 2016-2023) - top-third book size.
Mercer County in the larger-book third
According to NHTSA FARS, Mercer County carries a top-third fatality book (212 across 2016-2023, #296 of 3,137) at 7.6/100k.
- #1,993 of 2,328
- lower-rate third
- #296 of 3,137
- larger-book third
- #8 of 21
- in NJ by rate
- Increasing
- fatality trend
FARS county milepost
Milepost MERCER-21 · Mercer 7.6/100k · #1,993 of 2,328
Mercer County · 7.6/100k · increasing
- RATE 7.6/100k
- RANK #1,993 of 2,328
- BOOK 212 book
- TREND Increasing
- CAUSE near Bucks
- PHOTO -2.0% vs NJ
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 → · New Jersey state profile →
Mercer County rate neighbourhood
Deaths per 100,000 residents vs nearest nationwide rate peers (pop ≥250k).
- York
York County
8 per 100k
- Mercer
Mercer County
8 per 100k
- Bucks
Bucks County
8 per 100k
- Jefferson
Jefferson County
8 per 100k
- Polk
Polk County
8 per 100k
What this shows Mercer County sits among nearest nationwide per-capita peers.
How does Mercer County compare?
2023 road deaths per 100,000 residents. Choose any comparison from the menu.
Mercer 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 New Jersey, Mercer County ranks 8 for per-capita risk, below the state's own per-capita average of 7.8 per 100,000 -- nationally, this rate leaves it safer than most U.S. counties by that per-capita measure. The gap between Mercer County's rate and the state average is 0.2 per 100,000. Its closest per-capita peer statewide is Burlington County, at 7.7 per 100,000 (a difference of 0.1). Its peer counties, highest to lowest per 100,000 residents: Salem County (18.4), Atlantic County (14.5), Cumberland County (14.4), Gloucester County (11.0), Warren County (9.9), Camden County (7.8), Burlington County (7.7), Cape May County (7.4), Middlesex County (6.8), Ocean County (6.5), Union County (6.5), Somerset County (6.3), Sussex County (6.2), Essex County (6.2).
Mercer County's rate vs. every rated U.S. county
Deaths per 100,000 residents -- counties with 10,000+ people, NHTSA FARS over Census population
8 Among the safer counties a lower per-capita rate than 85% 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 Mercer 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 (7.6 here), outside New Jersey.
Similar fatality volume
Nearest counties by recorded FARS deaths (212 here), excluding the rate-peer set.
More road safety data related to Mercer County
Contextual links from this profile to rankings, tools, research, and peer geographies on PlainRoadSafety.
- Mercer County vs other counties by ratePer-100k fatality comparison
- New Jersey statewide fatality dataAll counties in this state
- Deadliest states for drivingContext for NJ
- 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 NJ counties
- BUCKS County, PA fatalitiesSimilar nationwide FARS profile
- JEFFERSON County, LA fatalitiesSimilar nationwide FARS profile
- YORK County, PA fatalitiesSimilar nationwide FARS profile
- POLK County, IA fatalitiesSimilar nationwide FARS profile
Frequently Asked Questions
How many traffic fatalities occurred in Mercer County, New Jersey?
Mercer County recorded 212 total traffic fatalities across 207 reported crashes over the data period (2016-2023). The most recent year saw 29 fatalities. The county averages approximately 23.6 fatalities per year.
What is the leading cause of road fatalities in Mercer County?
Despite a comparatively active crash history (207 recorded crashes), individual cause-code breakdowns are not published for Mercer County in the current FARS release. Statewide data for New Jersey may provide additional context.
Is the trend of road fatalities in Mercer County increasing or decreasing?
The trend in Mercer 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 Mercer County?
Mercer County has a fatality rate of 7.6 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 Mercer County rank for road fatality rate?
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Fatality Analysis Reporting System, Mercer County ranks #1,993 of 2,328 U.S. counties by road-fatality rate per 100,000 residents (highest first) and #8 of 21 rated counties in NJ, the same sort used on the deadliest-states and county rate listings. See /methodology#corpus-placement.
How does Mercer County compare to the rest of New Jersey?
Mercer County's per-capita rate of 7.6 per 100,000 residents is below the New Jersey county average of 7.8. Visit the New Jersey state page for the full county-by-county breakdown.
Where does the road fatality data for Mercer 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.