COUNTY FATALITY DATA
New Hanover County: larger FARS fatality book
New Hanover County (NC) holds a larger FARS book (159, #423 of 3,137) with 19 latest-year deaths.
- 159
- Total Fatalities (2016-2023)
- 19
- Latest Year Deaths
- High count
- 8.0
- Per 100k Residents
- Well below average
- Increasing
- Trend
Larger fatality book
New Hanover County ranks #423 of 3,137 by total FARS fatalities (159 across 2016-2023) - top-third book size.
New Hanover County in the larger-book third
According to NHTSA FARS, New Hanover County carries a top-third fatality book (159 across 2016-2023, #423 of 3,137) at 8.0/100k.
- #1,963 of 2,328
- lower-rate third
- #423 of 3,137
- larger-book third
- #89 of 94
- in NC by rate
- Increasing
- fatality trend
NHTSA FARS milepost
Milepost NEW-HANOVER- · New Hanover 8.0/100k · #1,963 of 2,328
New Hanover County · 8.0/100k · increasing
- YOY 8.0/100k
- RATE #1,963 of 2,328
- RANK 159 book
- BOOK Increasing
- TREND 154 crash
- CAUSE -57.4% 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 New Hanover County compare?
2023 road deaths per 100,000 residents. Choose any comparison from the menu.
New Hanover County is 57% 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 North Carolina, New Hanover County ranks 15 for per-capita risk, below the state's own per-capita average of 18.8 per 100,000 -- nationally, this rate leaves it safer than most U.S. counties by that per-capita measure. The gap between New Hanover County's rate and the state average is 10.8 per 100,000. Its closest per-capita peer statewide is Edgecombe County, at 28.7 per 100,000 (a difference of 20.7). 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).
New Hanover 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 84% 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 New Hanover County
Contextual links from this profile to rankings, tools, research, and peer geographies on PlainRoadSafety.
- New Hanover 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 NLetter index including NC counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How many traffic fatalities occurred in New Hanover County, North Carolina?
New Hanover County recorded 159 total traffic fatalities across 154 reported crashes over the data period (2016-2023). The most recent year saw 19 fatalities. The county averages approximately 17.7 fatalities per year.
What is the leading cause of road fatalities in New Hanover County?
Despite a comparatively active crash history (154 recorded crashes), individual cause-code breakdowns are not published for New Hanover County in the current FARS release. Statewide data for North Carolina may provide additional context.
Is the trend of road fatalities in New Hanover County increasing or decreasing?
The trend in New Hanover 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 New Hanover County?
New Hanover County has a fatality rate of 8.0 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 New Hanover County rank for road fatality rate?
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Fatality Analysis Reporting System, New Hanover County ranks #1,963 of 2,328 U.S. counties by road-fatality rate per 100,000 residents (highest first) and #89 of 94 rated counties in NC, the same sort used on the deadliest-states and county rate listings. See /methodology#corpus-placement.
How does New Hanover County compare to the rest of North Carolina?
New Hanover County's per-capita rate of 8.0 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 New Hanover 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.