COUNTY FATALITY DATA
Otter Tail County: lower-rate fatality band
Otter Tail County (MN) is in the lower per-capita third: 4.9/100k (#2,218 of 2,328). Data period: 2016-2023.
- 46
- Total Fatalities (2016-2023)
- 3
- Latest Year Deaths
- Low count
- 4.9
- Per 100k Residents
- Well below average
- Increasing
- Trend
Lower per-capita fatality band
Otter Tail County ranks #2,218 of 2,328 by deaths per 100,000 residents (4.9/100k) - bottom-third rate among rated U.S. counties.
Otter Tail County in the lower-rate third
According to NHTSA FARS, Otter Tail County sits in the lower-rate third at 4.9 per 100k (#2,218 of 2,328), #50 of 64 in MN.
- #2,218 of 2,328
- lower-rate third
- #1,501 of 3,137
- by total FARS fatalities
- #50 of 64
- in MN by rate
- Increasing
- fatality trend
Highway fatality milepost
Milepost OTTER-TAIL-1 · Otter Tail 4.9/100k · #2,218 of 2,328
Otter Tail County · 4.9/100k · increasing
- YOY 4.9/100k
- RATE #2,218 of 2,328
- RANK 46 book
- BOOK Increasing
- TREND 44 crash
- CAUSE -56.6% vs MN
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 → · Minnesota state profile →
How does Otter Tail County compare?
2023 road deaths per 100,000 residents. Choose any comparison from the menu.
Otter Tail 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 Minnesota, Otter Tail County ranks 15 for per-capita risk, below the state's own per-capita average of 11.3 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 Otter Tail County's rate and the state average is 6.4 per 100,000. Its closest per-capita peer statewide is Sherburne County, at 16.6 per 100,000 (a difference of 11.7). Its peer counties, highest to lowest per 100,000 residents: Faribault County (36.0), Chippewa County (32.9), Kandiyohi County (29.7), Renville County (27.9), Watonwan County (27.1), Redwood County (26.2), Fillmore County (23.2), Houston County (21.5), Morrison County (20.4), Aitkin County (18.6), Lake County (18.4), Rice County (17.7), Becker County (17.0), Sherburne County (16.6).
Otter Tail County's rate vs. every rated U.S. county
Deaths per 100,000 residents -- counties with 10,000+ people, NHTSA FARS over Census population
5 Among the safer counties a lower per-capita rate than 95% 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 Otter Tail County
Contextual links from this profile to rankings, tools, research, and peer geographies on PlainRoadSafety.
- Otter Tail County vs other counties by ratePer-100k fatality comparison
- Minnesota statewide fatality dataAll counties in this state
- Deadliest states for drivingContext for MN
- 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 OLetter index including MN counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How many traffic fatalities occurred in Otter Tail County, Minnesota?
Otter Tail County recorded 46 total traffic fatalities across 44 reported crashes over the data period (2016-2023). The most recent year saw 3 fatalities. The county averages approximately 5.1 fatalities per year.
What is the leading cause of road fatalities in Otter Tail County?
Cause-code breakdowns are not individually published for Otter Tail County in the current FARS release. Statewide data for Minnesota may provide additional context.
Is the trend of road fatalities in Otter Tail County increasing or decreasing?
The trend in Otter Tail 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 Otter Tail County?
Otter Tail County has a fatality rate of 4.9 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 Otter Tail County rank for road fatality rate?
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Fatality Analysis Reporting System, Otter Tail County ranks #2,218 of 2,328 U.S. counties by road-fatality rate per 100,000 residents (highest first) and #50 of 64 rated counties in MN, the same sort used on the deadliest-states and county rate listings. See /methodology#corpus-placement.
How does Otter Tail County compare to the rest of Minnesota?
Otter Tail County's per-capita rate of 4.9 per 100,000 residents is below the Minnesota county average of 11.3. Visit the Minnesota state page for the full county-by-county breakdown.
Where does the road fatality data for Otter Tail 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.