COUNTY FATALITY DATA
Penobscot County: larger FARS fatality book
Penobscot County (ME) holds a larger FARS book (147, #465 of 3,137) with 19 latest-year deaths.
- 147
- Total Fatalities (2016-2023)
- 19
- Latest Year Deaths
- High count
- 12.2
- Per 100k Residents
- Below average
- Increasing
- Trend
Larger fatality book
Penobscot County ranks #465 of 3,137 by total FARS fatalities (147 across 2016-2023) - top-third book size.
Penobscot County in the larger-book third
According to NHTSA FARS, Penobscot County carries a top-third fatality book (147 across 2016-2023, #465 of 3,137) at 12.2/100k.
- #1,536 of 2,328
- among rated U.S. counties by rate
- #465 of 3,137
- larger-book third
- #7 of 15
- in ME by rate
- Increasing
- fatality trend
FARS milepost strip
Milepost PENOBSCOT-19 · Penobscot 12.2/100k · #1,536 of 2,328
Penobscot County · 12.2/100k · increasing
- BOOK 12.2/100k
- TREND #1,536 of 2,328
- CAUSE 147 book
- PHOTO Increasing
- VS-ST 135 crash
- CRASH +5.1% vs ME
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 → · Maine state profile →
How does Penobscot County compare?
2023 road deaths per 100,000 residents. Choose any comparison from the menu.
Penobscot 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 Maine, Penobscot County ranks 7 for per-capita risk, above the state's own per-capita average of 11.6 per 100,000 -- nationally, this rate places it close to the national middle by that per-capita measure. The gap between Penobscot County's rate and the state average is 0.6 per 100,000. Its closest per-capita peer statewide is Washington County, at 12.7 per 100,000 (a difference of 0.5). Its peer counties, highest to lowest per 100,000 residents: Hancock County (17.7), Piscataquis County (17.2), Lincoln County (16.4), Franklin County (16.2), Oxford County (13.4), Washington County (12.7), Somerset County (11.7), Androscoggin County (11.4), Kennebec County (9.4), Aroostook County (8.9), York County (8.2), Waldo County (7.4), Cumberland County (6.4), Knox County (4.9).
Penobscot County's rate vs. every rated U.S. county
Deaths per 100,000 residents -- counties with 10,000+ people, NHTSA FARS over Census population
12 Lower than most a lower per-capita rate than 66% 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 Penobscot County
Contextual links from this profile to rankings, tools, research, and peer geographies on PlainRoadSafety.
- Penobscot County vs other counties by ratePer-100k fatality comparison
- Maine statewide fatality dataAll counties in this state
- Deadliest states for drivingContext for ME
- 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 PLetter index including ME counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How many traffic fatalities occurred in Penobscot County, Maine?
Penobscot County recorded 147 total traffic fatalities across 135 reported crashes over the data period (2016-2023). The most recent year saw 19 fatalities. The county averages approximately 16.3 fatalities per year.
What is the leading cause of road fatalities in Penobscot County?
Despite a comparatively active crash history (135 recorded crashes), individual cause-code breakdowns are not published for Penobscot County in the current FARS release. Statewide data for Maine may provide additional context.
Is the trend of road fatalities in Penobscot County increasing or decreasing?
The trend in Penobscot 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 Penobscot County?
Penobscot County has a fatality rate of 12.2 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 Penobscot County rank for road fatality rate?
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Fatality Analysis Reporting System, Penobscot County ranks #1,536 of 2,328 U.S. counties by road-fatality rate per 100,000 residents (highest first) and #7 of 15 rated counties in ME, the same sort used on the deadliest-states and county rate listings. See /methodology#corpus-placement.
How does Penobscot County compare to the rest of Maine?
Penobscot County's per-capita rate of 12.2 per 100,000 residents is above the Maine county average of 11.6. Visit the Maine state page for the full county-by-county breakdown.
Where does the road fatality data for Penobscot 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.